To go to the shop with Covid?

[Homelessnottoothless]

My friend has Covid. Feeling crap but not at death’s door if you know what I mean.
I text her today to check and see how she was and if she needed anything. She said she didn’t as she was just back from the shops and got all she needed.
I said “should you be out with Covid” and she got really annoyed and said it isn’t the way it used to be and you can go out without a mask even though you are testing positive.
I didn’t want to cause an argument so I just said “ I don’t think you can” and left it like that. She is now bombarding my phone with links and all sorts trying to prove it is ok. I could have gone to get her anything she needed. She insists life goes on as normal and nobody needs to stay home.
AIBU thinking it is incredibly selfish to do this?

She us a civil servant. I think maybe the rules in Ireland are different. I posted them above.

Completely agree. Having my first baby in lockdown resulted in a pretty bad case of post natal OCD so I know I'm particularly sensitive to things like this but I'd completely agree that it's selfish for her to be fully aware she is likely to be spreading a harmful virus and not take any steps to prevent that - bare minimum would be wearing a mask.I appreciate we need to get on with life after covid but don't understand why 'life as normal' should involve being thoughtless about our impact on the health of other people within our community!

Yes I have just checked and the rules are different in Ireland.

No it's not. Same here no covid restrictions

I agree. She refuses to wear a mask because she doesn’t like them. But surely it is just common courtesy.

Is she single? Are you married?

I don’t see why single people should go hungry just because they have Covid. She is just entitled to food as you.

And I have never online food shopped as I never do £40 food shopping in one go.

It's entirely legal to go to the shops with norovirus, but it's not very nice, is it?

You shouldn't make other people ill if you can help it.

Of course you don’t go out with a contagious sickness! People are mad, if I had a stomach bug, a flu, chicken pox, scabies or shingles I wouldn’t go to the shops and pass it about, why are people so weird about Covid!!! (From someone who lost so much of her hair from Covid and is now full time on inhalers etc as a result)

Nope.

We are both married, she gas lots of support but wanted to go herself.

Sometimes people need to go out, though.

I went out when I had Covid. I needed important medication and don’t have anyone who can run errands for me.

Did you wear a mask?

Covid is not a cold.

It is a virus that can incredibly dangerous. Just like flu. Of course you should stay home if you have Covid or flu until your symptoms improve and you're less likely to spread it to other people.

Just because you can does not mean you should.

No. I can’t wear one.

If I had COVID nowadays I'd go to the shops with a mask and I'd sanitise my hands before going in. I'd try to go at a less busy time. I'd still go out for walks/bike rides and things. You need some level of balance to keep your sanity imo.

I’d absolutely want people with flu to isolate at home! Even a cold, if you can stay at home it makes sense to. Exposing other people to viruses when it’s not absolutely necessary for you to go out is really shitty imo.

I think your situation was different then. You had no choice. You needed important medication. You had nobody to go for you. My friend is in a house of 4 adults who all could have gone for her but she wanted to get out of the house for a nosey round the shops. Maybe I am judging her too harshly though coz most people think I am wrong.

It is selfish and irresponsible. She might give it to someone else who might be really ill with it or who may develop Long Covid and not be able to work, look after their family etc. Seems few care about personal responsibility any more.

Unfortunately there is no law against being a selfish idiot. In fact it seems to be a prerequisite for serving in the current UK government.

I was curious about the guidance here (US) because I haven’t paid attention, but they still recommend isolating for 5 days and if you have to go out in public, to wear an appropriate mask.

I work with a vulnerable person, so I’d never knowingly expose her and I’d definitely stay home unless it was absolutely necessary to go out, in which case I’d wear a mask.

I’ve never gone out when I’ve had flu, mostly because I couldn’t get my sorry ass out of bed! Thankfully haven’t had that since I started getting my flu shot every year.

I have an elderly relative who is in hospital and caught covid whilst in there. I don't know why hospitals don't make it mandatory that if you work or are visiting in the hospital you wear a mask.

Shes right. Most people are obliged to go into work even if they have covid, unless they are actually too ill to work. The reality is most people are not testing at all so would have no idea if they have covid or not anyway.

I would not expect someone with flu to be going into shops, either.

BassoContinuo
Totally totally fair enough to go out if you have to, but op’s friend had other options. It’s literally a few days now