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Original poster

How do you get home if you suspect COVID but you're away??

35 replies

FusionChefGeoff · 06/10/2020 21:12

Hypothetical situation for now (thank God!) but I'm hopefully attending a training course in London next week will be getting a train / bus to the venue for 4 days. Probably travelling up and back every day - maybe 1 overnight in the middle.

If I develop symptoms whilst I'm there, how do I safely get home?? I suppose I could ask DH to drive into London and pick me up but what would you do if you lived alone?? Can you morally take a taxi knowing you could infect the driver? Same for bus / trains?

But what's the alternative?? You have to find and pay for some kind of quarantine accommodation (presumably within walking distance of where you are otherwise all the above issues still apply!) until you get test results??

What would you do??

OP posts:
PrivateD00r · 06/10/2020 21:18

As soon as symptoms present, return home immediately. Try and avoid public transport if at all possible. Obviously wear a mask, socially distance as much as possible and observe excellent hand hygiene. Personally I won't travel anywhere now by public transport so I wouldn't be going if I wasn't driving myself.

Try to book a test as quickly as possible.

BBCONEANDTWO · 06/10/2020 21:18

If I lived alone there must be someone in my 'bubble' who could pick me up.

rainbowunicorn · 06/10/2020 21:51

of course you can't take a taxi or public transport with symptomsAngry

Lemons1571 · 06/10/2020 22:11

I think the guidance says you should phone the helpline and follow their advice. It used to anyway, if you developed symptoms while on holiday and it was time to check out of your holiday accommodation.

Augustbreeze · 06/10/2020 22:32

Really good question

neveradullmoment99 · 06/10/2020 22:35

@rainbowunicorn

of course you can't take a taxi or public transport with symptomsAngry
Why not? Just spread it to everyone. Did you not know the Government is going for herd immunity? Scientists are putting a petition together!!

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8810977/Coronavirus-Anti-lockdown-petition-calling-herd-immunity-reaches-30-000-signatures.html

The Goverment are marginalising getting covid now.
Why not have a party!!
:(

CoronaIsWatching · 06/10/2020 22:40

Just check into a hotel for 2 weeks, hang a sign outside saying do not disturb

Msmcc1212 · 06/10/2020 22:45

Good question.

Surprised training is in person and not virtual.

Christmasfairy2020 · 06/10/2020 22:47

Good question a face book page I'm on forTurkey keep mentioning they came home say on the sunday and had tested positive on the tuesday. Meaning they flew home with symptoms Angry

The mp who got on the train when she had a positive test

JKRowlingIsMyQueen · 06/10/2020 22:52

I would morally be okay with taking a public transport, because technically we can all be asymptomatic and spreading it every time we get on public transport anyway.

I don't see isolating in a hotel as a solution as you will still have to go out to get food, so potentially infect other people in the shop.

Rushjob · 06/10/2020 23:01

@rainbowunicorn

of course you can't take a taxi or public transport with symptomsAngry
Unless your from the SNP
RichardMarxisinnocent · 06/10/2020 23:03

@BBCONEANDTWO

If I lived alone there must be someone in my 'bubble' who could pick me up.
I live alone, my bubble is my DP and he doesn't have a car so wouldn't be able to pick me up, unless he hired a car, so depending on the time of day might have to wait wherever I was until the car hire places opened for him to pick a car up.
Notcontent · 07/10/2020 00:35

Yes, that is a very good question. If I had gone away by train (as I did over the summer) I would have no way of getting home other than by public transport as I don’t have a partner or family nearby.

DespairingHomeowner · 07/10/2020 01:06

The thing to do is find someone who knows your situation who will drive you home ... so that’s probably only family / partner who would be willing. Puts me off going anywhere tbh, and has prompted me to buy a car

DespairingHomeowner · 07/10/2020 01:08

@JKRowlingIsMyQueen

I would morally be okay with taking a public transport, because technically we can all be asymptomatic and spreading it every time we get on public transport anyway.

I don't see isolating in a hotel as a solution as you will still have to go out to get food, so potentially infect other people in the shop.

I don’t agree that it’s morally ok, but can see many have no alternative

Has made me write off public transport entirely

Itsabeautifuldayheyhey · 07/10/2020 08:11

@neveradullmoment99

Just spread it to everyone. Did you not know the Government is going for herd immunity? Scientists are putting a petition together!!

Eh? The link you posted is about scientists petitioning for the Govt to let this virus rip through society to achieve herd immunity.

There is nothing in the article that even remotely suggests that is the Govt view. In fact it states that it is not the view held by Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock. It doesn't mention other Govt members so goodness knows how you managed to totally mis-read this as the Govt's view.

The Goverment are marginalising getting covid now.
Why not have a party!!
You are being stupid now.

LimitIsUp · 07/10/2020 08:16

Hire car. You just return it to the nearest branch to your home.

Would require full disclosure to the hire car company (although I imagine they deep clean all cars between uses at the moment)

leafeater · 07/10/2020 08:18

I think you have to stay put or get home without using public transport.

Flagsfiend · 07/10/2020 08:19

I'm fairly sure the guidance was if you develop symptoms return home immediately, try to avoid public transport but if you can't then take the most direct route with as many precautions as possible. Once home stay there and get tested. This is different to the Scottish MP who left home with symptoms after testing and then took public transport whilst knowing she was positive.

orangejuicer · 07/10/2020 08:28

I love the suggestions that OP should get home without public transport... in London?

If being collected is not an option then I think you should try to get home in the quickest way possible with as little contact as possible.

helpfulperson · 07/10/2020 08:33

The official advice is what flagsfiend has said. No other practical option.

Spandang · 07/10/2020 08:34

Hotels have recommendations for this developed by the HBAA. So if you are taken ill in the meeting room it’s likely the hotel will have an isolation room where you will be taken to.

If you are taken ill in your hotel room, you need to stay there. If you test positive for COVID-19 you can return home but only by private transport if it is safe for you to do so.

Hotels are encouraged not to operate at full revenue right now because they may need to quarantine rooms.

Honestly, there’s a lot of hoops everyone has to jump through to ensure a meeting can be hosted safely. If you have concerns you should speak to the trainer and the hotel, who should be able to furnish you with I formation on what they are doing to keep you safe.

raviolidreaming · 07/10/2020 08:36

Margaret Ferrier, is that you?

ReeseWitherfork · 07/10/2020 08:40

I would morally be okay with taking a public transport, because technically we can all be asymptomatic and spreading it every time we get on public transport anyway.

This is awful. Doing some accidentally and doing something knowingly are two different things.

I think you phone someone you know and ask for a lift. And if there is no one you can phone, don’t put yourself in the situation in the first place.

EdithWeston · 07/10/2020 08:42

I think you should ask the training provider/your company what they recommend.

Ok they might refuse point blank to help you, but if you point out your concerns, and that you are only making this journey at their behest , you might get them to actually stop and think about the (potential) consequences of holding training in this way at this time.

Ideally you'd find someone to drive you (who shares your exposure profile and doesn't mind). It's a bad idea generally to drive when you feel unwell (Covid or not).

If you're completely stranded, a single journey on public transport with maximum precautions is your only option (straight back, no stop offs)

We need to recognise that public transport is definitely a place where transmission happens. Which is shit for the vulnerable, and anyone who really can't afford to be ill.