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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

No lateral flow, no gathering?

44 replies

Stopsnowing · 30/12/2021 10:39

I was planning to get together with friends over the new year either at theirs or ours. I said we would all get lateral flows. They don’t have any.
Yesterday we were asked to do lateral flows before a family gathering but when we arrived someone hadn’t by which time it was too late for us to leave (we were dependent on others for a lift)
Aibu to say no lfts no indoor socialising?

OP posts:

Justmuddlingalong · 30/12/2021 10:43

Yanbu, but with the shortage of LFTs available, you can't then be offended if guests pull out of coming. Your depending yesterday on someone who hadn't tested for a lift, kind of defeats your argument that no LFT, no invitation.

Whinge · 30/12/2021 10:46

You're not unreasonable to say no LFT no indoor socialising, that's your choice.

There's a huge shortage of LFT now and they've been honest about not having any. So unless you're happy to give them LFT to take prior to coming, i'm not sure how you expect them to get some before tomorrow.

sirfredfredgeorge · 30/12/2021 10:51

You can say what you want, it makes little sense though. Either you're vulnerable enough that now is not the time to rely on LFT's to protect you - the prevalence in the community is too high that false negatives and people becoming infectious during the event will still expose you to significant risk.

Or you're not particularly vulnerable, in which case the scenario is the same, the LFD's won't provide significant reduction in risk of infection but now you're also wasting LFT's for scenarios where they provide more value - ie visiting higher risk individuals in a small basis, or occasional testing to identify your own case.

If you're vulnerable, do not do indoor gatherings of any sort.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 30/12/2021 10:58

Yanbu to not want to attend if others arent testing, however, lfts are seemingly quite poor at picking up covid atm (ot sure if it's because its Omicron).

Hobnobswantshernameback · 30/12/2021 11:00

For the love of all that is holy
Make this stop
Please post threads like this in the covid zone
Aaaagggghhhhh

Howshouldibehave · 30/12/2021 11:03

They don’t have any

Me neither-it’s been all over the news. Hat do you expect them to do about it!?

LynxGiftsetAndSocks · 30/12/2021 11:03

It's an AIBU

doesn't have to be in any other section, get a bloody grip!

Hobnobswantshernameback · 30/12/2021 11:04

Thanks hun

Ostryga · 30/12/2021 11:06

Tbh I would even trust a LF. My friend didn’t get her positive on one until 5 days after confirmed covid contact. But she had symptoms etc.

Think I’m cancelling the party this year and keeping it to Dd and I!

Original poster

Stopsnowing · 30/12/2021 11:10

I don’t expect them to magic them up but I am not comfortable about indoor socialising without them and am surprised they are considering it. I am eking
Out my lfts and planning
To cut down on gatherings accordingly.

Happy for this to be moved
To the covid section.

OP posts:

PinkWaferBiscuit · 30/12/2021 11:13

I don’t expect them to magic them up but I am not comfortable about indoor socialising without them and am surprised they are considering it

Except that's exactly what you are expecting them to do. There are no LFTs to be had so if they don't have any, their only choice is to meet without taking one prior to meeting.

They simply cannot test if they have not got any tests. Personally I'd rather see my friends and would be offering them one of my tests rather than miss out because they could not get a test.

Whinge · 30/12/2021 11:15

I don’t expect them to magic them up but I am not comfortable about indoor socialising without them and am surprised they are considering it.

Of course they're considering it. Unless they stay at home until they manage to find some LFT they don't really have any other choice. You say you're not comfortable socialising indoors without people taking LFT but did exactly that yesterday.

Siameasy · 30/12/2021 11:18

If you’re hosting - your choice who you let in. But some may refuse or be unable to do so. And what’s to stop them lying-nothing. You sound controlling and depressing.

MoiraNotRuby · 30/12/2021 11:22

I think anyone socialising now, with or without LFT, has to take it as a foregone conclusion that they will probably catch covid. I am triple jabbed but know so many people with it that I'm just waiting for my turn.

If I was vulnerable or had an operation/travel/etc planned, I'd be isolating. I just think we are at the stage of it being unavoidable.

Original poster

Stopsnowing · 30/12/2021 11:25

No I
Am genuinely surprised that they didn’t mention no lfts until I did and that they are planning to go to a New Year’s Eve party without one.
However it seems that we are now at a fatalistic stage (at least on this thread) where most people are resigned to getting it and think it is acceptable to socialise without an lft.

OP posts:

Getyourjinglebellsinarow · 30/12/2021 11:29

Well if people can't get them and don't have symptoms they're not just going to stop living their life. Maybe if half of mumsnet weren't doing them daily for their whole family there'd be some left for everyone else.

If you don't want to meet people without a lft then ask them before you meet up.

PinkWaferBiscuit · 30/12/2021 11:29

Am genuinely surprised that they didn’t mention no lfts until I did and that they are planning to go to a New Year’s Eve party without one.

Why would they mention it though, its common knowledge there are no tests. If I was planning to meet with friends for new year I'd presume they probably didn't have any tests to use, they are hardly in the minority.

Why can't you give them one of your tests if it bothers you this much?

Wreath21 · 30/12/2021 11:31

If you are particularly vulnerable (or live with someone who is) you should probably not be meeting others indoors for the moment.
The shortage of LFTs strikes me as a little bit suspicious (though the explanation is probably the simple, obvious one: this incompetent, corrupt government simply doesn't care what happens to members of the public) - another very good way of fostering division, whinyarsery and moral panic that doesn't involve having to give hospitality and leisure any financial support or enabling them to claim on their insurance.

There is quite a bit of evidence to suggest that the new variant is more like a bad cold than a lethal respiratory disease, so people should make their own decisions about socialising depending on their own risk profiles - but FFS stop whining and scolding and trying to pressure other people who are making different choices.
(I'm going wherever I want, supporting hospitality and entertainment when I can, taking LFTs before going anywhere busy, but my priorities, as a reasonably healthy human who does not live with anyone clinically vulnerable - and who has had all three shots - are supporting small businesses and asserting the right to occupy public space.)

CallmeHendricks · 30/12/2021 11:32

@Hobnobswantshernameback

For the love of all that is holy Make this stop Please post threads like this in the covid zone Aaaagggghhhhh

There is no voting option in the Coronavirus section.

Howshouldibehave · 30/12/2021 11:36

Do you have kids, OP? Every primary school in England is going back to school next week with no lateral flow tests recommended at all!

fluffythedragonslayer · 30/12/2021 11:42

Uh, I'm not going to just stay home because there's no access to LFTs. I'm back to work next week (teacher), 3 kids going back to 3 different schools, DH goes in to work. So yeh, I'm going to my friend's for dinner tonight and going out tomorrow night without a LFT. I'd take one if I could.

Winederlust · 30/12/2021 11:45

If you don't feel comfortable going somewhere or having people to yours without one then fair enough, it's your personal choice.
I'd do one if asked or if visiting someone vulnerable if it gave them peace of mind, but I don't think for a minute they make any real significant difference to the spread of the virus. And I'm not locking myself away when I'm fit, healthy and have no symptoms just because I don't have access to a test. That's just madness.

Beautiful3 · 30/12/2021 11:45

They've run out around here. I think that you can say that, If it's your house, If it's not then you can't demand they test.

LadyGAgain · 30/12/2021 11:52

As a country we have run out of tests and a part of me is glad. We have to get on with living. I feel sorry for the vulnerable who are jabbed and boosted but, as a society, we have always had the vulnerable. It's not fair but it is how it is. Our economy is on its knees. People on zero contracts (largely hospitality) can't afford their bills. We have to get on with it. Pre covid if you felt ill you phoned in sick and went back when you felt better. We have to get to this point. Of omicron and future variants are just like a bad cold for most then hallelujah. We have got there within 2 years.

RobinPenguins · 30/12/2021 11:53

YANBU to decide that for yourself/your own family. But you can’t dictate what others do, so will have to be prepared that this may just mean no indoor socialising full stop.

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