Can someone legally enforce lockdown?

[Gingerkittykat]

Here is the situation.

Person A developed symptoms a couple of days ago, unsure if CV since they have regular bouts of tonsilitis. They are now obviously on lockdown.

Person B lives in the same household, they are meant to be travelling a couple of hundred miles back to work tomorrow. They absolutely refuse to take this seriously and they are determined to go. They are young and exceptionally fit so probably won't hit them badly but who knows who they will be in contact with.

I'm terrified of what this person is doing, is it possible the police or anyone else can force them to stay in for a fortnight?

To be clear this is not my household.

What does the law say where you are? If prohibited by law yes the police can enforce, if not they can’t. I am in Sydney and here Person B would be allowed to travel because it is to work unless Person A was actually diagnosed with Covid 19. S/he would be encouraged to practice social distancing along the way. Check your local legislation.

I am in Scotland, as far as I know, the guidelines are not legally enforceable.

Yes. The bill has been passed. People can also forcibly be tested for the virus now. To review in 6 months.

Full thing.

www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2020/7/contents/enacted/data.htm

Scotland specific:

www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2020/7/schedule/19/enacted

www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2020/7/section/36/enacted

www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2020/7/part/1/crossheading/disclosure-scotland/enacted

www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2020/7/schedule/21/enacted

www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2020/7/schedule/22/enacted

There's some I've missed but it's all there in the first link anyway. You need to look at the schedules to see the enacted laws.

Yes it is enforceable.

Whether it would be top of the priority list for enforcement is another matter.

You’d have to report this to the police for them to act

I seriously doubt the police would give even a remote shit if you rang up about it. People are still working all over the place right now. I'm a keyworker and unless I ran all the symptoms beyond a general cough/cold, I think work would be a bit 🙄 if I called in sick because my partner had bit of a sore throat.

No it's not illegal to go to work if someone in your house has a sore throat. And no it can't be enforced by anyone. Its advised not to but no law against it and not enforceable by anyone. We haven't suddenly become a Police State.

The legislation linked is to cover where someone HAs symptoms and is possibly a threat to wider public health due to potential exposing many and refusing testing. So someone coming in on a flight who looks like they might be dying and could have infected the whole plane and everyone in the airport and then wandering off wherever. People in immigration centres, hospitals, prisons, off shore oil rigs, refuges and shelters etc. Or if the Police come across a homeless person in a tented community who looks really ill with a fever etc.Those powers have been given to public health officers for other infectious diseases for years. That's why they refer to immigration officials and public health officers in the legislation which can be supported by Police if needed.

If the legislation meant 'everyone who might have been exposed to COVID' that would be most of the country and it is indeed foreseen that most people will contract it so that would be ridiculous. Current measures are designed to stagger cases, not eradicate the illness.

There isn't even legislation to say people WITH suspected COVID can be forced to stay at home and/or be tested. People are advised to stay at home but you can't get the Police or anyone else to enforce it. Let alone people who have no symptoms. There isn't enough testing available for even NHS workers..

The idea that you could call the Police and they can force someone to stay at home because someone in their house may have symptoms is just laughable. That would be hundreds of thousands of households. Most of whom have tonsilitis or a cold.

@dontbesillysteven

Scary how some people seem to want to live in an authoritarian state.

Well now we know who all the Nazis were. Actually we've known for quite a while anyway.

It's not just that people seem to want to live in an authoritan state, it's that they think we suddenly are. So much information being spread around over what isn't 'allowed' anymore and what is law or not.

I've seen all of the following on MN.

Over 70s not allowed outside, we're not allowed to buy non-essentials, not allowed to shop more than once a day, not allowed to sit down in a park, only allowed to walk, cycle or run as outside exercise, only allowed to exercise for a certain time. You can lock out your DH and call the Police if he isn't social distancing, the Police will come out if your neighbours have people over for a drink, call the Police if your neighbour does this or that...so much crap.

I've read through the legislation and it looks like there is nothing that can be done here.

Mimishimi, I think there is a huge difference between not wanting someone to potentially be carrying a serious disease that kills people around and wanting to exterminate huge parts of the population.

I read the section on forced vaccination on one of the links above and was shocked.

Just seen...only keyworkers allowed to leave the house for work and you're not allowed to use public transport unless you're a keyworker. Also crap.

@NewYearNewJob123

It’s just bloody stupid. For anyone who is a bit naive, just make sure you get your information from a broadsheet or the BBC. Not mumsnet, as it is full of fake news.

@Mimishimi. Not an appropriate comparison. Think before you speak.

it is a bit shit if anyone is planning to do this - what on earth needs to be done
they are meant to be travelling a couple of hundred miles back to work tomorrow.

People travelling to work is 'essential' travel.

Gingerkittykat you haven't said what work they do so they could be someone working on a vaccine or in ICU and you have said there's no evidence the other person has the virus.

So on the face of it you are wrong and should leave well alone.

This is what happened in the Isle of Man, one person came into the island who had CV, refused to self isolated and had to be arrested now they have 30 plus cases and as of last night one person died as a result of his actions.

They work in construction, I know most sites are shut down so don't know the details of what project you work on.

@HaudYerWheeshtYaWeeBellend The best user name I have seen, made me think of my dear departed aunty who used to say haud yer wheesht all the time, she never talked about bellends though!