Oh bollocks, I'm really nervous about my holiday now!

[stopitkenneth]

We're due to head to a French campsite in four weeks (driving all the way). We've cancelled two holidays due to COVID, Malta at Easter and Mellorca now. We decided a couple of weeks ago that we'd try for France as quarantine had lifted and I was able to get comprehensive insurance.
But now I'm really worried about needing to quarantine when we get back!

I know, I know, booking anything now was optimistic and a bit stupid. But we really REALLY want to get away (I'm frontline NHS,I need a bloody holiday). And it's hard to see how rates in France could be worse than what we've got here.

At no point have my workplace says that we shouldn't be booking holidays abroad. So if I do have to quarantine on my return, then I'm hoping they'll either support me to work from home, or I'm happy to take the two weeks unpaid. I'm hoping that because I booked it during the time that there was no quarantine, they can't come down hard on me. But I'm now really worried.
Argh!

@LinemanForTheCounty

I don't understand why we'd quarantine people coming from a country which, while it appears to be having an increase at present, is still way below what's considered a good day here in the UK.

But, it seems that's what we're doing. Just go, OP, and deal with whatever consequence happens as a result of our government fucking things up, yet again.

Well, no. One 1000 new cases a day since 16th July, over 2000 for the last two days. Our rate is nothing to be proud of but it is under 1000.

Have you got enough holiday to take the extra 2 weeks off?

Just go and enjoy yourself.

I'm honestly amazed people in the UK are going abroad. I live in one of the countries that dealt with it well, very few cases/deaths, and everyone is holidaying domestically this year. We would have to quarantine on return, no matter where from, but I don't think I'd go anyway.

I'm not worried about there being a higher risk of catching it there than here.

The difference is that if you or a family member get Covid on holiday you'd have to stay there to self isolate. You wouldn't be able to travel home if it was near the end of your holiday.

I don't understand someone going to France and not planning to eat out. It's like buying a bar of chocolate and just licking the wrapper.

@Graciebobcat 🤣. I agree, all those gorgeous restaurants!! I love eating on on holiday, it's a big part of it for me.

Quarantine back for Spain now. R rate is going up in France. We were going to the Dordogne this year but cancelled as don't want to get caught up in lockdown there.

So if I do have to quarantine on my return, then I'm hoping they'll either support me to work from home, or I'm happy to take the two weeks unpaid.
Then it's not really a problem so stop worrying and enjoy your holiday!

We have just cancelled our holiday to Spain for obvious reasons.

We have a trip booked at the end of August in France, I have just been looking at the stats for France in the Sunday Times, and it is not looking good at all. It looks to me as if France is on a similar/same trajectory as Spain - a very similar pattern seems to be emerging all over Europe. This could be a second wave.

Are we still going? No, I don't think so.

Quite apart from not wanting to be stranded with my dc -- (and I think local lockdown or a national lockdown is a distinct risk now in France) There is also the issue that what kind of holiday will be feeling so stressed and worried, surely it will be the opposite of what you hope for op.

There is no escaping the pandemic. We all need a holiday from the reality of covid, but really your best chances of feeling truly relaxed and able to get home surely will be to go away in this country this summer. You can easily drive straight home if there is a lockdown or you become ill, and will not be stranded miles from home.

I doubt it will be your decision op, by mid August I am now fully expecting a second wave. Save your money and the worry and cancel now.

I don't understand someone going to France and not planning to eat out. It's like buying a bar of chocolate and just licking the wrapper.

Yep, that's why I didn't even think about a holiday abroad this yr. No point.

@Jux
I completely agree with everything you said. I'm embarrassed to be a part of this nation tbh.

The UK has probably had the best weather I've ever seen this summer. It's been fantastic. I don't understand why someone would need to book a holiday overseas. I sort of understand if someone had it booked pre pandemic. But for someone who is a key worker who books in Spain? That's not even funny. Just sad.

I'm going away in the UK and will be supporting local small businesses by eating out.

Holidays in the UK are disproportionately expensive. Booking a holiday cottage in France is cheaper; they often have pools of their own and yet they cost much less. Add in the fact that the weather is better; you have a different culture to explore, it is hardly surprising that many people choose to go to France. I attempted to book a holiday cottage in the UK. Many places were unavailable. The ones that I could find were stupidly overpriced. OP just enjoy your holiday.

My daughter is going to South of France in two weeks. Enjoy your holiday and try not to stress, what will be will be xx

@Disillusioned11

silkroad eaglejulesk

Because it rains in England ..... all of the time ....incessantly. We go on holiday to get week of warmth and sunshine.

Where do you live ?!! I’m looking out at clear blue skies, it’s been a great summer . I’ve lived in shorts for months. . It rained here ( London suburbs) yesterday and we commented that it was good to get a decent watering for the garden.

I can see why people want to go to other countires for their holidays, Price! Around me now (tourist area) holiday cottage and cravan owners have increased their prices so much they are pricing out a lot of families. Someone from work just booked for August and is now spend £1000 for a week in a caravan that used to only cost £600. I'd travel to France by car myself, I have no annual leave booked, mine was at the beggining of lockdown. Not sure I'd want to get on a plane, but if I did it would be to visit my family there.

I think this is going to be a risk for a while to come. At the moment it is Spain but I think it is likely to become a list.

A campsite holiday is probably less prone to spreading a disease especially if you are staying in a mobile home so using fewer communal facilities.

The difficulty is that on return especially faced with the prospect of a two week quarantine how many people will be honest about what type of holiday they have just come back from? A blanket quarantine rule is safer.

While we appear to have had better summers in the last few years. I don't think it's outlandish to say the UK weather is unpredictable particularly in August so I understand if someone has a week off they want it to be nice.

I don't understand why we'd quarantine people coming from a country which, while it appears to be having an increase at present, is still way below what's considered a good day here in the UK.

Agreed, seems overkill to me, especially as they are including the canaries and Balearics which aren't close to the outbreaks.

I was also thinking, since we have access to so many tests now, why not get people to isolate for five days then take a test? That would be far less disruptive.

" it is hardly surprising that many people choose to go to France"

It is certainly surprising when we're in the middle of a pandemic.

In 20 years, people will wonder what on earth we were playing at.

If France has opened its borders and is welcoming tourists from the UK then you do your own personal risk assessment and decide whether you can go or not. It’s not actually anybody else’s business is it?

You can all have opinions on whether you would do it or not but unless it’s actually against the law/regulations it’s a personal al decision. Many countries have now realised that containing the virus at the expense of literally everything else is not the way to go; caution, common sense and personal responsibility/risk assessment are the only way.

Many countries have now realised that containing the virus at the expense of literally everything else is not the way to go;

And rightly so.