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AIBU?

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Original poster

Will you self isolate if covid positive test?

953 replies

Monopolyiscrap · 12/02/2022 00:47

Compulsory self-isolation is ending if you test positive with covid. Instead, people are being advised to choose to self-isolate.
In reality, I think many people will not. I would not get paid if I self-isolate but am well enough to work, so why would I forego a week's wages?

So will you self-isolate if you test positive with covid?

YABU - Yes I will self-isolate
YANBU - No I will not self-isolate

OP posts:
OddBoots · 12/02/2022 09:01

I will be continuing to treat covid differently to colds and flu because of the data coming out about the vastly increased risks of heart attacks and strokes in the months (and maybe longer) after even having it mildly.

If I test positive I won't go anywhere socially and will deliver home delivery for shopping etc but I do understand that my employer may still wish me to be in work (although I am lucky enough that WFH is an option for me so they may choose that).

Tanfastic · 12/02/2022 09:02

If I'm ill I won't go to work but if I just have cold and cough symptoms then I will as I've never been off before with a cold or cough. However I expect it will be different rules for NHS staff (I'm admin) so I expect we will continue to be tested, wear masks and continue to isolate forever and a day.

MrsJBaptiste · 12/02/2022 09:05

I WFH so would be fine there. I wouldn't go to the shops or gym for 2-3 days but woukd still go out for a walk/run. However as I wouldn't be testing (tbh I can't remember the last time I did an LFT) it's irrelevant really.

I21018 · 12/02/2022 09:05

And it's all very well and good harping on about how "that's your employers problem, we need to fight for better sick pay, sick leave etc etc"...

Of course we should have better sick pay and leave in this country. Of course it would be better if people didn't feel forced into work when unwell but what are you actually expecting people to do? No one is going to sacrifice themselves and being able to financially survive just to stick it to the big man over sick leave.

My husband and I are self employed, what do we do?

My friends are concerned about being able to afford heating their homes in a few months time, their homes where their young children live. What do you expect them to do? If they don't get paid to be off then obviously they'll go in.

If you honestly think people like that are selfish then I think you must live an extremely privileged life.

Of course it's right to say we should have better work provisions for when employees are unwell but what do you actually expect people to do about that between now and the end of February? Or even the end of March? Do you think it's going to magically change? Should people just fuck themselves and their finances over by mass leaving jobs in protest? What? In practice what do you actually expect?

QualityTweet · 12/02/2022 09:08

Yes I would self isolate.

However my circumstances wouldn’t make this too difficult. I appreciate that self isolation makes things very hard for others.

I21018 · 12/02/2022 09:10

And it's the same not just when you yourself are ill but DC too.

I can't stay at home again for 10 days because my son had a headache for a single day. We cannot afford to do that anymore, neither can most people I know. My friend just had to stay at home, losing pay, for nearly 20 days because both her children caught it one after the other, neither of whom were even unwell at all. She said she wishes she'd never tested them and that is not selfish at all, it's completely understandable! She now has £600 to live off, to pay her mortgage and bills and buy her children food with.

Calling people like that selfish is what is actually selfish imo. We don't all get the luxury of being able to take a financial hit or work from home whenever we want.

Berengaria1 · 12/02/2022 09:10

I will test if I have symptoms and if positive I would isolate but I won't be testing unless I have symptoms.

Things are changing quickly. I went to a London theatre two weeks ago and we were asked to wear masks, which pretty much everyone did. I went to the same venue last night and wasn't asked to wear a mask. About 10% wore them.

Vaccines mean that we will treat covid like we do colds and flu.

Silverswirl · 12/02/2022 09:10

I won’t be testing under any circumstances and will only stay in if I’m physically too ill to get out of bed.
But then that’s been the case since September so nothing much changing for me.

womaninatightspot · 12/02/2022 09:14

I wouldn't test unless my employer said we should/ paid for the tests. I'm assuming the free ones will go. I'm on a zero hours contract so don't work don't get paid. I'd mask up if feeling grim though.

pourmeanotherglass · 12/02/2022 09:17

I think my employer (NHS) will still want us to test twice a week and isolate if positive. We still need to work from home if a household member tests postive, unlike schools etc.
Im not sure if the NHS will continue to supply staff with tests if the general public have to pay. If the tests are supplied Ill continue to use them.

JuliaDomna · 12/02/2022 09:23

Reading some of these comments makes me realise what a shite country England is.

Blueducks · 12/02/2022 09:24

I work for the NHS and will follow whatever the policy is.
Outside of work, if I test positive I will keep a low profile. I don’t really go to shops and stuff anyway. I wouldn’t see friends and stuff. But I wouldn’t do total isolation again. I would at least walk the dog and get the kids outside for a walk somewhere quiet.

dementedma · 12/02/2022 09:24

I dont test unless I have symptoms. If I was positive I would isolate

Oblomov22 · 12/02/2022 09:24

I agree, it's all very well people using the word 'selfish', taking the moral high ground, that SSP should be better, but it's just not, is it? but the facts are that most families with young kids won't be able to afford to take 10 days off.

zingally · 12/02/2022 09:24

I'm not testing regularly any more. So if I didn't have symptoms, I wouldn't know I'd got it... I tested last Saturday, as I had a cold, but that was my first test since probably Christmas.

But if I happened to do a LTF, which came back positive... but I had no symptoms... I'm a zero hours contract worker - if I don't work, I'm not paid.
I'd like to say I'd isolate, but it would also be very easy to "ignore" the LFT positive and just carry on as normal. Honestly, at the moment, I don't know.

BeyondMyWits · 12/02/2022 09:29

I work in a pharmacy and would hope that we will be provided with a couple of tests a week. As we are currently.

I would also hope we'd be asked to stay home if positive. I'd view it like chicken pox. I would not go to work with it, even if really mild as it could cause severe harm.

I would isolate socially if positive.

Chely · 12/02/2022 09:31

When tests are no longer free very few people will be testing. Life will go back to how it was before, people only staying home if they feel very ill and don't have places they need to be.

okthx · 12/02/2022 09:31

Had anyone ever suffered from symptomless chickenpox or flu? Maybe any other symptomless serious infection? No? How selfish of you. You should have been testing regularly in order not to put others at risk and stay at home until you’re negative from your symptomless flu or chickenpox.

RedBonnet · 12/02/2022 09:33

Currently self isolating. Absolutely no symptoms. I only did a test because my close family are all positive and I wanted to go somewhere public. Currently I would be breaking the law if I went out (but it's OK for Gov't to break the law apparently 🙄). After this I won't be doing anymore tests unless I have symptoms.

However, to answer the question, if I test positive after the rules change I will stay indoors while I have symptoms. But I can wfh.

Hasselhoffsheadband · 12/02/2022 09:34

@JuliaDomna

Reading some of these comments makes me realise what a shite country England is.
Why?
Hasselhoffsheadband · 12/02/2022 09:35

I agree that 'if you don't isolate then you are a selfish arsehole' is a luxury belief.

twinkletoesimnot · 12/02/2022 09:38

I am waiting to see what the schools guidance ends up being.
I wouldn't get too excited yet, we'll probably be fine for the summer but next autumn will probably be the real test.

Branleuse · 12/02/2022 09:38

I would isolate as much as possible. Im amazed theyre making it optional, because that just means people will be forced to go to work with it in many jobs.
I get that we do have to learn to live with it, but considering that most other countries are taking it very seriously now, it makes me feel like the UK are all guinea pigs in an experiment now wrt just offering vaccines but letting it run riot

Onlyforcake · 12/02/2022 09:38

I work in care and I take responsibility for my actions. You know full well not a single Muppet in government will. Unless it's in a cake and champagne fridge.

drspouse · 12/02/2022 09:38

I would do a mixture so I voted YANBU.
I wouldn't go to any crowded places but I would walk one DC/drive the other to school but drop off at the crossing/out of the car.
I'd go for a walk at a quiet time, on my own.
But e.g. over half term one DC has daily swimming lessons which I wouldn't take him to but the other has holiday club and I'd walk her up to the club and drop off at a distance.