Grandmother, pubs and track & trace

[middleager]

Now the DC are back at school (key GCSE years) we've made a decision to avoid restaurants, pubs etc. in case the track and trace system means we have to quarantine and the children miss school. Of course there could be outbreaks in school, but I want to know we did what we could to minimise risk. I was back in the office (education) briefly, but now DH and I are wfh.

My mother is 74 and spends a lot of time in pubs and clubs (think Patsy from Ab Fab!). We both live in an area on a national watch list with 34 in 100,000.

Her lifestyle very much revolves around meeting younger friends in Wetherspoons and boozing. She's not changing this due to CV and this is her choice, of course.

The current opinion on here seems to be that you meet grandparents outside or not at all. As you can see, my mother is not perhaps the 'typical' grandparent many posts refer to so she is already out and about on buses, pubs (a blind date in a city hotel from Tinder!) shops etc. Therefore, I'm not too worried about seeing her for her sake as she is an adult who can make her own decisions and she is relaxed about the virus.

I do worry about her as she is newly single and putting herself in some risky situations, but going to bars and clubs with a group is what she enjoys.

However, should I be worried about any risk of track and trace from the pubs, meaning that we might have to quarantine and the children miss school?

I don't know how to risk assess this as this is not the standard grandparent and children story!

Probably more risk from the school itself than from granny.

If you get contacted by track and trace only the person who had contact with the positive person (so the person who went to the pub) needs to isolate and not the whole family. The only time the children would have to miss school is if they were in the pub or someone they come into contact with tests positive.

@SteveArnottsbeadyeyes

Probably more risk from the school itself than from granny.

Oh absolutely!

@NerrSnerr

If you get contacted by track and trace only the person who had contact with the positive person (so the person who went to the pub) needs to isolate and not the whole family. The only time the children would have to miss school is if they were in the pub or someone they come into contact with tests positive.

Thanks. This is really helpful.

Nothing helpful to add in terms of coronavirus (we've been staying in as well so I don't know the rules re bars and restaurants) but I just wanted to say your mum sounds amazing fun!

@AWaspOnAWindowReturns

Nothing helpful to add in terms of coronavirus (we've been staying in as well so I don't know the rules re bars and restaurants) but I just wanted to say your mum sounds amazing fun!

Thanks.

She really is! In 'normal' circumstances I might have joined her!

Best to grow old disgracefully, that's our plan, although might draw the line at Tinder but who knows!

I would, as you are curving your social activities to reduce track and trace for household, I assume so your children don't miss any school unnecessarily, that if you see AbFAb granny you have social distancing with her for the time being and just tell her the truth, you could say, love ya totally understand and respect your social choices, because this is a viral year for our kids can you understand and respect our choices, with emphasis on it's not personal it's just what we have to do this school year.

Vital year not viral, although it's that as well I guess