Quarantine rules.... I want to scream. This government makes nonsensical rules and yet we can do nothing about it

[CautiousOptimist11]

Ok, please read this thread for what it is... disbelief at the draconian measures under which we are all living THAT MAKE NO SENSE. It is infuriating and upsetting that our lives are so easily manipulated with no means of questioning it. What on earth has happened??

Take away the thought that we all have to put up with difficult things, we have all been through a difficult year etc, some people have lost everything. I get ot, its awful and we must all do our part to help. This is not my point. My point is that it would appear, we have gone down a slippery slope where the government can do pretty much whatever they want.

So my family and I are in quarantine at home after coming home to the UK from a non red list country. Not a holiday.

Let's say we support the quarantine EVEN ALTHOUGH there are so many holes in the system, it starts to lose its sense. The hauliers, flight crew etc - people coming in daily with no quarantine. The fact that you stand with other people from other flights for hours at passport control. That you can technically take public transport home to start your quarantine. That you can go to a test centre for your day 2 and 8 tests, on public transport. That you have to pay £200 for day 4 and 8 tests DESPITE STILL BEING IN QUARANTINE ANYWAY! (And testing before entering UK).

I feel like I have been treated like a criminal. The police came to the door to make sure we were in a couple of days ago, and their attitude was awful. Like we were criminals on house arrest.

But here is the main part of my complaint, the thing that highlights how utterly ridiculous the system is, yet nobody can or does question it.

You have the option test test to release on day 5. Extra money and inconvenience. But if negative, you can leave straight away.

If you don't pay for this extra day 5 test then, after your day 8 test (negative here), you must still wait til MIDNIGHT ON DAY 10 before you can leave the house. Why? Why are you safer after day 5 than day 8? Why not just test everyone on day 8?

I am sitting here on day 10, wondering if the police will come shouting at my door again, also wondering what kind of country I have come back to.

It's so sad

If we truly want people to be quarantined on entry to the UK, then we should do what we were doing in February and March last year, ie escorting arrivals off the planes and into specially designated buses and taking them directly to the place of quarantine.

Out of interest where was that?

I agree that it is illogical some of the quarantine provisions. A PCSO or a government official who would otherwise be furloughed could come and check that you were observing quarantine instead of a police officer, for example. That is had it not been for cuts to police budgets and reduced PCSO numbers, which in London were instigated by the then London Mayor, Boris Johnson.

On the more general point I have some agreement. These requirements should have been primary legislation not secondary legislation so they could be amended by Parliament, not a binary choice faced by the House of Commons. I also disagree with the police issuing fines, any breach should be a matter for magistrates courts so that everyone can represent their reasons/excuses for any breach and have proper justice.

Half the rules make no sense, but if you dare to question them you will get a majority of people telling you that you are selfish, that you need to follow the experts and you are a covidiot. They will not accept in any way that the rules don't all make sense.

You don't leave the house to take the tests. They are posted out and are self administered.

I flew a few times for work last year and didn't have a single phone call or police check to make sure that I was quarantining after each trip.

DD by comparision has had a phone call every day. She's on day 9 and is sticking to the rules despite having had Covid last year and having 5 negative tests so far this year.

The only thing that's annoying is that she's paid £180 for the tests here to a private company (presumable a Conservative croney). I'd much rather that this money was paid for a NHS test since there is presumably capacity these days.

Government rules are generally blunt instruments and many times ill-considered.

I live in a country where 12 and unders are banned from shopping malls and grocery stores and all indoor/outdoor playgrounds are closed.

Hard to understand how it’s about health if the literally lowest-risk category has been essentially banned from public. Single mothers be damned.

I never understood Reagan’s saying that government should be small enough to drown in a bathtub ... but now I want to drown the government in a bathtub 🤬

I do agree with you OP that the Test to Release scheme after day 5 is ridiculous. Either you are safe after 5 days or you are not.. paying for a private test doesn't make you magically immune.

And I say that as someone who is advising their clients (immigration lawyer) to use the Test to Release scheme so they can start their new job earlier!

I agree OP, the rules are illogical, unless the logic is making money for friends and families of Tory politicians. If you are safe to go out on day 5, the day 8 test makes no sense, and the 48h rule is even more stupid.

The thing is, the consensus on MN is that it's fine to break the rules "because of our mental health" but when it's about going abroad the rules are the rules (most likely because most of them won't be able to go on holiday so everybody who does go abroad, whatever the reason, should suffer).

Lots of us agree with you. The rules don't make sense which means they don't have the effect they are supposed to have. They are unnecessarily restrictive for some whilst non-existent for others.

As a result the only pandemic I have seen evidence of over the last year is one of hopelessness and despair.

Because it's about risk management not risk prevention. Risk prevention is impossible.

Allowing people to get home to quarantine not detaining them at port - yes it increases risk, but it's also a sensible, cost-effective risk to take, since the alternative is effectively imprisoning people which is expensive and would cause huge hostility to government.

Day 2 test - so that if you are positive, others on the flight can be notified.

Test to Release - pointless. Maybe there's a view that so few people will pay the extra that it is an acceptable risk to take for those few?

Perhaps you would prefer to see another 130,000 dead?

I get it OP, the whole thing is fucked.

@Itsalonghaul

Perhaps you would prefer to see another 130,000 dead?

You are missing the point. She is asking why people can be released on day 5, simply because they have paid extra, whereas otherwise you can't leave your house until day 10? Money should not play a part. The OP is happy to wait until day 10 if that's the best option to protect others.

Yes, the quarantine should have been done earlier and better. None of this travelling home on public transport nonsense. Everyone should be going into government hotel quarantine if they fly into the UK. Everyone.

It will quickly weed out the 'non essential' travel.

@KarmaViolet

Because it's about risk management not risk prevention. Risk prevention is impossible.

Allowing people to get home to quarantine not detaining them at port - yes it increases risk, but it's also a sensible, cost-effective risk to take, since the alternative is effectively imprisoning people which is expensive and would cause huge hostility to government.

Day 2 test - so that if you are positive, others on the flight can be notified.

Test to Release - pointless. Maybe there's a view that so few people will pay the extra that it is an acceptable risk to take for those few?

I suspect it is, just like the £5000 fine for going on holiday. It will be dropped, but late enough that most people won't have made plans so that overall the risk is less.

I got the impression from the OP that they had returned to the UK after a lengthy spell outside the UK , possibly started before the pandemic?
That makes sense actually.

Poor OP needs to start reading up on the rules now if she is to stand a chance in the confusing rules minefield.

@CautiousOptimist11

I'm not saying I am against quarantine.

I'm saying that the rules they have created are contradictory and make no sense.

Why could I leave house after day 5 test, but have to stay for another 48 hours after the day 8 test?

Insanity.

Well, how else were they supposed to bend the rules for rich people...

Cold wet dreary Britain? Some people ,( not on quarantine of course) need to leave their front door.

The logic to the rules is screwed for sure I get where you are coming from. Its like they have taken advice from several sources combined it and not sense checked it as it was implemented to quickly - they won't change it as its "too confusing" for the hoi paloi

But then the general rules being different for different countries is ridiculous as is the fact that many can go to work and no one is really checking was Covid protection there is in place in work places etc. It is all too complex so people feel completely stifled.

And they are now saying we need to keep the social distancing and masking going forward even more strictly

YABU. The reason why we are in this mess is all the coming and goings at airports months ago No tests. . Nothing. The draconian,
Measures should have been in then. Sorry you are being inconvenienced to stop people dying,

It’s the rules, end of

Sorry I meant Wales, Scotland and England/Northern Ireland as countries

Cold wet dreary Britain?

It is 24c and couldn't be more beautiful now it is spring! Don't let the truth stand in your way

I didn’t know you could test out on day 5. That’s disgraceful. Why isn’t that option being offered to schoolchildren who are sent home to isolate for ten days every five minutes?