Is anyone still genuinely isolating any more?

[Covidpositive19]

When I say genuinely isolating I mean staring at the same four walls of your house for days without leaving?

I have this morning tested positive. My young DC is on day 8 with everyone else in the house having negative daily LFT so naively hoped I had escaped it.

My DC has obviously been kept off school, school told, any contacts told. For the first 4 days they didn’t step outside the door, but on days 5 and 6 my DP took them for a quick drive (no stops) and on day 7 I drove them to a secluded area for some fresh air. Today with the storms they have not left the house again. We are continuing the daily LFT in the hope of an early end.

I have had a rubbish week, like most families when Covid hits, juggling childcare, home learning and work with my DP. Staring at the same four walls for the next however many days seems inhumane.

I have just got back from a quick walk alone, I wore a mask and saw very few people as you can imagine but any that I did I immediately crossed the road to avoid. I plan on doing this whenever the weather allows. I’m an adult and can actively make sure I don’t get near anyone, in the fresh air I genuinely don’t see the risk. I have been more careful with my DC as they’re young so it’s been easier to keep them in for the majority of the time.

Especially given what the government have been up to!

YANBU that anyone with covid these days should be allowed to exercise common sense when it comes to fresh air/exercise.

YABU that I should stay glued to my house no matter what because of the minuscule risk of an accident when out walking/a wheelie bin hitting me in today’s weather/any other (IMO) mad reasons.

@ginsparkles

Yes, I isolated for 9 days last week and my DD and DH are currently isolating awaiting their negative tests. We have had to cancel our half term holiday, he has worked from home, and DD hasn't been to school. It's still currently a legal requirement so we are abiding by it.

OP hasn't been on holiday, to school or to work though. She's been outside for a short responsibly distanced walk in the fresh air, wearing a mask.

Also not testing anymore, so won't know.

But, it won't even matter by Monday, so 🤷🏻‍♀️

Yes I followed the rules when I had covid and I would again.

@LoopyDream

Aren’t the gov changing the rules on Monday to no more isolation with a positive result? What difference will it make having gone for a safe walk today opposed to being able to do whatever you want from Monday!

I've seen rumours of the rule changes but has any of it actually been confirmed yet?

Currently abroad this week and not seen anything confirmed so curious if I've missed anything official, and if so when the rules change?

I'm in Jamaica at the moment and the local staff and the Americans seem very bemused that the U.K. is just ditching all the rules. Mind you, the anti vaxxer Trump supporting couple we met yesterday was very much in support of Boris and his decisions - apparently 'good on him' for partying throughout the lockdowns.

I exercised my dog (in rural woodland and saw no-one as per usual) when I was isolating. We both needed the walk and we know we never see any people because we do this daily. Would have happily rung my plague bell and warned them to keep back if we had seen someone!

Do you have to stay in when you've got a highly contagious virus that is killing people? UM, YES! Sorry that you're bored. I'm quite bored after shielding with my child for the best part of two years. Anyone else noticed that those saying we have to "earn to live with Covid and crack on" are the same ones doing everything they can to spread it even further? Learning to live with it means accepting it as a problem and then doing what we can to outsmart it, not do what you want and just hope for the best.

Do you have to stay in when you've got a highly contagious virus that is killing people? UM, YES

Not for much longer.

Can I ask, where have you heard that isolation is ending on Monday? I've only seen it on here! I'm hoping it's true, family members are really struggling with being self employed and isolating with no pay. If you're ill stay home like before, but isolating with no symptoms is hard to take knowing the financial strain it causes. How many of us could afford a week with zero pay?

Why not treat it like any other contagious disease, would you go out if you had chicken pox, the flu, measles, shingles etc

Yes. A friends whole family tested positive but her. She moved into her studio in her garden and they stayed in the house. Another also tested positive but not her family. She confined herself to her room and they left food outside her door. Luckily she had an en suite! She didn't leave til she had two consecutive negatives.

@Marmelace

Why not treat it like any other contagious disease, would you go out if you had chicken pox, the flu, measles, shingles etc

If I was symptomatic then no, but 1/3 of cases of flu at least are completely asymptomatic.

People are walking around with it all the time, but we don't test healthy people for flu so they/we don't know.

My husband and I tested positive this week. I’ve been taking the dog for a walk at night. There’s no one around and in my eyes there’s no risk of me spreading it.

I'm not testing and don't plan to test again before the rules change. I've not had to isolate at any time during the pandemic.

I have! Tested negative today (day 7) and If i test negative again tomorrow I’ll go for a walk, feel like I need to get out now.
Dd tested positive a while ago and towards the end (days 8 and 10) I took her out for a walk late at night for some fresh air. It was dark, we saw 2 people out for a walk and crossed the road to avoid them.
Ds has it now and is chomping at the bit to get out but he is very aware of following the rules and would hate to break them so he’s making use of the garden - well, not so much today!

Currently across where isolation, masks m, testing etc is still very much a thing for residents.

In the hotel guests don't have to wear masks but staff do. Guests are all tested before they've arrived I guess.

Interestingly their covid signs have different symptoms to the three in the U.K.

Across should say abroad - I blame the cocktails ;)

I had covid a couple of weeks ago and had to get PCR confirmed for work. I got several texts from track and trace reminding me of my legal obligation to not leave my house. I like you picked it up from my school age DC 7 days after they tested positive. Was so hopeful to have swerved it. Alas that wasn't the case.

@OneMoreTimeThen

Can I ask, where have you heard that isolation is ending on Monday? I've only seen it on here! I'm hoping it's true, family members are really struggling with being self employed and isolating with no pay. If you're ill stay home like before, but isolating with no symptoms is hard to take knowing the financial strain it causes. How many of us could afford a week with zero pay?

I haven't heard Monday but certainly by the end of the month, BJ announced it would a month early a couple of weeks ago, though I thought it was the 24th or 28th. More likely it will be announced Monday for later in the week so 24th sounds feasible, surely something that is as big a change as this would need a proper Boris announcement which we haven't had yet, maybe someone else will have a definite link.

@CovidCorvid

Adult Dd didn’t. She tested positive one day and caught a train to a city break the next day and ate out in restaurants and went doing touristy stuff.

@CovidCorvid

Irresponsible & selfish.

I'm isolating, not least because I feel so lousy.

I've not had covid but if I had had it, it wouldn't stop me from walking my dog - I see very few people on my walks and I can easily distance myself and would put my mask on near them.

The idea that isolating is ending worries me. I’m going through IVF and if I catch it then there goes my chance and I lose all the money (over £7000). I am being as careful as possible and essentially isolating but have to go out to attend my appointments.

I'm not testing so I wouldn't know if I was positive anyway.

I'd stay home if I felt unwell but go out otherwise. I'm self-employed and can't afford to be off work unnecessarily.

@Peoniesandpeaches

The idea that isolating is ending worries me. I’m going through IVF and if I catch it then there goes my chance and I lose all the money (over £7000). I am being as careful as possible and essentially isolating but have to go out to attend my appointments.

Surely this would be the same if you caught anything contagious though so you must have to be careful regardless of covid.

@OneMoreTimeThen
It hasn't officially been changed as of Monday. On Monday 21st the government will update the house. If the situation remains the same BJ plans to stop the legal requirement to isolate on the 24th Feb, a month earlier than expected. However there will still be guidance recommending you stay at home.

amp.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/09/boris-johnson-says-he-plans-to-lift-all-englands-covid-rules-a-month-early