To think this is just a joke now?

[Justinversusmrtumble]

Portugal possibly going back onto the amber list.
The only thing keeping my parents going is coming to celebrate toddlers DD’s birthday in the summer. It’s getting beyond ridiculous now. Feeling so low today, I miss my family so much.

It sucks for the people affected but they’re trying to stop more cases coming in. Wait to see what they decide before despairing.

Sorry but your parents being miffed is of little concern. We are at risk as a whole. A party can be rearranged. I say this as someone facing the prospect of having to rearrange a wedding again because of selfish people who won't vaccinate or quarantine.

This traffic light system is stupid. We should follow Australia and New Zealand and ban all non-essential travel in or out until next year at the earliest.
The current system is open to abuse of people traveling from a red or amber country via a green country to avoid quarantine.
The only way out of this mess now is to vaccinate asap and shut the border.

@AnneLovesGilbert Almost everyone has been vaccinated, there is intense testing, numbers are low here, it doesn’t make sense at all. Are they saying that the vaccines come with then, what’s the point of having them if this is always going to continue, there’s no need.

@Tiktokersmiracle It’s not about a bloody party! My parents are getting older, my fad has Alzheimer’s, they live for the times to see
us and their granddaughter. They’ve both been fully vaccinated, my family have all had it. They come here and stay with us, mainly in our garden and to local, quiet beaches, there’s no logic to this.

@Tiktokersmiracle My parents aren’t ‘Miffed’ there’s much more to peoples situations than that, try to have some sensitivity. This isn’t about having a holiday or a party ffs

Numbers are not low though are they? Because people willfully ignored what was going on in India, no doubt because they missed family, where we were doing incredibly well with numbers in March/early April we are now in a mess and facing restrictions again.
It takes a few selfish people to put us back to January. Indoors, bored stupid and economically on the tip of bankruptcy as a country.

*Are they saying that the vaccines won’t work then

No they haven’t. Loads of adults have only had one dose and if it’s AZ that only gives you about 33% protection against the delta variant which was found in India.

It’s fine to be upset and annoyed but you can’t do anything about it.

The whole thing is shit. For everyone. It’s been a terribly difficult 16 months filled with big and small disappointments.

Until things improve and stabilise properly, which is a way off, there’s no point attaching too strongly to plans of any sort. Travel to and from Portugal, and all other countries, was always going to be subject to change.

I’ve got close family in Australia, one having a baby, one now seriously ill, and the baby will be walking and the ill person probably dead before we can see them again.

[quote Justinversusmrtumble]@Tiktokersmiracle My parents aren’t ‘Miffed’ there’s much more to peoples situations than that, try to have some sensitivity. This isn’t about having a holiday or a party ffs[/quote]
I think you need to take your own advice.

Have some sensitivity to the families of 150,000 victims of a virus brought in in the first place by people coming over with it and failing to isolate, because our government decided to not shut our border.

I really feel for families in different countries, could they fly out sooner i.e this week and stay longer? Even if they have to quarantine on the way back?

@Tiktokersmiracle Selfish people?! Really?

@Tiktokersmiracle My parents have always isolated when required so don’t dare put them into the same category or call them selfish.

Op they aren't saying your parents are selfish they're saying some people have behaved selfishly, bypassing the rules and not testing/isolating etc and those people have meant numbers creeping up

If it goes to amber can your parents just come anyway and quarantine at home? It's only red list that quarantine in a hotel

They can still go if Portugal is on the amber list, they just need to take the required tests and isolate on return to the UK. I’ve had family come to visit from Europe to see my baby DD, they follow the travel rules and all is fine.

It's ridiculous- Portugal cases are around 500 on average a week. Yesterday we clocked 4000. How is Portugal more of a risk than going to your local Tesco.

It's political - yesterday EU refused to put us on the white list so the government is retaliating.

And they are hiding behind a new variant which the WHO says doesn't exist!

Sorry OP, your parents are just pawns in a political decision that the government know is popular.

Not to mention the 2.4 million people who rely on international tourism for employment in this country. They aren't getting any support and furlough ends in September. They need the summer to survive.

Is there a reason why they can’t quarantine? If they can then surely they can still visit you? Amber means you can travel you just have to test and quarantine?
I know it will cost more, is that the issue?
I can understand how guttingly disappointed they must be.

I get it OP. My sister lives a road, DM lives alone 250 miles away from us in the UK. Added complications are a birthed in Wales and my borough krot bring out back into tighter restrictions due to one trim on them otherwise of the borough which our rural area has not contact with. Saw my mum and brother for the first time since Christmas 2019 on Tuesday. Havn’t seen my sister since Christmas 2018. Children are greing and grandparents are getting older. There can be a sense of “time running out”, and the fluid nature of the traffic light system, and restrictions changing all the time is exhausting if you are trying to do something within the rules. I hope you get to see your parents.

They can come and quarantine in your home if it’s amber anyway so I’d still go ahead. I feel your frustration and pain OP, I think most people are frankly pissed off with it all right now.

Fewer than 40% of the country has been vaccinated.

OP, I understand your frustration.
Me and DH were /are due to fly to Faro for a week on 16th. We are looking for a property to buy.
So far, Airbnb x2 have been booked, PCR tests, car parking etc. The only thing we haven’t done is the hire car.
If it goes to amber, I won’t be able to go as I don’t have the annual leave for isolation.
Fingers crossed

YANBU to be fed up with it all. It’s all a joke, we’ve beenrepeatedly let down by our government.

@BoomChicka They’re saying it might change to amber today 😔they’ve spent a fortune on flights and saved money back for testing. They have no issue with quarantine when back. I just feel time is passing by now

It must be really hard being separated from your parents for so long

@nellly They’re saying here that amber will only mean travel for essential reasons to here..funerals etc? They can definitely quarantine when home