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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to think the contract tracing system is open to abuse?

62 replies

ContactTraced · 20/07/2021 06:04

NC for this as it’s slightly identifiable; and also was probably obvious to everyone but me before today…

DSD stays at ours from Saturday afternoon until Tuesday morning. She left for school last Tuesday as per normal, went to school Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and then was due to come to ours again when DH got a phone call from his ex.

She had developed symptoms on Friday night; done a lateral flow test on Sat morning and it had been positive. Everyone in the house then did one too, and DSD was also positive. Obviously DSD was then isolating so didn’t come to ours.

DSD’s PCR came through on Sunday as positive.

Now… it’s DS’s wedding on Saturday. Already been postponed from last July. The ex was texting on Sunday night being quite gleeful about DH and “The bitch” missing this wedding due to isolation.

DH simply said we handnt been in contact with DSD 48hrs before so wouldn’t be isolating. On Monday we get a phone call from track and trace telling us to isolate as we’ve had contact with a positive case in the last 48hrs… clearly DH’s ex taking pleasure in making us miss the wedding… I’m ringing back this morning to appeal…as I was too distraught to do so yesterday.

But it made me think just how open to abuse the whole system is. What if, for example, I had a grudge against a small business and I tested positive? All I’d have to do is say I was a contact of the entire staff and that’s that business gone… I could go down the phone book to find people I don’t like and sentence them to 10 days house arrest with no repercussions!

Before anyone asks, I’ve had both my jabs, stuck to the rules as best I can, continue to wear a mask even now and will isolate until I have hopefully successfully disputed the contact.

OP posts:
BillyShears · 20/07/2021 06:10

You don’t need to appeal. It’s not legally enforceable.

Wanttocry · 20/07/2021 06:11

@BillyShears

You don’t need to appeal. It’s not legally enforceable.
A call from test and trace is I think? It’s the app that isn’t.
Original poster
ContactTraced · 20/07/2021 06:13

I was told that it is if they call you and I’ll be fined £5000 if I leave the house.

That’s what the bloke on the phone told me yesterday. I was too upset to argue and was practically crying down the phone.

DH ring again last night after he got home from work and was told he could appeal it but that department was closed so ringing again this morning.

OP posts:
Angryattrackandtrace · 20/07/2021 06:13

This happened to me last week. It wasn’t manipulative but someone accidentally thought I was a close contact.

I tried to ch age my start it officially they couldn’t. However, I was told I wouldn’t need to isolate in these circumstances.

Work couldn’t let me go in as I’d had a notification so I worked from home but just got on with my business.

You were not a close contact within 48hours of her showing symptoms.

Enjoy the wedding.

girlmom21 · 20/07/2021 06:29

You can explain to track and trace that it was a malicious report. They can fine for those too.

Imnothereforthedrama · 20/07/2021 07:12

Just tell them you aren’t a contact .

2LostSoulsSwimmingInAFishBowl · 20/07/2021 07:20

I’ve thought this too OP about test and trace. I hope you can appeal and go to the wedding.

MrsEko · 20/07/2021 07:43

Write down all of the facts before you call so you can keep your emotions out of it as much as is possible.

In fact, I don't think I would even talk about the wedding. Really that's not the issue here. You shouldn't have to isolate whether there is a wedding or not.

I think the description that @girlmom21 used 'malicious report' is a good one.

GreenWillow · 20/07/2021 07:53

She can be fined for making a malicious report.

DeathByWalkies · 20/07/2021 08:08

YANBU

You're lucky you know who claimed you're a close contact. If she'd simply named you as a close contact and had kept quiet, they wouldn't have told you who it was that named you, and you'd find it much harder to appeal.

It's yet another reason I won't engage with the T&T scheme - all it would take would be a competitor business who'd like me out of the way for 10 days in peak season so they can have my customers.

It could also be my ex - I've long since blocked him from my phone but that doesn't matter when it's T&T calling because he's given them my number. It's the state allowing itself to be used as a tool of abuse by abusive exes.

Original poster
ContactTraced · 20/07/2021 09:51

Spoken to them; and they’ve said it’s up to her to remove the contact… looks like I’ll be missing the wedding :(

OP posts:
igelkott2021 · 20/07/2021 10:01

Just go the wedding - if they tried to fine you, you would say you'd already told them it was a malicious contact and you would not be complying.

They will call you every day now. Every time they call, say you happen to be in, but you've already told them that the contact was malicious and you are not complying with the isolation instruction because you have not seen anyone who has covid within the requisite period. Repeat every time. I imagine that all the calls are recorded so note the time of call and the person you speak to.

Go to the wedding.

HugeAckmansWife · 20/07/2021 10:07

Just out of interest.. If they're calling a mobile, how would they know if you're in or not?? Unless there was obvious background noise. Also, how do you know what the ex was texting? Was it to your DH?

Akire · 20/07/2021 10:09

She sounds deranged. She does realise this works both ways and you can tell name her as a close contact next time she’s due to go in holiday or whatever? Would she be one to ring up and say I know someone who should be isolating and they are not?

Original poster
ContactTraced · 20/07/2021 10:16

@HugeAckmansWife yes she was texting DH and he showed me the texts

@Akire, yes she is definitely the type of person to ring and report us. Even if I didn’t go, she’s got her spies that always seem to feed her info so no doubt she will scour every picture that ends up on social media

OP posts:
DrFoxtrot · 20/07/2021 10:20

I would go to the wedding and if there is any fallout take her to civil court to cover the fine etc, if that's a possibility. I have no legal background so don't know what options are open to you.

Keep any texts etc as evidence.

She deserves ALL the shit parcels.

Akire · 20/07/2021 10:45

I put some pro active thing on Social media. Sorry about SD has covid hope she gets better soon. We are sooooo lucky she didn’t develop symptoms till Friday night and not Thursday night or else we would miss DS wedding. #thankful Grin

Icecreamsoda99 · 20/07/2021 11:25

How big is the wedding, and if small can you avoid being in any of the social media pictures? I'd go, but as she's so a vindictive cow ask you DH not to share any personal information with her in future as well.

DeathByWalkies · 20/07/2021 13:10

Honestly, go to the wedding.

Are you really going to let this mad, vindictive woman win so easily?

Zebraaa · 20/07/2021 14:26

Go to the wedding. You know you’re not a risk.

Horst · 20/07/2021 14:35

There must be away around this. You shouldn’t be able to just give names and those people have to accept it if they haven’t been near you.

I’d call again and email and tweet until someone with some sense sorts it.

chunderwunder · 20/07/2021 15:10

Caveat: I'm not a legal expert

If you are fined, and that's a big if, you won't have to pay straight away. You would have the opportunity to appeal it and go to court (at some point in the far future because our courts have such a huge backlog. If it even got a hearing date).

At this point, you simply tell the truth. It's not up to you to prove any different. It's up to the prosecution to prove you're lying. Which they couldn't.

Go to the wedding, OP.

hellcatspangle · 20/07/2021 15:24

No way would I miss my son's wedding because of a vindictive ex.

nanbread · 20/07/2021 15:32

@hellcatspangle

No way would I miss my son's wedding because of a vindictive ex.
This.

Be aware that she or her cronies may try to report you if they see you out and about, however. And say no photos on social media at wedding.

Apart from that I think you'd be ok.

They never phoned me when I was isolating. There are something like 2m people isolating, they can't phone them all!

amicissimma · 20/07/2021 15:38

If you are fined and don't pay it will go to a Magistrate's Court, not the whole judge-and-jury thing. I know several Magistrates and they are normal human beings, with a knowledge of the law, of course.

If you have ex's texts and, even better, any proof that you didn't have contact with DSD, I would imagine that the Magistrate would roll his/her eyes heavenwards and dismiss your fine. Obviously I don't know the details of your case but generally the law requires a certain amount of proof to convict, and an absence of proof pointing to your innocence. I don't know how you would get T&T to confirm that DSD is the positive contact, rather than some unrelated contact that you haven't thought of, but if it gets to court you could reasonably argue that you should be allowed to know which contact got you called about.

The trouble is though, that you would require a strong nerve to fight it out and you will have to live through the anxiety, so she has managed to spoil your day. I'm sorry.

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