To think going on holiday at the moment is selfish and unnecessary

[OverTheRainbow88]

I think it’s totally unnecessary and selfish for people to go abroad on holiday at the moment. I’m not talking about people that need to go abroad for other reasons, such as ,work or to see ill relatives etc. I think getting our children back to school trumps a holiday.
However, lots of family and friends are going away abroad for holidays, do others agree with me or am I being unreasonable?

@OliviaBenson I think the tests were coming back within 24 hours. We both managed to get ours done (& results back) before we went. When we arrived there were two queues at the airport for those with/without results, so I didn’t see what happened with those needing a test, but either way I think you need to visit madeirasafe.com/#/ to upload your results.

Technically masks should be worn outside as well as inside, but most people took them off outside the hotel. In restaurants they made you wear one to come in and sit at the table, then you took it off when you sat down. On the plane you were supposed to wear it the whole time but as we were eating and drinking for a lot of it, we didn’t have to wear it then. (Read the links above about plane air being filtered - they also sanitise the whole plane and there’s hand sanitiser everywhere at the airport so it all felt very clean).

Thank you @MarkRuffaloCrumble that's really helpful. I'll be able relax when I'm there I think! Just looking forward to a change of scene now and some sunshine.

No worries, have a great time! It’s beautiful there. I didn’t know much about to before we went but it was a really unique place. Very hilly though - take good walking shoes!!

We feel the same, picked it because it was safe! Good tip about walking shoes.

We went abroad and am soooo glad we did. It was the mental break we all needed. It was a non quarantine country and it was quieter than usual and hot so everything including eating was outside reducing the risk.

The only 2 people I know who’ve definitely had Covid caught it in the U.K. One died.

When we returned to the U.K. people were having large indoor gatherings and every second person I know who went on a UK holiday said it was packed and the weather was shit so they ate indoors in restaurants. Pictures of Cornwall looked so packed it looked like Oxford a Street on the last Saturday before Christmas.

I don’t think foreign holidays are the issue and it appeared to me that people were being more cautious holidaying abroad which is easier anyway because if you’re just there with your household and don’t know anybody you’re less likely to mingle indoors unlike back home.

If you’re following the guidance i.e wearing masks, washing hands, 2 metres etc it doesn’t matter if you’re holidaying in the U.K. or abroad. Your risk will be lower than if you took your kids to meet with your siblings at your parents house as you’re more likely to drop your guard in that situation.

We’ve managed to get an absolute bargain flight in Feb. Very excited.

@OliviaBenson

The tests come back the same day. Mine came though at 10pm

@MarkRuffaloCrumble

I had / am having a lovely time. I fly back tomorrow.

I am so impressed and touched by the diligence, care and social responsibility in which they have managed Covid - 90 cases, no deaths and no community transmission since May.

They had the Flower Festival on when I was there - and @OliviaBenson, should still be on when you’re there - and how well they handled open air events with temperature checks, hand sanitiser and spaced out socially distanced seating

OP yes you are being very unreasonable

@Aridane thank you, sounds wonderful! I'm getting excited now. Good to know about the tests as well. Enjoy the last day of your holiday ☺️

@OliviaBenson - have a wonderful time!

PS I got my results by email not By text. You can also check test results status on the app

Covid has sucked enough joy out of mine and ds life . Bully for you OP if you want to be miserable for the duration of this pandemic ( which could be for many years ) , but we need something to look forward to.
We are taking advantage of the BA sale and booking something for next Aug .

I totally agree. A holiday is not a necessity and in a pandemic it’s irresponsible.

I haven’t been on holiday for about 5 years as I’m on a fixed and low income . You can’t always have the things you would like to have and to sacrifice a year or perhaps 2 of going away is not a huge or terrible thing to need to do. A holiday is a luxury.

As a worker in the travel industry I’m extremely grateful to the people keeping me in a job atm.

@backinthebox - you’re welcome

I don’t understand people booking for next year. Why do we assume all will be
fine then? We had a fantastic trip this summer in countries you could visit. Seize the day.

Yanbu OP we should stop travelling now. The cases are shooting up and the winter ahead is frightening. I think everyone should stay in their own county now for the collective good. Remember how the people of Eyam stopped the plague?

I booked mega cheap flights for Italy for sking in feb but I'm very prepared to lose the money if it's too risky to go. I will see where we are by then!

I won't put life on hold but it's my risk and if we lose the cash it's my fault only. I'd rather lose the cash than put life's at risk.

We had 5 days in Portugal last week. Airports, flights and entire time felt safer than anywhere I have been I this country. We stayed in a village of 1400 people, every single one of whom was masked everywhere we went. We sat outside restaurants where we were sprayed with sanitiser (politely of course) the minute we got there. Both flights were socially distanced (and half full anyway!) and everyone wore masks - We had to put our hands up to use the loo! Added to which it was just a lovely break - selfish? maybe.

Either people in the North of England and the Midlands travel overseas an awful lot more than people in the South, or overseas travel is not the real driver of the rapidly increasing transmission in the UK. Most people have not travelled overseas this summer, because they didn’t need to do so in order to completely ignore social distancing guidelines, whether at work or in their private and social lives. It is therefore pointless to argue that people respecting every single law and guideline wherever they go are somehow more selfish, risk-taking and unacceptable than all people who didn’t go on holiday this year. In fact, that argument is as crass as arguing that people who did not support the travel industry, restaurants, gyms, shops, museums, tourist attractions, etc, were selfish for not supporting the economy.

@Lepetitpiggy snap! I cannot understand how so few people in Portugal didn't wear masks (none I saw), yet in the UK, every other person had a reason not to wear one.

Lovely break and no CV symptoms so far.

I love that I was selfish for going on a holiday that was booked and paid for last year, where I was in isolation with my family, in an area where mask wearing was strictly enforced for EVERYONE but on another thread people are saying how unfair the “rule of six” is and how they are going to ignore it!

I’ve had this discussion many a time with friends / colleagues. Personally I wouldn’t go on holiday abroad. Why take the extra risk of not only bringing it home, but catching it and being ill aboard. Not for me and I certainly wouldn’t take my children abroad.
However, the pandemic is effecting people in many ways and I understand why others are ok with it.l and ‘needs to get away. Are they selfish? No I Don’t believe so. But they do need to take self responsibility of taking the risk (and not cry and moan to the press when a quarantine is called for that country!)

We recently got back from Mallorca. Mallorca has a lower rate of infection that the UK, I'm safer there! But also have to quarantine for 2 weeks. Doesn't make sense.
As long as people are sensible and observe the measures in place for a reason, there's nothing wrong with going away in my opinions.