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Would you self isolate?

703 replies

janemaster · 01/03/2020 11:40

The advice is to self isolate if you have travelled from certain areas abroad, even if you have no symptoms. We know in other countries that not everyone has followed this advice.
So be honest, if you had no symptoms but were told to self isolate for 2 weeks in the house, would you? This would mean not leaving the house at all and staying in a separate room from anyone else living in your house.

YABU - No I would not
YANBU - Yes I would

OP posts:
Cailleach1 · 02/03/2020 14:38

There is no treatment or vaccine. Great to feel you'd be alright, but you could transmit it to someone who could die from it.

MarieQueenofScots · 02/03/2020 14:47

no i couldnt, we struggle as it is living in the southeast, taking 2 weeks off work is not an options for me, my company dont offer sick pay, just the goverment one, which is not good enough

Guess you’re hoping everyone else takes the hit then? Because if you catch it you’ll definitely be off work!

longtompot · 02/03/2020 14:52

Yes I would because my yd is on immune system suppressing medication. If she got this it would kill her.

SirChing · 02/03/2020 14:59

*longtompot I hope this godawful virus goes nowhere near you and yours Flowers

SirChing · 02/03/2020 15:00

Sorry that was to @longtompot

teenagetantrums · 02/03/2020 15:05

No I would not unless l had to. I don't get paid if l don't work. I'm going on holiday tommrow not to an infected area but l expet l will be passing people in airport who may be infected.

itsallthedramaMickiloveit · 02/03/2020 15:16

Forced sterilisation. One child per family.
Those "delightful " ideas have already been tried.
Pesky human beings with their human lives

More like pesky humans with their consumerism and inability to self regulate to the detriment of the planet.

woodchuck99 · 02/03/2020 15:16

No I would not unless l had to. I don't get paid if l don't work. I'm going on holiday tommrow not to an infected area but l expet l will be passing people in airport who may be infected.

Define "how to".

bellinisurge · 02/03/2020 15:22

No, not more like that. Don't try to distract from the reality of what you are saying.
More like "one child per family" like they tried in China and forced sterilisation which, as you know, has also been tried on our continent in living memory.

woodchuck99 · 02/03/2020 15:28

Define "how to" had to.

itsallthedramaMickiloveit · 02/03/2020 15:43

Well two children would probably work better as them there is an equal number of contributing adults to an ageing population.

And I literally said we can't do forces sterilisation because it's immoral.

But the planet is fucked. Because humans fucked it up. Less humans. Less fuck up.

ShanghaiDiva · 02/03/2020 15:44

@tud41
Re hitting the peak. Numbers of new cases are falling and the govt is trying to balance that with increasing movement. My city has had no new cases for 7 days and no deaths at all. Last week the govt started to allow increased movement eg some restaurants open for limited hours. Vital to see what happens next in terms of cases.
Btw this info is for Jiangsu province with about 700 cases in a total population on 70 million.

YgritteSnow · 02/03/2020 15:46

I have two autistic children and am a single parent with little support. It just wouldn't be possible.

HeIenaDove · 02/03/2020 15:54

l. Still, people's partners with COPD will understand that in their dying hours, won't rhey

Does anyone else want to tell @SirChing about my DH or shall i?

if quarantine does become extensively needed, then laws will be pushed through making it illegal not to adhere. Good! Let's see how many idiots decide to still go on holiday and go back to work when they shouldn't, if they gave a criminal record

Interesting that this should be your choice and what you are pleased about rather than employers being compelled to pay sick pay. DH is nearly 70 has COPD and ischemic heart disease and yes im worried but im not so insular that i cant see why low pay workers are worried about self isolation. I used to bbe one.

MarieQueenofScots · 02/03/2020 15:56

I have two autistic children and am a single parent with little support. It just wouldn't be possible

The problem is you’re relying on other people therefore to take the measures to prevent spread. If you or your children get it, you’ll have no choice but to isolate yourselves.

lyralalala · 02/03/2020 15:59

I had to do it with swine flu. Luckily I was feeding my sister’s cat while she was on holiday so I was quarantined there (unplanned, but worked out better,?although she wasn’t chuffed).

My youngest has multiple health issues and has a dire immune system. We have to be super careful with coughs, colds and bugs as it is. So we absolutely would quarantine if it was needed to protect her and others like her

woodchuck99 · 02/03/2020 15:59

I absolutely agree that there needs to be compensation for low-paid workers and perhaps for everyone, mortgage lenders/landlords need to take into account that people may have some financial difficulty if they need to self isolate. However, I think there should also be penalties imposed if people do not self isolate when asked because clearly some people only look out for number one.

TooExtraImmatureCheddar · 02/03/2020 16:20

I know a fair few people living in flats with no/communal garden space but with pets. How are you meant to take a dog out if you're in self-isolation? Even if you didn't actually walk them, just took them outside, you'd still be touching door handles in the communal hallway. If you have a cat with a litter tray, you still need to take the litter outside fairly urgently.

What would people in flats do about taking bins out? You can't keep a bag of rubbish in the flat for 2 weeks, particularly if it has cat litter or nappies in it. Again, touching communal door handles/bannisters.

Families would find it very difficult to keep apart from each other, particularly with small children in the mix (as anyone who has ever tried to work from home with kids in the house can attest). Especially if there was only one bathroom in the house, or they were the only adult.

What if you live on a farm and have to feed animals?

What if you had a water leak or the boiler broke down during your self-isolation? Or your freezer with all your prepped food broke? Or you had a non-Covid 19 medical emergency like falling downstairs or cutting yourself badly.

It's not realistic to think people could self-isolate properly. Yes, we could cut down on a lot of contact, but I think most people would be pushed to do it completely to the letter. I'm not suggesting for a minute that I wouldn't try, but I think the reality would be a lot harder than it sounds.

dairyfairies · 02/03/2020 16:25

I have two autistic children and am a single parent with little support. It just wouldn't be possible

The problem is you’re relying on other people therefore to take the measures to prevent spread. If you or your children get it, you’ll have no choice but to isolate yourselves.

I think some people genuinely lack the empathy to understand that in certain circumstances it would be very difficult. Not everyone has support and children without SN. I have a DC with severe ASD/LDs and no support and I really don't think we could manage either. My DC (bigger + stronger than me and with significant behaviour issue due to the severe LDs) needs the outdoors. I would not physically be able to keep her at home without getting hurt for 2 weeks. But I guess some people who never looked single handedly after a person with severe LDs and challenging behaviours will tell me to find a way and that I am egoistic or whatever. I am just not wonderwoman. that's all.

Lexilooo · 02/03/2020 16:26

FFS the people of Eyam managed to self isolate back in 1665 so I think in this day and age we can work out how to manage online shopping deliveries! Back then they left the money for their deliveries in vinegar to sterilize it.

There is someone with symptoms self isolating while awaiting swab results local to me. They have had many offers from strangers via the local facebook page to drop shopping off for them. If Tesco need a signature a neighbour could sign and leave your stuff outside your house.

alloutoffucks · 02/03/2020 16:28

There is advice on you gov about self isolation. You are not supposed to empty your bins until it has been confirmed you have not got the virus.

MarieQueenofScots · 02/03/2020 16:31

dairyfairies

That’s my point as this thread evidences! You’ll end up suffering if people who can don’t self-isolate. If the virus spreads people have to isolate themselves. Although I imagine people won’t isolate themselves even if they get it.

bellinisurge · 02/03/2020 16:32

@Lexilooo , the people of Eyam would be considered crazy preppers by today's standards.

lyralalala · 02/03/2020 16:35

Random I know, but I wonder if the supermarkets will consider bringing back bags in deliveries if we end up with lots of people self isolating

When I had swine flu the Asda man knocked, then dropped the shopping at front door in bags, and then I brought it in once he was out of the garden

Couldn’t really do that now with everything loose

ZigZagIntoTheBlue · 02/03/2020 16:36

I would though I saw someone in Wilkos telling the cashier how they were quarantining themselves having travelled back from half term skiing Hmm
Not sure they understood what quarantine meantAngry