Would you host someone from the USA who is self isolating?

[tenlittlecygnets]

A friend's ds is travelling from the USA to the UK in August. My friend has asked me if her ds can stay with us for the two week self-isolation period.

I'm not sure. My dc will be going back to school on 4 September and I don't want them to have any risk of catching Covid-19 from my friend's ds. They live in Washington state, which has a high level of Covid infection, although they are very sensible and have been isolating, ds will still have to go through airport, the flight, then we will pick them up from airport and drive them here - they are not supposed to use public transport.

Would you?

I was ill with possible Covid back in March. I stayed in my room and DH brought all my meals up, took plates away then washed hands, etc. He found it hard work, and it was a very long week for me. It's really tough being confined to just one room for a week and reliant on others to bring you food. I lost weight though lack of exercise. I remember wishing I lived alone as it would have been much easier to be able to access the kitchen and not be frightened of spreading germs around. Which is why I'd recommend renting somewhere self contained instead.

I don't want to be mean or unfair to my friend, who is lovely.

I don’t think she is lovely actually, she’s put you in a very difficult situation. It would b

Oops posted too soon

It would be a definite no from me

No way!

Well, I'm in the US, and no I would not.

Anyone who comes into my state has to quarantine for 14 days unless they're from New Hampshire or Vermont. It sounds like a total PITA looking after someone who's quarantining. I'd do it for my family, but not for a friend's child. I wouldn't expect someone to do this for my child either.

The university should be making plans for this.

Your children have just lost months of education

Do you want to jeopardise their return to school?

No way! A good friend will understand

Could he stay in a local Airbnb and you bring him groceries and keep in touch by phone? (Disclaimer, no idea if this is allowed).

No but I wouldn’t from the UK either!

If your friend’s DS is sensible and you can see from their social media and his mother that they’re being sensible at home with social distancing, that the kid is aware of wearing a mask throughout his journey and hand washing/sanitising AND that he will be relegated to the spare room ONLY and using that one bathroom ONLY (if this is what government guidelines are).

AND you’re ok to bring food to him.

Then, yes, I would. The young man is coming for Uni, not a jolly, so I would help them out on the provisio above listed.

I think I’d also ask him to get both the swab test and antibody blood test a few days before he departs for UK.

I think she's really unfair to even ask you. It's a huge thing to expect a friend to do.

I would absolutely not do it.

@SayakaMurata

I think she's really unfair to even ask you. It's a huge thing to expect a friend to do.

I would absolutely not do it.

Agree that the friend is being unfair and putting on pressure. The first step to saying no (politely) is to not feel guilty about it in the slightest.

I'd suggest looking for an Airbnb nearby and taking them their food, and speaking to them regularly.

We've had to go abroad for two months and are in quarantine at the moment. We've rented a holiday apartment and our friends are dropping off food and driving by to wave through the window at us. I wouldn't have asked to stay with any of them as it'd always worry I'd bring CV19 into their house.

No way. Surely the uni have plans in place to support international students who need to quarantine?

No I wouldn’t. And I would be surprised if they actually come. USA is not one of the air bridges even being considered. They have too high rates of infection still. International travel won’t happen for a long time.

No. I'd be offering to help them find a good Airbnb, stock it up with food for his arrival and check in with him.

He's not a young child, your kids are just going back to school and you don't want to jeopardise that, you'll be waiting on him hand and foot, need to lose a bathroom for the duration and then what if he gets bored and goes for a wander?

Nope nope and nope, and she's being selfish to put you in this position.

Absolutely not.

I'd say no mainly because I sincerely doubt that any flight from New York will be coming into the UK in August. We were supposed to fly to the US in July and return in August and they have been cancelled by the airline already.

Flights from the US to the UK are currently operating. You can see them on the Heathrow departures and arrivals boards.

We've been keeping an eye on them in case we need to fly to the UK.

Having said that, I guess there's a possibility arrivals from the US will be totally banned - right now they're just required to quarantine.

Hell no. I would help arrange an Air bnb nearby and bring food to him though. And hed be welcome to stay after 14 days.

Thanks, all. His uni is not near us - it's hundreds of miles away.

Have checked and the uni is offering free quarantine accommodation for foreign students so I think I will suggest this to my friend...

No I wouldn't

Hell yes I would have -- but doesn't sound like you have the dilemma any more anyway.

No. And a good friend wouldn't ask either. She may be concerned for her child's uni education but your families health is far more important x

@knottingaddict I have the right not to be afraid just the same as you have the right to be afraid and careful. It's a personal decision how to handle the risk and threat.
My statistical chances of survival are 99.96% so I'd be happy to risk the 0.04%.
Also, not everyone is afraid of dying. I might get run over by a bus tomorrow. I refuse to live my life in fear, but you do you.

She is a good friend. She made it clear that it was a big ask and she would understand if I said no, which I did earlier, and she's absolutely fine about it.

It's a big move for her ds to make in a pandemic, and a long way from home.