Getting out of the UK now - heading for the (sunny) hills?

[whathaveitakenon]

I've n/c because of identifiability here but I'm (obv because I'm on this board!) worried about coronavirus as an asthmatic parent, and daughter of elderly parents.

We are lucky enough to have a tiny rural house on a sunny Greek island and the usualplan is to go there for Easter, always assuming our house hasn't washed away in winter storms!

Coronavirus hasn't put us off going at all because it's in the middle of nowhere, by the beach, and our exposure to anybody else at all there is minimal, compared to living in London, DH working in a big organisation, 3 kids in primary, public transport etc. I will definitely feel a lot more secure there than here.

(There is a big hospital there & two or three medium ones. It's just our location that is v rural.)

My question is WHEN. Yesterday 209 cases, today 273, so what - 1000 by Friday? What is the point at which schools close? Airports?

There are cheap flights on Saturday and indeed for any day thereafter. Both DH and I can WFH v easily. It literally makes no difference to us. Kids are easy to entertain there (beach!).

FWIW we have friends living here in London from the same island (no kids, similar industries to us with WFH capacities) who are going back there next week too for this reason.

DH would go tomorrow if I gave the all clear. I'm more cautious about schools etc.

I don't know what my question is, but is anyone else in a position like this? What would you do if you were?

If your eldest is y6 doesn’t he have SATS soon?

I'd go this week and self isolate when you get there so you don't spread it in case you're already infected.

I don't think it's a very ethically fair thing to do to Greece unless you have self isolated for 2 weeks and then travel by car.

But I can see the temptation.

I actually cant believe you wrote that

Do you not understand that not infecting other people is so the NHS doesn't grind to a halt, so that the economy doesn't suffer, so that share prices don't plummet wiping out our pensions? Have you really not gathered that this is why we don't want it to spread

I am a tax paying worker - if I get it, it's not good for the economy either. But despite your virtue signalling indignation, I suspect the main reason people don't want to get this is so they don't get ill (and can't look after their kids/elderly parents/earn money - oh and enjoy life).

Preventing illness isn't just about protecting NHS beds and the vulnerable, it's about quality of life, too.

(and if I get it I won't pass it onto anyone vulnerable because I don't know anyone who is - asthmatic BIL and his wedding excepted, but if I'm ill I won't be going to his wedding anyway!)

And you think Crete wont get the virus ?

There has been a suspected case in Crete

Do you have a plan B ?

I understand this completely. Dd and i left China and came to the uk...And the problems continue!

And you think Crete wont get the virus ?

Not at all - just that there, we're pretty isolated. Easy to entertain kids away from crowds (beaches deserted at this time of year). No public transport concerns. Effective self-isolation, except sunny.

Are you taking your elderly parents with you?

I wish I had that option, I would go now if I could.

We have a remote holiday home and if it wasn’t for ds studying for GCSEs we’d possibly do the same.

I guess you have to ask yourself though are you realistically going to isolate yourself from other people? You’ll still have to go to the shops etc then there’ll be the boredom - you’ll want to go to restaurants etc presumably? And what if it’s still going on in 2 months time, would you stay there? If you feel at that point you’d have to return you would’ve have taken the kids out of school for nothing. (These are all the things running through my mind).

@cologne4711 really, I'm not virtue signalling. I am terrified for my livelihood. I am terrified the economy will grind to a halt and my savings will be worth nothing. That I wont be able to pay my mortgage. That I will get ill with something other than Coronavirus and the NHS wont be able to treat me.And to you that is virtue signalling?

You don't have a fucking brain.

@whathaveitakenon Never mind the corona where's this lovely holiday home and how much did it cost?

where's this lovely holiday home and how much did it cost?

Why is that remotely relevant?

I suspect passing through an airport will put you at a greater risk than self isolating at home.