Would you be willing to be put under house arrest in order to save lives?

[Treesofwood]

Just that really. Would you be willing to go to prison to save lives? Would you be willing to give up your children's right to an education to save lives? This whole situation brings up many philosophical questions for me, and my theoretical response is not actually the sane as my response when faced with the reality.

[RaspberryRuff]

That’s a bit shit isn’t it, I hate masks but I still wear one. The current restrictions are hardly comparable to lockdown

[chickenyhead]

We don't go out much, or very far.

I want healthy people to be free, get on with it. But I would also like some safety for my kids.

Never mind eh.

[RaspberryRuff]

Yeah it’s shit eh. Taking a risk for me is OK as the odds are still v much that I will be fine but it’s different taking those decisions for your kids.

Anyway going to try and get to sleep again. All the best @chickenyhead

[SheepandCow]

Yes I'd be happy (or at least accepting) of any need to temporarily stay in. I wouldn't want anyone's death or long-term heart, lung, or brain damage on my conscience.
I'm also aware that, unlike my disabled relative who has mobility issues, it wouldn't be permanent. So many people in the UK live in far worse conditions than a decent hotel.

Quarantine hotels? I'd quite enjoy a stay in one. Especially if it's anything like Australia. A family member was on a cross state border work trip when their international and inter-state borders closed. When they returned to their state, they stayed in a very nice hotel. I think it was 4 or 5 star. They live in South Australia where life is pretty normal now. Thanks to the measures taken.

Incidentally children in very rural parts of Australia have successfully home schooled for decades. It's much easier now with the internet but they were doing it many years before online connectivity.

[katy1213]

We're all expendable. But life can't grind to a halt because some are more vulnerable than others. Those who wish to continue social distancing are free to do so; the same with home-schooling. But you can't stop the world for those who are willing to take their chances.

[notangelinajolie]

Well I wouldn't call house arrest prison. I am assuming you mean being totally isolated for a period of time to wipe out covid ?
If so then my answer would be hell yes. It seems like a good deal to me.

[remainin]

Yes, I would.

[Purpleartichoke]

I would happily stay home for the next year as long as I could get certain things I consider essential delivered, not a standard issue delivery of essentials (this is because I have tons of allergies, I could probably accept standard issue otherwise). I would balk at staying in a hotel for a year because of allergies as well, I can’t do my laundry in a machine that has been contaminated, but in my own home I am safe.


We live on an amazing age where we can stay connected, learn, and be entertained electronically. I’m also lucky enough to be able to wfh and even more lucky that I have a husband and child living with me. So just staying home really isn’t that isolating or boring or really an unreasonable request in any way.

[QueenCT]

I guess I'm already doing house arrest in a way. Shielding since March. I've been out to a drive through, and once in the evening to the beach when there was nobody there. Oh and blood clinic for shielding people a few times
That's pretty much it

[tobee]

Pretty depressing that the fit and healthy have this attitude to the shielding and vulnerable: "just suck it up!" Shielded people have had far less freedom than anyone else in U.K. since lockdown. Imagine non shielding people got be locked down like shielding households have been doing! There'd be absolute outrage and rioting! Do people realise that vulnerable people didn't choose to be vulnerable? Didn't commit a crime? But "fuck 'em!" says they rest of the population.

My friend is due back from France soon and will have to quarantine with 2 teenagers. I'll be amazed if they manage 14 days!

It makes me so angry!

[Hearhoovesthinkzebras]

Those of us who were shielding were nigh on under house arrest and let's not kud ourselves, the reason we had to do it was to keep hospital beds free for everyone else. So would I do that again? Yes, and I'm pretty sure it will be reinstated at some point.

[CountessFrog]

Didn’t you start a thread like this yesterday? Or recently anyway?

[AldiAisleofCrap]

@chickenyhead you are confusing school with education. Education is compulsory, school is not.

[Dinosauratemydaffodils]

No. I need to spend as much time as possible outside for my own sanity. Lockdown nearly killed me. I'd prefer euthanasia to a repeat.

I would struggle with a hotel/prison even more as due to the circumstances that led to my ptsd, I struggle to sleep in new environments and need a strict list of things to feel "safe". The bed must be away from the door, can't be ground floor, there must be a light on, more than one lock etc. I only manage to travel with dh and even then it's extremely hard.

[Uhoh2020]

would you be willing to go under house arrest to save lives?

Didn't we just do similar that back in March April and May? No idea what going to prison has to do with anything. And children did give up their Education to a degree to save lives. Have I missed something?

[dangerrabbit]

Sure, as long as during the house arrest I could follow my instincts and drive to Durham whenever I liked.

[PhilCornwall1]

We pretty much complied with the lockdown, I didn't comply with the shielding as it was unworkable. I will do no more as far as restrictions are concerned.

Yes, the MN virtue signallers will say that's selfish, may even be a murderer (so dramatic!!). If people want to stay locked in their houses or the vulnerable still want to shield, that's up to them. There shouldn't be an expectation that everyone else should do that too.

[askmehowiknow]

@dangerrabbit

Sure, as long as during the house arrest I could follow my instincts and drive to Durham whenever I liked.

[AnnaMariaDreams]

I thought I had- in April/ May/ June.
DS8 was very unhappy by the end, no way I am doing that to him again. I want him to have a happy childhood.
We’re under local restrictions at the moment and struggling to comply with those tbh. Why no gardens? Why do children in England have to social distance (they don’t) but not in Scotland?
I’m done with it tbh.

[Uhoh2020]

Just to add im not sure where the "willing " part comes into it as we didn't get a choice about lockdown or schools closing.
Would I volunteer to do those things again ? Hell no! Would I comply if those things were forced upon us again ? Of course I would have to theres no choice involved

[morosetinkler]

@Treesofwood

Morosetinkler is it the actual prison you would not be willing to go, or the lack of freedom. Would you go to a locked up hotel for instance?
Aesop, what about a years worth of education? Would you think that was worth it? For a disease with a mortality rate of 0.1% for example

I'd accept house arrest reluctantly if it was my house but nothing else.

[morosetinkler]

@BananaPop2020

I am with Comtesse. People need to start taking responsibility for themselves. This situation cannot endure much longer.

Are you Edwina Curry ?

[Holyrivolli]

Nope. Not doing that again. We complied last time but will not do that again for a virus which for the vast majority is not serious.

If some people are particularly vulnerable (although even in the over 80s, more people recover than die from it) then we as a society need to find ways to keep them safe without shutting everything down and causing economic turmoil.

[midgebabe]

Circumstances depend

If it was the only way to save lives and was time constrained , yes

If it was because other people couldn't be arsed to distance or pay extra taxes or whatever, then no

[Sleepyblueocean]

Ds would find a long period of staying inside incredibly distressing due to his profound autism and learning difficulties . I am talking severe self injurious behaviour and violent behaviour towards others that would make the situation unsafe. We were advised to shield him but didn't because he would have become unmanageable and probably unable to remain living with us. We are dreading any 14 day self isolations. So long term house arrest in its fullest sense we simply wouldn't be able to comply. If day schools were shut for a year we would probably push for residential school because this would have to be provided due to his needs.