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AIBU?

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Original poster

To just want to go for a walk

400 replies

Fedupmummy88 · 02/01/2022 10:01

Whole household tested positive for covid Christmas Day (Dh, me, dc1 7 years old and dc2 8 months old) luckily we seem to have had relatively minor symptoms (cold and flu like for a few days for me, same for DH for a bit longer, coughs in the children) and now thankfully all feel fine

Dh is now testing negative on day 6 and 7 do is back to work today as per the government guidance. The children are both negative as well.

I however am still testing positive despite having less symptoms than DH and feeling fine since about Tuesday.

Children aren't sleeping well especially the 8 month old and I definitely think it's the lack of fresh air. With school runs they are used to being out on a walk at least an hour a day and now they have barely left the house.

I know it is but would it be totally unreasonable to go out for a short walk through the woods at the back of the house? We live in quite a remote area and rarely see anyone in the woods and I just want to get out. Have no interest in going anywhere else (luckily we had a food shop delivered Thursday and have had family drop anything we need at the door.)

Also feeling sorry for the eldest DC as this is the second Christmas holidays we've been isolating as DH got Covid at the same time last year! It's also my last couple of weeks off before returning to work after maternity leave next week.

I probably won't go out as I'll feel too guilty but just wondered if anyone would in these circumstances?

OP posts:
AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair · 02/01/2022 11:08

Has anyone else noticed how every time this thread is started the poster lives near a woods or surrounded by deserted fields? Does no one who lives in a normal street every get covid or is it only country folk who think they need permission from strangers to go out?

The you might have an accident ridiculous reason is fast replacing the trope that your house or car will spontaneously combust the moment you leave a child alone in one

CremeEggThief · 02/01/2022 11:09

Er, obviously, Girlmom21. And even harder for people like me, living alone. At least the OP has company!😬

Luredbyapomegranate · 02/01/2022 11:10

@PurpleDaisies

It’s against the law. You could be fined. I absolutely wouldn’t do this.

When’s your isolation final date? It’s really rotten to be stuck in. Flowers

Be sensible. Of course you can go for a walk in quiet woods behind your path - if you see anyone you can divert your path.
girlmom21 · 02/01/2022 11:10

@CremeEggThief

Er, obviously, Girlmom21. And even harder for people like me, living alone. At least the OP has company!😬
Well it clearly wasn't harder for you because you did it and OP's struggling.

Things affect different people differently.

She's also watching everyone else go out and about as normal while she's stuck inside even though she's actually fine.

BluebellsGreenbells · 02/01/2022 11:10

Living on your own and having energetic housebound kids is a different scenario!

You need to balance their needs as well as your own.

I’m sure OP would happily have 10 days solitary isolation … with nothing but a good bit and takeaway on speed dial!

CremeEggThief · 02/01/2022 11:11

I did it because it was the law, fairylights. There's not supposed to be a choice about going outside for walks when you're self-isolating and positive! FFS...

ancientgran · 02/01/2022 11:12

@PurpleDaisies

Who is going to approach a random person walking in a field/the woods, and demand to know their covid status? Does that change the fact that it’s against the law with a large fine if you’re caught?
Who would know she hasn't had two negatives like the rest of the family? I think it is hard to enforce.
me4real · 02/01/2022 11:12

YANBU @Fedupmummy88 . I don't see that that's much risk to anyone at all.

Peanut82 · 02/01/2022 11:12

I'm day 7 and desperate to get some fresh air, there's nowhere remote near me though although I did consider a drive in the car, I won't come into contact with anyone

user1487194234 · 02/01/2022 11:13

I would definitely go for a walk

ancientgran · 02/01/2022 11:13

@CremeEggThief

Er, obviously, Girlmom21. And even harder for people like me, living alone. At least the OP has company!😬
Stuck indoors alone for ten days, books, TV, internet. Stuck indoors with 2 young children who are stir crazy.

I know which one I'd find harder and it wouldn't be being alone.

WonderfulYou · 02/01/2022 11:13

Can someone explain to me how the ‘breath’ thing works then? I realise we’ve come a long way since 2020 but the thinking was then that particles hang around in the air. Has this been disproved?

Wasn't that always nonsense though and part of that crazy time when people were just making stuff up?
Remember 'what if you have an accident and need to call an ambulance, putting those paramedics at risk?' When someone wanted to maybe go a bit further than the end of these road or for longer than the fictional 30 minutes.

How do you think they spread then?

It’s exactly the same way as a cold.

If you are in an enclosed space you are more likely to breathe the same air as someone else so you’ll be breathing in the airborne virus particles.

If you have some ventilation the ‘fresh’ air circulates and the particles are spread out by diffusion.

Think about spraying air freshener in an enclosed room with no open windows or doors - everyone in the room will strongly smell the air freshener.
If you spray the same air freshener in a field outside - people will either not smell it or not smell it as strong.
The virus particles work the same was as the air freshener particles.

KurtWilde · 02/01/2022 11:14

@CremeEggThief

Er, obviously, Girlmom21. And even harder for people like me, living alone. At least the OP has company!😬
I'm a single parent and I had covid same time as my DC. So no one to help out at all. It was hard on everyone. But no one forced you to stay in the full 10 days. And what exactly do you think would've happened if you'd gone outside? Swat team waiting to take you in for breaking the 'law'?
fairylightsandwaxmelts · 02/01/2022 11:14

@CremeEggThief

I did it because it was the law, fairylights. There's not supposed to be a choice about going outside for walks when you're self-isolating and positive! FFS...
I know it's the law.

But that doesn't still mean you don't have a choice. It's not like someone is going to approach you and force you to take a LFT and then report you when it's positive.

What risk is anyone posing going for a walk on their own?

girlmom21 · 02/01/2022 11:14

@Peanut82

I'm day 7 and desperate to get some fresh air, there's nowhere remote near me though although I did consider a drive in the car, I won't come into contact with anyone
Don't go for a drive. It's too much risk if you break down or have an accident. It's unlikely but not worth it.
LethargeMarg · 02/01/2022 11:16

Just to put it into perspective I know a lot of people who are bending the rules re lateral flow test days (back dating symptoms etc ) and going to pubs etc from day 6 and 7 claiming they're really day 8 and waving a test near their nose and saying it's negative etc ...which I do think is really bad and risky to others but being outside is very low risk. I would guess that the next big change will probably be that you can go for 'daily exercise' when isolating as long as you keep a distance etc ...

CremeEggThief · 02/01/2022 11:16

How would you know what's harder for one person than another, girlmom? Just because I 'coped' doesn't mean it was easy. 🙄

Peanut82 · 02/01/2022 11:16

@girlmom21 I'm not going to, I considered it until I thought of the possibility of breaking down or an accident

girlmom21 · 02/01/2022 11:17

@CremeEggThief

How would you know what's harder for one person than another, girlmom? Just because I 'coped' doesn't mean it was easy. 🙄
You said it was harder for you so I'm not surely how you're justifying your question Smile
Joystir59 · 02/01/2022 11:18

Absolutely go out for a walk in the woods. You will benefit so much from the fresh air.

Shallwegoforawalk · 02/01/2022 11:18

@PurpleDaisies

It’s against the law. You could be fined. I absolutely wouldn’t do this.

When’s your isolation final date? It’s really rotten to be stuck in. Flowers

Yes because the Covid Police have thousands of officers patrolling quiet woods on the off chance of catching a covid Walker HmmHmmHmm get a grip.

I would absolutely go for a woods walk OP.

CeeceeBloomingdale · 02/01/2022 11:18

Surely it’s your last day of isolation? If so just wait and go out to,or row when your 10 days are up

CeeceeBloomingdale · 02/01/2022 11:18

*tomorrow

CremeEggThief · 02/01/2022 11:20

Fairylights, you don't have a choice at the moment and that's that. What you're asking is a different question. SHOULD we be allowed to go for walks when self-isolating? My answer to that would be probably yes. But at the moment that's not being presented as an option. We are told quite clearly not to leave our properties when self-isolating.

It's tough for the OP, but the end is in sight, so she just needs to get through the next few days and then go about her life, instead of thinking she can bend the rules.

user1477391263 · 02/01/2022 11:21

@PurpleDaisies will be more concerned about how my covid breath might linger by a tree for 6 hours and infect an elderly person, or something incomprehensible like that

If covid breath really was THAT potent, even staying in the house wouldn't be good enough, because your covid-tainted breath would have to escape via a window or ventilation opening or what-have-you, and would promptly spread mayhem among everyone who then walked along the street near your building. The only solution would be to check yourself in to some kind of designated decontamination facility with negative air pressure and high-tech air purification systems humming away in the background.