Would you avoid someone who’d visited Germany?

[Exochord]

I volunteer on a weekly committee which runs the local community centre. One of the other committee members is heading off on a two week holiday to Germany. He isn’t intending to self isolate upon his return because the current government advice doesn’t suggest that travellers returning from Germany should do so.

AIBU to tell the committee I won’t be attending for at least two weeks after he returns? I know I’m letting the committee down and failing to fulfil the role I signed up for, but I have small DC and elderly parents so I can’t afford to catch coronavirus. I really don’t want to sit at a table in a small meeting room with him for two hours.

No.

DH is supposed to be attending a training course in Germany in the next few weeks. He's Tring to get out of it.

No. You are overreacting. I live in Germany, there's no cases in my city. Why is it worse to visit here than London?

I know someone who is about to go on holiday to Germany and his work have told him to self isolate when he gets back. I was a bit

As things stand, no I wouldn't. Ask us again nearer the time, as things change very rapidly.

Which state is he planning to visit? Do you know?

No. Shared a gondola with four Holidaying Germans for twenty minutes and chatted to them today. Didn’t occur to me to jump out, and it didn’t even cross my mind that it might be unwise to share breathing space.

Don't be so bloody stupid. I'm in Germany, things are very much under control here right now - we're not Italy. It might be wise to avoid the one village in Nordrhein-Westfalen where quite a few people did get it, but that went into lockdown anyway. The rest of us are washing hands, avoiding shaking hands, and getting on with things (with just a bit of panic buying in the background). The idea that you would avoid someone simply because they spent time in Germany is bonkers right now. For a country of 80 million that rates aren't that bad, and most of the cases are remarkably mild.

NRW - Cologne and Bonn etc there is a rising spread and the government in Berlin has advised even Germans to avoid the area if possible. There is alot of undiagnosed spread. Obviously, as the incubation period is 2 weeks. Where did he go?

If the contact is non-essential, I would avoid him for 2 weeks. Put your parents first.

no, not currently, but wait to read the advice when he does return.

I am planning to go to Germany in a couple of weeks and friends from Germany are coming to stay with me at Easter. It never crossed my mind for a minute to even consider this might not be a good thing to do.

PS I am in NRW. football games play without an audience, trade fairs and gatherings over 1000 people are officially cancelled. The general feeling of many people i know is to avoid other people, there is stockpiling but no shortages. But a huge amount of recklessness- people saying that it is immune system related, and they will be fine because they are young and not usually ill. So depending on what he is doing, and which area, what social interactions he is exposed to (pub crawls, sports matches, clubs) in your position, I would be careful. Italy/Skiing trips would be worse though.

Yes but more because they have travelled/airports.

Not unless you'd also avoid someone who'd been to London/Gloucestershire/Wales....

Well, firstly, it would depend on where he is going, but secondly if he’s not yet left and he is going for two weeks, no one can predict what the situation will be by the time his holiday ends, either in Germany or the UK. Two weeks ago my state had no cases, now we have 199. Advice and practices will have changed by then. There is no point worrying too much about it right now, although I know that is easier said than done.

Normally I'd say no but a close family member has returned from a country that has cases but isn't on the UK list for self isolation. A few days after their return they fell ill and have now self isolated. Find out where abouts he's visiting so you can see how many cases there have been to weigh up the chances.