Is anyone vulnerable still isolating? Covid

[KindredPoodle]

My father was told to isolate years ago during the first wave of covid, because some immune suppressant medication he had to take every few years made him temporarily clinically vulnerable.

Years later, he is still following this advice and claims that he still had to isolate for safety . He sees nobody, insists on washing the food delivery in bleach solution, quarantines the post and doesn’t allow my mum to go into anyone’s houses or get close to them. It suits him because he’s naturally antisocial and quite controlling, but it’s destroying her life.

So my question is, is ANYONE else who was told to isolate (back when covid was a big scary unknown threat, and we had no vaccines or knowledge of how to treat it) still isolating? My sense is that very few are, and my dad is doing it out of some combination of fear, mental health and habit

It isn't selfish to not want vulnerable people to die the dreadful Covid deaths of 2 close relatives of ours. I said infected people could claim sick pay.

I've already said I didn't isolate before Covid - the consultants and the WHO say Covid is different. They are in a position to know.

I would never knowingly risk the health of anyone- stranger or family. It seems that many here think that it's fine to risk the physical and mental health of the vulnerable.

I find that hard to understand.

Yes but.assuming your in a comfortable financial position, its all very well sitting their knowing you can pay your bills ,and not have to worry about feeding your kids
But expecting random strangers to live on sick pay to keep you safe is in fact incredibly selfish and its not going to happen.
Nobody wants people to die but we are not in 2020
And even in 2020 the whole point of lockdown was not to prevent all deaths but to stop.the NHS from being over whelmed

The dreadful Covid deaths largely occurred in 2020/21 when hospitals were hugely overwhelmed and we had no effective vaccine or treatment. Nowadays things are very different, deaths are low and no, consultants and the WHO are not any more concerned about Covid than they are of flu, for example.

Life has to go on both from an economic and social point of view. This is not a selfish view and is simply just how things are. Anyone choosing to isolate nowadays would take an economic hit which in the current climate most people just cannot afford. You are obviously in quite a fortunate position if you simply can’t fathom this

Some people still think coughing means Covid. It’s not. Had a coughing fit brought on by a customer reeking of weed. A masked up customer turned around and fingered me a cross sign.

Also a few weeks after masks were made optional, I had bad sinusitis. Gave up on wearing them as top of mask was inline with my sinuses and made it more painful and struggled to breathe. Customer had a right go at me. Manager said to her “my colleague has asthma. She said she’s negative. Either apologise or leave.” She left and not seen her again!

Still see a couple of customers who wear masks exposing both their mouth and nose. They look ridiculous. Think Hitler with a powder blue moustache.

It’s not beneficial to themselves or to others. Why do they still do this?

I find it hard to understand that you can’t see the wood from the trees and just don’t get or empathize with families who would face genuine financial hardship being forced to isolate if they tested positive for covid these days just so you can go to the pub. Sick pay barely covers putting food on the table plus where is the money going to come from to fund this?

@User2346

I find it hard to understand that you can’t see the wood from the trees and just don’t get or empathize with families who would face genuine financial hardship being forced to isolate if they tested positive for covid these days just so you can go to the pub. Sick pay barely covers putting food on the table plus where is the money going to come from to fund this?

Where have I said I don't empathise? Of course I do. But financial hardship could be relieved somewhat by better sick pay or even by wearing a mask at work if you work close to people. I think I said we felt unable to eat out since there is no obligation to protect the vulnerable. I would love to but that's how it is.

I empathise more with those who become very ill with Covid. Long Covid is taking its toll and there is more to come.

I'm looking for a way for all of us to have some kind of normality. You seem to think we vulnerable people matter less.

Sick pay and isolation pay are not the same thing. You can test positive and be completely asymptomatic - employers are of absolutely no obligation to give sick pay if someone chose to isolate (which you seem to want them to do) in this instance.

My relative was told to isolated as part of the first group to do so. They stopped when the advise changed, after having the jabs. They never had a positive covid test but I'm as sure as I can be that they had it (everyone else in the household tested positive at the time and they had a sniffle). They got in with their life before recently dying from the condition that caused them to classed as CEV. I'm extremely glad they followed the advise to stop isolating so that we had that time living a normal life prior to their passing. In your shoes, I'd call the GP and express you concerns and the situation.

Please stop the emotional blackmail. No one said 'vulnerable people matter less.' But no one is going to take a pay cut down to £116 a week and potentially risk a disciplinary and risk losing their job, because they might have COVID which might infect a vulnerable person who might then get very ill. A lot of people are in that boat and cannot risk their job for a maybe risk to a potential stranger. That's reality and no one is going to fund better sick pay or take away the sickness disciplinary rules. It's not going to happen.

Please stop the emotional blackmail.

Laughable. Re read your posts - there's emotional blackmail right there. And then accusing me of lacking empathy.

You've made it very clear how you feel already. No need to hammer it home.

Don't be silly. All of your posts are a version of 'no one cares about vulnerable people you're all so selfish you only go to work with COVID because you don't give a shit'. I'm trying to point out to you that many, many people will not get paid if they don't go to work, and cannot afford not to get paid. That's reality. People aren't going to work with COVID because they are mean and nasty and want vulnerable people to suffer.

You have done nothing but hammer home how selfish we all are for not isolating when we may have covid and may be at risk of infecting someone vulnerable. Selfish on your part is too kind a word when you have no empathy about the financial and emotional impact on families.

My friend is a carer in a nursing home…no such thing as sick pay her!

The problem with situations like the OP's is that it contrasts one irrational approach (washing shopping with bleach, which was never based on science, and total isolation) with another irrational approach (zero measures, shaming people who mask, test or want to take their own precautions as mentally ill, Covid is just a cold, it's OK to catch it 5 times a year, even people with cancer must accept catching it, etc.).

Just because the latter position is now widespread, it doesn't make it a rational position, and it is not supported by public health data or facts. The official advice of the government is entirely motivated by financial reasons at this time, and follows the lead of the US-based CDC which in turn followed pressure from the aviation industry. The WHO still recommend masking and testing, by the way. Throughout history, a lot of public health disasters have been minimised.

A previous poster mentioned they know someone who works in Covid research and takes precautions. I did wonder if we know each other in real life when I read that! I too work in a field where I routinely read research about the effects of Covid on human health, most of which I can't share publicly, and because of my knowledge I choose to be significantly more cautious than the average UK-based person. I am aware that it is a big financial privilege to be able to do so, though, and I don't expect it from everyone, especially since most people are not informed enough. It's also important to balance caution with living a full life because Covid is here to stay.

My advice to the OP would be to try and meet their parents halfway instead of accusing them of being mentally ill and infantilising them. There's a better chance of convincing them to meet people outside in the open air or with masks than convincing them overnight to follow the crowd that embraced an additional illness risk entirely.

Great post

@ICantThinkofAnythingClever I too work in a field where I routinely read research about the effects of Covid on human health, most of which I can't share publicly

I am (genuinely) intrigued as to where this secret, non-published, non peer reviewed covid research happens? The only thing I can think of is possibly pharma?

I'm not able or willing to doxx myself on Mumsnet, but there is also a lot of public, peer-reviewed research that contradicts the "Covid is just a cold, let's party!" premise. And also a lot of survey data that contradicts the "most people are doing OK" premise. Since you mentioned pharma- have a look at what vaccine manufacturer Moderna are saying on social media these days regarding Long Covid prevalence.

There’s loads of not secret research on how bad getting Covid is for your long term health even if your infections are mild.

I think you either misunderstand my question or my intention.

I’m not saying “covid is just a cold”, so it’s a bit odd that you jump to that.

I’m also not asking you to share anything that would be outing.

But you mention research about the effects of Covid on human health, most of which I can't share publicly. Surely it’s not asking too much to ask either what kind of research, or at least what kind or organisation.

Life actuary work in support of private financial interests.

Thank you, that’s really interesting.

if she has what is now a mild illness so you feel safe?

Mild illness? I’m now on month 10 of being too exhausted to leave the house with long covid. Was normal and healthy before catching it.

Long COVID is not a ‘mild illness’

Its destroyed my life. No arguments about sick pay. Because l couldn’t hold down a job with it.

Life actuary companies totally know what’s going on.

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow that’s so tough. My previously healthy 18 year old niece is in a similar position. She should be doing her A levels right now, but she’s had to miss all of year 13.

Sorry, that's so awful. I too was healthy beforehand and can no longer work - or do anything much really. My preschooler probably can't remember me 'before'. Plenty more families will suffer the consequences of the current and future waves unfortunately. In the meantime, a generation of kids are being asked to put up with numerous reinfections and pay the health and financial consequences of that as though there's nothing that can be done to reduce levels. Instead of people just saying 'we don't care', they'll say it's mild / good for them to be exposed / country can't afford it. They don't say how we can afford this current extreme policy or pressures on nhs so much covid causes.