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!

@Isawthathaggis

A GP maybe? Or some none clinical management role. I'm starting to doubt that they are actually a frontline NHS worker, it's irrelevant to this thread really, and if they were then they are definitely exempt from having to quarantine anyway, so no need for this thread.

@Isawthathaggis there are lots of aspects of my job that can be done from home. WFH certainly isn't a long term option, but for a couple of weeks it's entirely possible for me to be productive and supportive to my team whilst not going near the hospital I'm based in.

Anyone going abroad has to accept that while they are at the mercy of an ever changing situation and could be caught up in a sudden local lockdown at their destination and/ or have the quarantine on their return to the UK. You can argue all day about infection rates in other countries, about the unfairness and overreactions of authorities but those are real risks. So if you want to go on holiday right now go buy know that there are some risks and be prepared.

Less risk on a private villa than in Bournemouth beach IMO! Flights are all but empty and everyone has to wear masks and take precautions,

@BackInTime at no point did I say I thought authorities are overreacting. If quarantine is needed then that's ok.
The situation in France was looking positive for a decent amount of time, and they were happy for Uk tourists to visit, which is why we took a punt on booking the trip. I always knew it might not work out hence me only agreeing to book once I'd found fully comprehensive insurance.

Stupid as we may be, please don't think that I think the French or UK government is overreacting.

It's rather sad how many people have such a negative view of holidaying in the UK. Back in the 80s I only knew one family that went abroad, and I don't remember being finding it a hardship.

We've had it always rains-of course it does... anyone else remember the heatwave in 2018? I think it's rained here around half a dozen days since ds planted his veg garden at the start of lockdown. He's kept a record because he didn't have to water it!

Too expensive: We've just booked a holiday for 5 for £300, we rarely pay over £800. It'll cost us less than £50 petrol money to get there. We have three teens and they'll enjoy the holiday just as much as if we'd paid £4k to go.

@stopitkenneth

If you can easily work from home for 2 weeks, then mentioning that you are "frontline NHS", or even creating this thread, is even more pointless.

Talk to your management about working from home if quarantine is needed (which again, you are exempt from if you are actually "frontline NHS"), and then make your decision about whether or not to go. Talking to a load of randoms on the internet about it isn't going to help.

Holidaying In the UK is great but many ppl had holidays booked and have considered the risks to be minimal for example where they’ll be at a villa or socially distanced.

Some have paid a lot and with lockdown opening up for the summer might as well go if they’ve risk assessed and all is good.

@stopitkenneth It is not a holiday that makes you a disgrace, it is your selfish attitude. You want a holiday and so you book it, without any thought of infection transmission either way. If you are really front line NHS you have potential to infect many staff and patients.
Stopitkenneth must have a holiday and others do not matter at all.

Haha the people who have said we are having a lovely summer don’t live in the north west. Yep we had some lovely weather but I can’t remember much sunshine in July bar the odd day we’ve had lots of rain!

We went to the lakes recently and it rained a bit or a lot at least every day. I’m fine with that I expect it. I’m not a sunbather anyway but understand why people go abroad.

SwedishEdith

“While I won't go abroad this summer, the UK is pretty shit so can understand the desire to escape.”

No, it really isn’t. Guessing you haven’t visited Devon, Cornwall, Pembroke, Scottish Highlands, Herefordshire, Jurassic Coast, Peak District, could go on and on.

We are currently in France in holiday and have felt really safe Covid wise. Most places we've been don't have Covid issues or rising numbers. Hence the places we chose to visit.

The Spanish thing concerns me though, now we are away. It's the fact that the quarantine applies to the whole country and not just the areas with outbreaks or rising rates. So for Spain even the islands are included despite the fact that the rising numbers are on the mainland.

Technically we could all quarantine with no issue but it'd be a pain obviously.

We came away as the introduction of air bridges (though we came by train not plane) told us that we were able to do so and it was 'safe' to do so. That was the purpose of them. Our annual travel insurance covers is for Covid - it changed back to being including a few days before we went away, having not been included since April. The FCO adviser said it was okay to go too. However that won't mean that flight and travel companies will necessarily change back to offering refunds etc.

Dd is due to return to France in a few weeks time again with her boyfriend for a few days so I guess we now have to wait and see.

BackInTime

Anyone going abroad has to accept that while they are at the mercy of an ever changing situation and could be caught up in a sudden local lockdown at their destination and/ or have the quarantine on their return to the UK. You can argue all day about infection rates in other countries, about the unfairness and overreactions of authorities but those are real risks. So if you want to go on holiday right now go buy know that there are some risks and be prepared.“

Exactly this. If you can’t manage potential quarantine until this fluid situation is resolved one way or another, be that vaccine or more effective treatments, don’t go. Pretty obvious really. 🤷‍♀️

Bad luck, but it may still be ok

I don’t understand why you say that your employer at no point said you should not go on foreign holidays. It’s not your employers job to tell you where to go on holiday We all know the risks, don’t hide behind “oh well my employer never said I could not go to France”

That argument just baffles me

You are a grown up, making your own choices, assessing risks yourself

Well to travel abroad you need to gather in large groups for flights and hotels, swimming pools and bars.

Why?

I am abroad.

I haven't flown or been in an airport. I did go on a train - no one outside my household was within 2m of me and everyone wore a mask. Same as in internal trains abroad.

The hotels or aparthotels we are staying in are small and aren't big resorts. There's no buffet breakfast type things - the ones with breakfast so far are sit down and bring it to you, or being done as room service. So no crowds.

None have had pools.

We have been to restaurants and cafes - like we did at home. We use masks to enter and move around inside, but remove them when sat at the take. Our tables are 1-2m away from others as a minimum (France SD is 1m) but often it's easy to be much further away. All restaurant staff wear masks.

Attractions are really low crowds in our experience at present, so again social distancing is easy and indoors masks are worn. There is anti bac gel everywhere to be used - often foot pumps too to avoid touching them. Plus we carry our own.

And in England right now you can be in many of the same places and experience the same levels of crowds - and most people back home now we starting to go out to restaurants and cafes, attractions, shops etc. Very few, unless shielding, were still at home.

I'm clinically vulnerable and have felt no less Covid safe in France than I felt at home in England.

There’s re loads of employers who have requested you quarantine for two weeks on return from holiday. Mine and DH have had the same message - different sectors.

There are threads on here saying the same.

If the government won’t protect businesses then businesses have to protect themselves.

I wouldn’t go away now and enforce quarantine on the whole family. Nor would I accept visitors and quarantine with them (seaside town)

I also wouldn’t risk becoming ill abroad, not having the right insurance, possibly of full lockdown or flights cancelled to get back home.

People need to start thinking for themselves

@TheBouquets but that didn't answer my question to you; if I had made a decision to travel to an area where the infection rates are lower than the area I live and work in, and also the potential places I could go to in the UK, is that worse than going on holiday in the uk where infection rates are current higher? I'm not sure how I'm putting all my colleagues and patients at risk by spending time in an area with lower infection rates than the area I spend my day to day life in?

The UK has probably had the best weather I've ever seen this summer.

Well it was lovely in April/May. However it has rain pretty much constantly for the past few weeks, plus been cold and grey.

We left England where it was raining, grey, heavy clouds and about 13c a week ago and cane to 30c hot, sunny and dry.

I'm going to France on Tuesday. I am travelling by Eurotunnel, like the OP in a motorhome with full cooking/ shower and toilet facilities. France has much more open space than the UK and does not have the same alcohol culture that I've seen in the UK since the pubs are opened. I don't think it is safe to go back to pubs in the UK but I can foresee that it might be safe to eat outside in a cafe in France. It's about risk assessment. I haven't been stupid here and I won't be stupid there.

Obviously there is a risk that quarantine will apply on our return even if we have behaved appropriately and taken no risks. Those who are critical of the OP on here should look closer to home and the risks that people are taking here.

And yes, we could have motorhomed in the UK but Devon and Cornwall don't want us and nor do many tourist spots. They've made it clear. I was driving in Derbyshire last week and there were signs saying 'go home tourists'.

We could, of course, all just stay at home but this virus is going nowhere, it is about behaving responsibly wherever you are.

@Pikachubaby the reason I mention my employer not having any directives about going abroad is because some employers have stipulated that.

@stopitkenneth OP I wasn't suggesting that you said the measures were an overreaction, I was referring to PPs comparing infection rates here to Spain and commenting that some regions of Spain have very low cases.

Yes but you have to make decisions (and accept consequences) yourself

We have a flight booked to Spain in two weeks

It’s not going to happen

I would not dream of going anyway, and then telling my employer when I come back that I won’t be coming into work for two weeks, and that it’s their problem as they never told me not to go to Spain

@itsaratrap

No, it really isn’t. Guessing you haven’t visited Devon, Cornwall, Pembroke, Scottish Highlands, Herefordshire, Jurassic Coast, Peak District, could go on and on.

Yeah, I've been to all of those places. Grey, unpredictable weather does rather take the shine off UK holidays. And the lack of foreign voices - I want some difference on a holiday. Plus, it's often as cheap to go away.

Go and enjoy yourself and eat and drink in bars and restaurants in a safe way if they are open!

[quote SwedishEdith]@itsaratrap

No, it really isn’t. Guessing you haven’t visited Devon, Cornwall, Pembroke, Scottish Highlands, Herefordshire, Jurassic Coast, Peak District, could go on and on.

Yeah, I've been to all of those places. Grey, unpredictable weather does rather take the shine off UK holidays. And the lack of foreign voices - I want some difference on a holiday. Plus, it's often as cheap to go away.[/quote]
If your main reason for going abroad is to be around other people and experience different cultures and foods, your idea of a holiday is not conducive to the current global pandemic.
So you have to spend one year holidaying in the UK, so what? Really consider your privilege and how self entitled travelling abroad is right now.