to think if you have been social distancing, then you shouldn't need to self isolate?

[chomalungma]

Let's say hypothetically you had a work colleague who you have been meeting with but you followed social distancing guidelines.

They then test positive and claim that you have been a close contact.

You get the phone call and are told to self isolate - but you know that the only person you have been in contact who has tested positive was someone who you have been socially distanced from.

Why should you self isolate?

If the photo I saw last night of Boris and the MP who tested positive is genuine, they were less than 2m apart for at least the time it took to take the photo, so I wouldn't be surprised if they were that close for at least some of the rest of the meeting. They were side by side in the photo which isn't quite as risky as face to face, but I would say it's still risky. Also, did they have plenty of fresh air ventilating the room they met in?

Why? Well, if you’re contacted by NHS T&T , then it’s now a legal requirement to self isolate regardless of what you personally think the situation should be, so....

But if you've been 2 metres from the Covid positive person you shouldn't have been contacted by T + T.

Why? Well, if you’re contacted by NHS T&T , then it’s now a legal requirement to self isolate regardless of what you personally think the situation should be, so

It's a very punitive system with no appeal. And no common sense in it.

It's relying on the person who is positive being reliable with their memories.

I've seen a photo taken at the time. Not even 1M apart.

It's relying on the person who is positive being reliable with their memories
Yep, sigh, been there, done that 🤷‍♀️

@LastGoldenDaysOfSummer

I've seen a photo taken at the time. Not even 1M apart.

Well - Boris claims that he followed socially distancing guidelines so it is possible that he is not being totally truthful.

But he has said that even if you have followed social distancing guidelines and if you are contacted by Test and Trace, then you need to self isolate.

As has been said - you shouldn't be contacted by Test and Trace if you have been following the guidelines.

(Although that’s not what happened here is it, they ^weren’t 2m apart, but that’s another story...)

@LastGoldenDaysOfSummer

I've seen a photo taken at the time. Not even 1M apart.

A photo means nothing as it’s less than 15mins. As per others have said you’ve to self isolate if less than 2 and more than 15 mins.

I also thought the same op if they were wearing masks abs 2m apart do you have to self isolate ?

Social distancing decreases but does not eliminate risk. If they were in an enclosed room for a prolonged period then distancing would not necessarily be enough. That's exactly why indoor social mixing has been limited. Also, we don't know yet how long antibody based immunity lasts so the fact that Boris is isolating even though he's already had the virus shows that he is listening to his scientists and is taking the most conservative (small c) course of action.

DH and I socially distanced and wore masks and still both caught covid. As did one of our DC who lives elsewhere. Social distancing helps, but it wont eliminate risk

are you suggesting boris isnt telling the whole truth... what a shocker

not sure why they are having meetings in no10? why cant they video conf like everyone else..... the guidance is to wfh anyway

maybe they should be following their own guidance -

A photo means nothing as it’s less than 15mins. As per others have said you’ve to self isolate if less than 2 and more than 15 mins.

Ah yes. But once you’re within 1 metre of someone else it reduces to 1 minute.

In reality very few people know what 2m looks like. I’m almost 2m tall and couldn’t lie between people who think they are social distancing at work on a regular basis. When I point this out people are shocked.

I think they’re acting with an abundance of caution. Can you imagine the uproar and the headlines in the media if it came out that Boris didn’t isolate after an MP he’d met with had tested positive? Even if they were social distancing and wearing masks in the meeting he’d be accused of being above the law and not following the rules etc.
On the flip side, it could be the MP has given false information to T&T which now means he has to isolate unnecessarily, but because he has been contacted there is no getting out of it for such a public figure.

He might have touched a door handle or a toilet that the MP used.

@LouiseTrees

He might have touched a door handle or a toilet that the MP used.

Why would that matter? Surely if such a simple action meant a person should isolate, schools and workplaces should be completely closed?

Not sure why they are having meetings in no10? why cant they video conf like everyone else

Security.

You can still catch it even if you're more than 2m away, especially if you're inside - social distancing reduces the spread, it doesn't stop it.

my work has recently tried this nonsense " we are covid secure, you're safe as you're sat 3m away from eachother and we are fogging every few days.
its only after the 8th case they have accepted covid secure is totally meaningless when you're in the same large office room for 8 hours a day.

if your work space permits you to be more than 2 metres away, you cannot expect work places to close down because one person is positive.

Why would that matter? Surely if such a simple action meant a person should isolate, schools and workplaces should be completely closed?

Tbf most schools and workplaces probably should be closed from an infection control point of view. It’s just judged better that they stay open for other reasons.

As others have said, social distancing reduces the risk doesn’t eliminate it. 2m for 15mins is a rule of thumb. If you are in an enclosed space with other people there is still a risk. It might be that T&T decided the meeting was long enough that the 2m became slightly irrelevant.

I’ve got a feeling the app algorithm calculates distance and length of time, so it might flag you as a contact at more than 2m depending on how long you were at that distance for.

@Liftup

my work has recently tried this nonsense " we are covid secure, you're safe as you're sat 3m away from eachother and we are fogging every few days. its only after the 8th case they have accepted covid secure is totally meaningless when you're in the same large office room for 8 hours a day.

You do have to slightly admire the government for managing people to convince people that ‘covid secure’ is an actual thing.

It depends how long you’ve been with them, not just how close.
Transmission indoors is rife.
I don’t understand why people don’t get this

do posters really think that the virus magically disappears after 2m ( and the rules at work are 2m where at all possible) All the guidelines do is minimise risk not eliminate it .

by the logic on here you are saying that everyone who has contracted the virus is entirely responsible for their own illness.

And does not the app measure where the phone is and not the person ?

@Moonmelodies

Not sure why they are having meetings in no10? why cant they video conf like everyone else

Security.

Its less secure, this was a MP not President elect Biden or Barnier. Zoom for example has end to end encryption and wouldn't Govt have even better tools?

Covid secure workplaces can have screens, one way systems etc, based on the photo, appears Johnson doesn't follow his own rules.

I agree most places can not be covid "secure" you are just minimising risk and ventilation is just as important as distance .

I think people just don't want to realise the aim is to minimise not eliminate .

Is it too complicated ? or too frightening ?