Exempt from isolation after holiday?

[bluebellscorner]

I genuinely don't understand, can someone help explain this to me?

Someone I know travels for work on a regular basis and is exempt from having to isolate when she returns, as per government guidelines.

This time, they brought the whole family with them (also allowed as they had a funeral to attend in this country). Then, they travelled to a third country for a 10 day stay at a beach resort (not on the red list). They are returning via the second country and are now back in the UK.

They are not isolating because the husband is exempt, as per the current rules.

So does this also extend to the wife and children? This is what I don't understand.

Not trying to be the covid police here, I just genuinely don't understad the rules anymore...! This lady is very pro lockdown & compliance with the all the guidelines and rules, and they have been completely open about the arrangements around this holiday, so I have to assume this is somehow ok.

Sorry typo in the third to last paragraph, that should say wife and not husband - sorry about the confusion.

Seems odd, I’m not sure but sounds a bit dodgy to me!!

Doesn’t sound right at all.

That can’t be right surely.
If she travels for work and is exempt for work but went on a holiday as well, then surely she must isolate. Is either country on the red list?

Unless he has one of these jobs he has to, but they should anyway

www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-travellers-exempt-from-uk-border-rules/coronavirus-covid-19-travellers-exempt-from-uk-border-rules

None of them are exempt! You are only exempt IF you travel exclusively for work purposes. It doesn't matter if you're usually exempt due to work travel.

If she travels for work the family shouldn’t be going. They all need to isolate. This is why the virus isn’t going because are being idiots .

I can’t see anything which says the exemption applies to your family?

I also don’t understand why the exemptions are there at all tbh - unless it’s to allow people to travel for work purposes, but then why doesn’t it say so.

Yet another very leaky rule.

@WatchWatch

None of them are exempt! You are only exempt IF you travel exclusively for work purposes. It doesn't matter if you're usually exempt due to work travel.

This.

They should all be in isolation, and much as I abhor the Covid police, on this occasion I definitely would rat them out. That kind of travel is exactly what puts us at risk, red list or not. And the one who travels for work knows damned well what the rules are because I also did recently, and they make it very, very clear.

A funeral isn't work

A holiday isn't work

The whole family travelling isn't for work.

The person who is exempt due to work is only exempt personally when they travel for work purposes.

They cannot exempt the whole family for a jolly to the beach

I’ve just read the rules again. To be exempt from testing and self isolation requirements, she needs to be in a critical worker category and travel for work on a weekly basis to the specified country. It doesn’t mention travelling spouses or children I guess because if you are travelling for work it is only you.

If they were allowed to travel to x country to attend a funeral that’s ok, but I can’t see how they are exempt from the testing and self isolation requirements even so. I know someone trying to come to UK currently from USA for funeral and they are having to test and self isolate on arrival and are happy to do so.

Travelling further to another country for a holiday seems would also just mean they need to test and isolate. I would think even the lady as this was not for work purposes.

I could well be wrong tho...

I’ve just read the rules again. To be exempt from testing and self isolation requirements, she needs to be in a critical worker category and travel for work on a weekly basis to the specified country. It doesn’t mention travelling spouses or children I guess because if you are travelling for work it is only you.

Glad to hear it has to be for work purposes, insane otherwise!

Having been in one of the occupations exempt from quarantine when working my two pence worth, assuming we are dealing with the UK -

Never heard of "family of" ever, ever, getting any exemption from the standard rules.

With regard to the "essential worker" themselves - the government rules on the internet (as per the link upthread) sometimes don't always give the whole story because some industries/companies have negotiated very specific and detailed arrangements for their employees...that said what's been described does sound dodgy...

Dh is in an exempt occupation, when we returned dc’s & I still had to isolate/quarantine. It’s individual exemption only, they were very clear about it at border control too. So what they are doing is incorrect just from a quarantine POV.

Thanks everyone. It will be interesting to see what they do when they return from their holiday.

They are being completely open about all aspects of their travels, the entire school knows where they are as they sent half term greetings from their chosen destination on the school WhatsApp. This is why I feel they must somehow think they are following the rules? Very odd.

Sorry, that was confusing. I said they were in the country in my original post but apparently I had got that wrong, tehy are due back at some point this week.

They should all isolate. Seems they are twisting the rules to suit their situation.

Meh its a neg test and 5 days in the UK