£1000 fine for not self isolating. Yeah, right.

[Sarahlou63]

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/19/10000-fines-warning-for-failing-to-self-isolate-as-covid-infections-soar

So, if you have symptoms but feel you can't self-isolate (or there's someone in your house who can't) all you need to do to avoid the fine is not get tested.

I developed a dry cough last week and the situation felt a bit Schrödinger’s cat esque. Getting a test meant admitting I thought it could be Covid and having to self isolate. Not getting a test meant I could carry on as normal. Luckily I work from home (and have a conscience!) so decided to get tested. Spent two days trying, finally ordered a home test, it arrived 8pm the next day (day 3), sent it off day 4, received in lab day 5, currently day 6 and I’m none the fucking wiser. That’s potentially 6 days missed off of work and I probably don’t even have it!

Are you suggesting the taxpayer should fork out to pay school fees and car payments? This is taking the piss now.

It’s batshit crazy of course. But if you can’t earn for two weeks and can’t make a car payment or pay school fees, the car company and school aren’t going to let it slide. Arrears is a scary position to be in for most.

I despair or the government handling this. The sole purpose seems to be to get people to distrust each other. More division.

I developed a dry cough last week and the situation felt a bit Schrödinger’s cat esque. Getting a test meant admitting I thought it could be Covid and having to self isolate. Not getting a test meant I could carry on as normal

No it didn't. You're supposed to isolate if you have symptoms!

What is wrong with people that they can't follow simple instructions?

@MLMsuperfan the smoking was a long time in the making and took months to become embedded. That’s not an option in this current situation.

What is wrong with people that they can't follow simple instructions?

There’s nothing wrong with me. I’ve never had to analyse a cough before and making a deliberate attempt to do so had pretty grave consequences. I’m the type of person that has to lose a limb before I acknowledge being ill and therefore it’s pretty easy and natural for me to ignore a cough. Don’t think I’m alone there!

@Lilybet1980

Only slight risk is around schools - if a child has been sent home, it's likely other parents will find that out, and if they then see you out and about, they may report you.

I understand this has happened at a school near me. The head found out and has gone ballistic.

Ballistic because someone reported, or ballistic because the family didn't self isolate?

@ReeseWitherfork

What is wrong with people that they can't follow simple instructions?

There’s nothing wrong with me. I’ve never had to analyse a cough before and making a deliberate attempt to do so had pretty grave consequences. I’m the type of person that has to lose a limb before I acknowledge being ill and therefore it’s pretty easy and natural for me to ignore a cough. Don’t think I’m alone there!

But you don't need to analyse it surely? You have a cough, it's a potential symptom so you self isolate.

So it includes people who randomly get a phone call saying someone who's tested positive says they were in close contact so need to isolate for 2 weeks? What's to stop this being done maliciously?

(I haven't had a positive test so I don't know if people need proof of being in close contact when they contact you.}

gurglebelly it's not just anyone who's coughed a couple of times

@Dadnotamum72

It's easy to say people might take it seriously but if your on minimal income and no sick pay and you have to weigh up doing the right thing and losing roughly £700 in wages when your on the breadline it's not as easyvas it sounds.

Now they may give £500 to those at the lower end of the scale but that just makes things even harder for those just above that level not on benefits that work their socks of to just get by.

Yeah the squeezed middle will be left out. Where I work, average weekly wage is £500 ssp only if sick. So that'll be £500 down on a 2 week isolation which if x 2 adults is a grand and worth risking the fine for!

@BessMarvin

gurglebelly it's not just anyone who's coughed a couple of times

I know, the guidance is really quite clear

But you don't need to analyse it surely? You have a cough, it's a potential symptom so you self isolate.

Come back when you have a cough.

@gurglebelly and you think people will
Comply with a 2nd lockdown?

How can you expect the rule breakers not to break further rules? Oh I know ... give them more rules.

people may be able to afford to self isolate once maybe twice but if its becoming a regular occurance then its easy to see why some wontcant self isolate.
Will they keep paying out £500 every time a parent needs to take time off to look after a child isolating because the class has been sent home again and again I dont think so.
For many its not so simple just to say self isolate for 14 days for some the consequences of isolating is worse than catching covid. Yes there's a moral duty to isolate but morals don't pay the bills unfortunately.

This is sure going to dampen demand for Covid tests!

@ChardonnaysPetDragon

Should have done it ages ago. No One is self isolating on arrival.

I want to see fines for not wearing a mask on public transport as well.

That's the masks that exempted people don't have to wear, and there is no way of telling whether they are exempt or not?

Oh yes there is.

All the pillocks wearing them on their chin on in their hands are just pillocks, nor exempt. If they were exempt they would have a mask at all.
Why are you trying to find excuses for people who simply can’t be arsed?

I won’t get a test unless i’m ill now, 1) you can’t get one 2) you’re better off not knowing and the nhs/government not knowing.

Track and trace don’t even tell you who the person is who you’ve been in contact with, how do you know it’s correct? I’m staying well away from people as much as I can. As with school children you don’t have to self isolate unless you feel unwell as it’s only the person who has been in direct contact. Daughter can self isolate at home, I will carry on going to work but will keep well away from people at least 4 metres.

Many people on full time lower wages (min wage up to a few grand above) have little in the way of savings and live primarily paycheck to paycheck. The £500 only applies if you are eligible to claim one of the listed benefits, so the rest of us have to take a huge financial hit, thanks!

A cough is not necessarily a symptom, it needs to be new and continuous. They provide guidance as to what counts as continuous but I think it's open to interpretation.

There was a guy in Boltin. Came back from holiday, should have isolated but nah, went out on a pub crawl instead. Two days later he's symptomatic and tests positives. So many infections traced back to the pubs he was in that night. Personally I'd be quite ok with him being fined 10k for wanton stupidity.

@Alex50

I won’t get a test unless i’m ill now, 1) you can’t get one 2) you’re better off not knowing and the nhs/government not knowing.

Track and trace don’t even tell you who the person is who you’ve been in contact with, how do you know it’s correct? I’m staying well away from people as much as I can. As with school children you don’t have to self isolate unless you feel unwell as it’s only the person who has been in direct contact. Daughter can self isolate at home, I will carry on going to work but will keep well away from people at least 4 metres.

But you are in any case only meant to get a test if you are ill anyway, so not sure what you are saying here

@ReeseWitherfork

What is wrong with people that they can't follow simple instructions?

There’s nothing wrong with me. I’ve never had to analyse a cough before and making a deliberate attempt to do so had pretty grave consequences. I’m the type of person that has to lose a limb before I acknowledge being ill and therefore it’s pretty easy and natural for me to ignore a cough. Don’t think I’m alone there!

Why do you need to "analyse" a cough?

It's one of the symptoms, so speak to the phone service, arrange a test, then you'll know. No analysis required at all.

And while it's obviously admirable that you go to work when you're ill, passing your germs to everyone, these are not normal times, are they? So follow the guidance, since you clearly know your own skills on determining your health are not great.

www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/coronavirus-live-updates-covid-tests-18965397

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is reportedly considering a benefits freeze to tackle the rising cost of the Covid pandemic.

He is also said to be looking to block any rise in wages for public sector workers after spending billions on trying to save the economy.

Meanwhile, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has admitted the country is at 'tipping point' as coronavirus cases rocket.

They will sending us to prison at this rate
Eg non payment of fines.