To just want to go for a walk

[Fedupmummy88]

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?

If we are going to have to live with covid long term which seems likely, we are going to need to use common sense. Absolutely everyone is in a different situation and blanket rules are just stupid sometimes.

Thinking about the risks involved rather than rules, going for a walk in an isolated area looks like a very low risk of even coming into contact with anyone let alone passing on the virus. Wear/take a mask maybe in case you do see anyone or keep your distance but go for your walk. Hope you feel loads better soon.

So I own woods at the back of my house and so would legally be allowed to walk in them, it’s my garden essentially. But others do use them occasionally. What’s the difference clinically? None, so I’d do it if I were the other people that back onto our woodland.

With the wind today I’d be way more wary about falling branches than Covid. The Covid will be blown in a million different directions!

Of course you should go! It’s a quiet walk not a trip to your local Wetherspoons!!!

Totally get you, on day 6 now mot been out of the house since ceiling Christmas Eve craving fresh air. My poor dogs need to go out

If it's right out the back and you're not having to drive anywhere to do it.

Go out early am with the DC and get some fresh air.
Wear your masks.

If you are out in woods with nobody around I can't see the harm

Of course you have a choice @CremeEggThief - nobody is locking you in your home or holding a gun to your head whenever you step near the front door.

And nobody is going to follow you down the road and demand you prove you're negative or else they'll call the police. I mean, do you not think the police have better things to do than chase up otherwise perfectly healthy people going for walks?

Whether you think it's right to break the law is another matter. You clearly don't think it's right, but plenty clearly disagree with you.

I’m really surprised the others are all testing negative on day 6. This is the first time I heard of this happening. I didn’t test negative until day 9. DH after day 10.
I know of 3 other families who had covid before Christmas, not one person tested negative on day 6.
If the woods were truly deserted, I would do this very early or late. My fear would be getting caught as opposed to giving someone covid.
Rationale being you can go out after day 10 testing positive as long as you don’t have a fever. You say you don’t have any symptoms.
Legally it’s against the law though.

people are asymptomatic and sitting on buses, going to the cinema.
going to work

i would go at lunch time,
you meet dog walks early
and its dark late

I would make do with the garden so I didn't feel guilty. But I wouldn't care if someone else went for a walk in the woods. If you have to go along roads to get to the woods though that's a bit different because you don't know who you might have to pass.

I know people that have a night with masks on gone for a short walk where they were sure no one would be and made absolutely sure to avoid people.
Mental health issues kill many people every year- if you feel this will help your mental well-being you should absolutely go for a walk

Well I'm sure most people would agree it's harder isolating as a single person than with a family, girlmom. In my case, I am a single person with mental health issues and sometimes unhealthy coping mechanisms. Yet I still managed to do the right thing and not bend the rules, so yes, I would expect others to do the same.

@CremeEggThief

Well I'm sure most people would agree it's harder isolating as a single person than with a family, girlmom. In my case, I am a single person with mental health issues and sometimes unhealthy coping mechanisms. Yet I still managed to do the right thing and not bend the rules, so yes, I would expect others to do the same.

All the more reason for you to have gone for a walk then. There's no prizes for martyrdom.

@CremeEggThief

Well I'm sure most people would agree it's harder isolating as a single person than with a family, girlmom. In my case, I am a single person with mental health issues and sometimes unhealthy coping mechanisms. Yet I still managed to do the right thing and not bend the rules, so yes, I would expect others to do the same.

Judging by this thread most would prefer to isolate alone than with young children

Non compliance with the rules is why the UK is in such a poor position compared to other countries. I know it's frustrating but you should wait it out. Your DH can take the DC for a walk when he's not working.

Well I'm sure most people would agree it's harder isolating as a single person than with a family, girlmom.

Tell me you don't have children, without telling me that you don't have children...

@pictish

It’s a big change in attitude from the first lockdown isn’t it? If you’d suggested this at that time, Mumsnet would have shredded you.

Very true. I had Covid a year ago and isolated for the 10 days, even though I didn’t feel particularly ill. The prevailing attitude at the time (on MN and everywhere else) was that breaking isolation was a terrible and murderous thing to do. I’m relieved to read the responses here as they show how much opinion has shifted, and how much safer most people feel, I guess.

Actually, I’ve just remembered I did have to leave the house to put my PCR test in the post (which was a legitimate reason for breaking isolation according to the rules at the time). I drove to the post box even though it is only a km away, and wore a mask the whole time.

The whole thing was a ball ache. DH and kids had it too; none of us could leave the house and we couldn’t get a shopping delivery as they were like gold dust at the time so we had to rely on the kindness of neighbours and friends who delivered food and walked our dog. It was frustrating to stagnate at home while feeling pretty well.

If I get Covid again and feel similarly well, I would definitely consider leaving the house this time, for a walk with the dog in an isolated area.

I completely feel the same. Day 5 for me. Also have a woods at the back of my home but I need to walk through the estate to get to it. My mental health has plummeted as I’ve been stuck in. I’ve had to rely on my ds who is 13 to walk the dog and go food shopping for us.

Played football in the garden with kids yesterday but I just need some me time alone with the dog!!

Really hoping for 2 negative lft’s tomorrow and Tuesday. We are supposedly going to London Saturday. 2 children’s pcr’s came back inconclusive so we are awaiting them. Both a symptomatic. I will seriously cry if they come back positive.

@user1477391263

Well I'm sure most people would agree it's harder isolating as a single person than with a family, girlmom.

Tell me you don't have children, without telling me that you don't have children...

Haha my thoughts exactly! Anyone with toddlers would be tearing their hair out reading this!

@user1477391263

Well I'm sure most people would agree it's harder isolating as a single person than with a family, girlmom.

Tell me you don't have children, without telling me that you don't have children...

😂😂

Indeed. Some people should try isolating as a single parent whilst poorly with poorly kids and then see how they feel about the 10 days...

Why isn't your DH taking them out? I see he's back to work today... why didn't he take them out yesterday? It's a bank holiday tomorrow - is he working then, or could he take them out tomorrow?

Or could he take them out when he gets back from work? A run-around outside before bed could be great to tire them out.

Go for a walk. As long as it's busy I don't think transmission is likely.

@AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair

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

I live in london but still, i don';t live on oxford street with 100 people walking past my street all hours of the day.

I just walked along street to post box and back. Crossing over road if i saw someone else on the pavement. saw 1 person. that was around 11 or 3pm.

It was busier when we were all in lockdown and only allowed out "for exercise" - never went on so many walks then or saw so many people out and about!

Of course you should go for the walk