I've been instructed to self isolate

[SelfIsolation]

Is there anyone else here who has been instructed to self isolate? I'm finding it very difficult to deal with some of the reactions I've had IRL, and mental health wise / emotionally. I'm not at all scared about having Covid-19. I haven't even requested a test as I don't think I have any symptoms worth worrying about. On the other hand I'm wondering if I could cut short my self isolation if I get a test with a negative result.

Stormy, as I mentioned before I explained to them that we'd be in very close contact and they still said to send them to school.

You might be interested to know that they did not say I had to notify the school about my own self isolation. That's something I chose to do myself as a sensible precaution so that the school could make a decision about any immunosupressed people they knew about. I told the school that I would only keep sending the kids if they were ok with it, I gave them time to think about it and they've decided they're happy for them to continue as long as we're symptom-free.

I did all this of my own volition, in addition to guidance, so don't tell me I'm not taking it seriously. I'm one of the responsible ones.

If you think the rules don't make sense - and I can see why - I'm afraid I can't answer why the rules are the way they are. What I would suggest (and this is my opinion not necessarily fact) is that the government knows they'll enforce more restrictions but they do it bit by bit rather than all at once. They want to seem like it's a controlled response rather than a panicked response.

For fucks sake.

The OP (like millions) has been to a high risk area. So the advice is to self isolate UNTIL /IF symptoms appear, at which point things change.

There is currently no difference between OP and a company asking all their staff to work from home.

She's self isolating to reduce the risk. Not quarantined to stop it. As it stands, she doesn't have the virus.

She only has a marginally higher risk of getting it than anyone else. If she did develop symptoms, yes her kids may get it too. But this is the same for literally any person with the virus, many of whom will have no idea.

Separating mums from their kids and ruining the economy isn't sensible. People will die in different ways if that happens.

People have whipped themselves up into a frenzy on here. Completely obsessed with schools closing, giddy to perceive themselves to be part of something. If I read another 'well I've heard' I'm going to eye roll myself into oblivion.

Here you have an account from someone who has been in touch with 111, given proper guidance and is living through it. But instead of reading her interesting account, you're all dictating what you think she should do instead. Can you not see how ridiculous that is?

I would personally like to see Mumsnet taking far more responsibility with this situation. The spread of misinformation and fear is rife on the coronavirus section.

Thank you for your post sertralinehelp

OP you are following the advice from PHE. If others have a issue with that advice then I would point them in the direction of PHE and tell them to discuss it with them. (My guess is these people won’t, it’s easier to criticise you.)

The people having a go at you for arriving in an affected area when it WASN’T being classed as affected are just twats. It’s not your fault it BECAME an affected area whilst you were there. (How many of us have been driving on the motorway and we end up in tailbacks because of a crash? We don’t start having a go at people for not predicting there was going to be a crash and getting stuck in the aftermath - that would be mad!)

Thanks deelish, and good analogy.

I can see both sides to this. It's shit for you to be stuck at home self isolating I really feel for you, but you obviously recognise why it needs to be done.
It's a tricky one regarding the children though, i get your following government advice so you feel that's as far as your responsibility lies, however you could do more if you wanted to. If you have it, you are likely to spread it to you children, who are then likely to spread it at school, to parents, grandparents etc.. I would personally feel that's on you for not being more cautious either around your children or by sending them out into the world, potentially passing this on to anyone they have contact with, and that is your decision, you are following advice but if you felt that advice was wrong you are entitled to either self isolate from the children or self isolate them too.

I would feel very upset if myself or family caught it from one of your children, (or someone in the same situation as you) mainly because 3 members of my immediate family are in the very high risk cat, so if I was in your position I would either self isolate from the rest of the family or have everyone self isolate, thus ensuring it wouldn't be because of me that people could potentially die.

You feel disappointed by the me first attitude

You may be following guidelines but you could be safer. You know this as does everyone else that is why people are being 'rude'.

I bet the school would really appreciate if you decided to self isolate children as well as you. I don't think the school can say don't send them to school, unless they have a back up from government. There was a post recently on primary that governor of school was going against head's decision to keep the children off school for 2 weeks who has recently been to the affected country.

I know you are doing what you have been told by 111, but it is shockingly bad advice.

I think you aren't really taking this seriously though despite what you say, but rather paying lip-service as surely common sense dictates that the whole point of self isolation is that the whole household needs to do it or don't bother at all. I'm sorry you are getting shit from other people about your children going to school, but you deep down must see their point.

The way you are self isolating makes no sense at all OP. I'm sorry if you think I'm being rude but that's the truth. Surely you either need to self isolate, ie completely isolate yourself from other people, or isolate as a family. As it stands you appear to be missing work whilst not actually protecting anyone. I think that is why you're getting people being rude on FB - because you are potentially putting them at risk by your actions, however well intended they are.

This is what the BBC say about self isolating - that you should be avoiding contact with family members where possible

It’s not particularly fair to be criticising people for following advice from officials.
Public Health England have said people who have come into contact with those who were directly exposed do not have to isolate.

Exactly flamingnora.

I haven't even been in contact with a confirmed case. London had more cases than where I was at the time!

By some of the logic on this thread, everyone who has been in London should be self isolating and keeping their children off school.

Why doesn't everyone who's criticising me for the way I've been told to self isolate go and take their issue up with the authorities and come back and let us all know how you got on?

You won't speak to anyone because like a PP said it's easier for you to be keyboard warriors and criticise me.

I've spoken to multiple people across 3 authorities. I've actually gone beyond what they asked me to do.

So take your judgement elsewhere. I am not your problem, someone else out there is your problem and you don't know who, so you make your own decision about how much you want to be around anyone else.

Lol
Your taking it as criticism when actually posters are pointing out the flaws in the governments logic, because unlike you people on this thread can see through the governments current stance and know that we will end up in a situation like Italy BECAUSE of their lack luster approach to this. People are telling you to think outside the box and use your own common sense to see how your actions could potentially effect others which you are refusing to do because "your following the advice given"
If the advice given was to jump of a cliff would you? No because you can see the effects of that, but for some reason you are ignoring the effects of what your doing?

I'm not a keyboard warrior, if I knew you I would say the same thing to your face. I'm not being unkind, I'm just telling you the truth and you don't like it. And fwiw I am going beyond the advice I was given personally to protect my family and friends.

Leave the OP alone.

The school are quite capable of saying, 'we understand and we'll mark the kids off as authorised absent for x days'. My kids' (UK) school has that policy in place for children of parents in self-isolation.

The OP's school has chosen not to have that policy.

Purpleboy wins the stupidest thing said online today for trotting out the jump off a cliff comment. Really.

Look, I am free to go out into town and mooch around the shops and go for a swim and see a film and go out for dinner. There's absolutely nobody stopping me but myself. I'm choosing to follow self isolation advice that was given to me even though I haven't been exposed. And yet I'm being called stupid, selfish etc. Get a grip.

I do wonder if some posters have actually read what I've posted, it seems like a lot of points are being missed.

Aren't you bothered that people that landed hours before me are on your buses and trains?
Aren't you bothered that people who have been in contact with someone who is known to have been exposed are serving you when you're panic buying pasta?
You're too busy trying to blow out a candle here when there's a fire behind you.

Thank you pothole, the school would absolutely tell me if they wanted them to be off and I've made it clear they can change their mind any time.

I have the sort of relationship with the school staff that they would feel comfortable doing that, in fact they've been very helpful and supportive.

There seems to be a lot of confusion (here, by government and news media and in the NHS generally) between people who are self isolating whilst recovering from COVID-19 or awaiting test results for COVID-19 and those who have just been asked to stay home and/or socially isolate due to returning from an infected area.

My understanding is that the latter need only stay home and limit contact with the outside world until either 14 days pass OR until symptoms appear, in which case they switch to self isolation. At this point family members who have been in contact with them would stay home whilst everyone awaits test results.

The official advice is all here and seemingly limited to those who are awaiting testing due to displaying symptoms and/or having been in close contact with a confirmed case.

I'm not a keyboard warrior OP and neither are most of the posters on here. We are just pointing out the fallacy of your situation. You are basically just taking a couple of weeks off work, you are not self isolating in any effective way - and I would say the same to your face. The advice you have been given is appalling, but you are neither helping or hindering the spread of the disease in your current situation.

I'm not off work! I'm having to work from home. I'd much rather be at work like normal, like the people who landed hours before me...

Again - take it up with the people who make the rules and let me know how you get on with that.

No need to be snarky and martyrish OP. What's the point of starting a thread if you are not willing for people to make their comments. Much of what people are saying is criticising the official advice. I have a friend self isolating at the moment as they came into contact with someone who was infected on holiday (before they realised) so I do have some sympathy for your situation, however their household has used their common sense and they are all isolating.

So your friend differs from me in that they've had contact with a confirmed case. Can I just reiterate that I've had no contact with any confirmed cases?

I'm trying to point out the fallacy of some other arguments - there's as much point in me self isolating as there is in every London commuter self isolating. It's an arbitrary line that's been drawn in terms of timelines of coming back from abroad.

I agree that it's silly to require only partial households to self isolate.

I strongly object to being told I should be doing it differently and that I'm stupid or selfish or not taking it seriously enough.

It's very easy for people to hypothesise about what they would do. You at least all have the benefit of seeing it all play out before you and having time to consider your options for when it reaches you. That didn't happen for me, I got dropped straight into it.

I think you'll find the stupidest comment was made by you when you said your self isolating, hugging your children and sending them out into the world to potentially affect other people!
The point is the same, if your told to do something which makes absolutely no sense do your either follow that advice blindly or use your own common sense and choose a different approach?

People are understandably concerned by this, they are seeing or hearing what you are doing and can see there is no logic to that, people are rightly concerned your children could be infecting others because you have chosen to blindly follow ridiculous advice and not take care either self isolating yourself or self isolating your family.

Whilst it's very gracious of you to self isolate when you feel there is no need, it is of little use if those in your house are still going about their business.

Your at a higher risk than the average London commuter because you've travelled to an affected area and you right that the advice given is ridiculous and that is NOT your fault, however common sense must prevail at a time like this.