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Original poster

Is anybody else actively avoiding being tracked and traced?

322 replies

Asterion · 09/10/2020 19:54

I am actively avoiding anywhere that tracks and traces. Aside from having DC at school, which obvs I have no control over, we don't go anywhere (pub, restaurant etc) where they would need to take our details.

Reason being, I don't want to be at the mercy of someone who may have rocked up to that place and is now infected. It's more to do with the absolute balls-ache of having to self-isolate than a desperate fear of Covid, although you can never tell how you would get it.

Anyone else avoiding T&T?

OP posts:
BigBadVoodooHat · 10/10/2020 07:07

@DumpedOnFromGreatHeight

We don't stand a chance with this virus with these attitudes.
Which ‘attitudes’ are these? Confused

The ‘attitude’ of avoiding places where there are other people? Hmm

Sleepyblueocean · 10/10/2020 07:12

We go to only one cafe where we sit outside at one particular table that is at least 4m from the others. I switch my track and trace on for that but the reality is it won't be needed. I keep it off the rest of the time because I don't want to be traced for being in the same car park or someone standing outside my house and our only other contacts are through ds school where we would be told anyway.

middleager · 10/10/2020 07:18

OP, I could have written your post.

I'm so worried that my y10s will be pulled out of school again.

Therefore, we only go the bare minimum of places.

I see friends out in restarants and places with their kids on FB and really miss going out, but it's not worth the risk of having to SI.

Like you, OP, not due to the risk of the virus, but the pain of a whole family having to SI.

We can't afford to miss school during these key GCSE years and while we have no control over what happens in school (inner city, high risk area, multiple cases in schools) we can limit our other activities, even if it is a miserable half life - we'rein a restricted area too so can't visit or have people round.
The park is it!

Jocasta2018 · 10/10/2020 07:33

I use the App to check in somewhere but I've disabled contact tracing... Seems a good balance!

OrangeSamphire · 10/10/2020 07:39

Thanks @ivykaty44. That is a little reassuring! I read through the algorithm risk calculation bit and that made sense.

I’m still concerned about this wording:

The NHS will then send alerts to other app users who have spent time near them, or been in ‘close contact', over the last few days.

Because ‘time near them’ sounds vague in terms of both time and distance.

I’m not sure I can trust the app yet not to incorrectly tell me to self isolate, but I will give it some thought and consider re installing it maybe.

ivykaty44 · 10/10/2020 07:54

Orange

As far as I understand- so don’t quote

They’ll send you a message not to self isolate, but to warn you
Then if you get symptoms you’re more likely to take it seriously and get a test etc

ivykaty44 · 10/10/2020 07:56

But with so many people refusing to give details or have the app, it’s limited

That’s not a dig about people having the right to refuse, it’s just fact that’ll limite the effect

Lemons1571 · 10/10/2020 07:57

@NRatched

I can’t get my head around the “can’t do right for doing wrong” element of it. You get fined if you don’t take your child to school and you also get fined if you break isolation to take them (if you are a contact but your child isn’t). I just can’t get into all that, it’s too much.

Friend got around this by saying both her and her child were a contact. A lie. BUT, there have been many cases round here where parents have been threatened with fines for not taking kids to school, when the only way to get kids to school is to break the isolation rules themselves and risk a bigger fine! (and spreading potentially too)

A circumstance where there is no choice but to break the law. And how you break it is determined by the size of each fine. Can’t do right for doing wrong, so might as well choose the option with the smallest fine.
MsKeats · 10/10/2020 08:06

Yes. I work and am in contact with hundreds of people and then they are in contact with hundreds of people. I wear PPE I’m careful but track and trace wouldn’t work for me. All the people I’m in touch with on daily basis (over 500) I would know if one tested positive but it seems pointless to monitor them and there contacts. A friend at work in a similar role did and received at one point over 100 messages when we knew well before that x’s mother (who were weren’t in contact with) had tested positive so then x was isolating at home despite no symptoms.

How would it even work for a teacher for example - they walk down a corridor with a 1000 kids (secondary) each of those with a phone coming into contact with others on the bus etc ???can a teacher even use it??? I guess so. But in two local schools here a year 8 tested positive and they didn’t even send the year group home. Those kid’s mobile phone Will be beeping constantly. My DC haven’t got it. The app. It worries me though.

NC4NW123 · 10/10/2020 08:06

I am not downloading an APP owned by a private company, with many many glitches and giving them my personal details. No way. Like you I am avoiding places but if I absolutely have to I’d write it down. No app will trace me thank you.

Suzi888 · 10/10/2020 08:12

No. I have a child in school so I don’t see the point in avoiding pubs or gyms etc. I’m pretty sure the Government has other ways to track me if they really, really want toConfused.
I think more people have it or have had it than they’ll ever know, Government figures are a nonsense and that life needs to resume as normal now. When this first started you’d heard people dying daily, all I hear now is infections are rising, there don’t seem to be any reported deaths (not that I want there to be).

CrappleUmble · 10/10/2020 08:23

@Calledyoulastnightfromglasgow

I am lucky - I work from home.

I’m sick to the back teeth of the middle classes sneering at “selfish” people continuing to work or having to avoid a track and trace. They clearly have no idea of the poverty some people could be in. It’s disgusting behaviour and I have seen it in my well off smug friends waving their rainbows.

Me too. A lot of people have no idea what absolute arseholes they sound.
PhilCornwall1 · 10/10/2020 08:30

@NC4NW123

I am not downloading an APP owned by a private company, with many many glitches and giving them my personal details. No way. Like you I am avoiding places but if I absolutely have to I’d write it down. No app will trace me thank you.
It's not owned by a private company, NHSx wrote it and the app doesn't send any personal data about you.
MadameBlobby · 10/10/2020 08:31

I am not really going out but I would give my details somewhere if needed, not downloaded the app though.

NC4NW123 · 10/10/2020 08:32

@PhilCornwall1 it’s owned by serco. I wouldn’t trust that tbh. Also it could be hacked

PhilCornwall1 · 10/10/2020 08:33

[quote NC4NW123]@PhilCornwall1 it’s owned by serco. I wouldn’t trust that tbh. Also it could be hacked[/quote]
Have you had a good read of the source code for the application?

Ginfordinner · 10/10/2020 08:42

I feel the some posters are missing the point.

Not going anywhere where you need to give out details - fine.

Going to places and then giving incorrect information, or being a typical mumsnetter by not answering the phone - not fine.

I agree that it all feels Big Brotherish, but I want all of this to be over, and don't want to be confined to my home 24/7.

TillyFloss10 · 10/10/2020 08:44

Just though I would mention that the alerts that come through on the app are not legally enforceable. So it is only if test and trace actually call you and tell you to isolate that you have to.
This is because the app uses bluetooth to connect to other peoples phones who also have the app. But this connection can be made through walls or perspex screens meaning that you are not actually in any danger of being exposed to an infected person. Also if people do not turn off the bluetooth and leave their phone in a locker for example then an infected person could be near their phone in the locker but not near them.

LeanishMachine · 10/10/2020 08:47

@Ginfordinner

I feel the some posters are missing the point.

Not going anywhere where you need to give out details - fine.

Going to places and then giving incorrect information, or being a typical mumsnetter by not answering the phone - not fine.

I agree that it all feels Big Brotherish, but I want all of this to be over, and don't want to be confined to my home 24/7.

I am confused and always have been by peope who think following the rules gets this thing over quicker. I absolutely agree that we all have a duty to protect each other by reducing the spread as much as possible but that won't make it go away. Test and Trace, or the NHS App may reduce the number of cases but how does it make it end sooner?
lovelemoncurd · 10/10/2020 08:47

No I downloaded the app and still living my life. I figure I've had the virus but if the app tells me to isolate I work from home anyway so that's fine.

MummyPop00 · 10/10/2020 08:50

I’m avoiding places like other people.

It rankles really, as I’ve already had the virus & paid for a positive antibody test but still I would need to isolate.

F**k that.

Thesearmsofmine · 10/10/2020 08:53

We’re avoiding it as much as possible. DH goes to work and the dc go to their sports clubs but that is about it. We simply cannot afford for DH to potentially have to self isolate several times over the next few months so are limiting what we do.

Original poster
Asterion · 10/10/2020 08:54

[quote AldiAisleofCrap]**@Asterion* No, I am not saying what you think I am saying.

I am avoiding places that take details, so that I don't have to give my details. No need for pitchforks!*

So when you said you “ realised the implications” ( of giving your details) what did you mean exactly? Because as far as I am aware the only implications of giving your details are being told to self isolate because you have been in contact with someone who is covid positive.[/quote]
Yes, those are indeed the implications.

OP posts:
MissPoldark · 10/10/2020 08:58

It rankles really, as I’ve already had the virus & paid for a positive antibody test but still I would need to isolate

It’s irrelevant that you’ve already had it, because if you’re exposed to it again you can still potentially carry and transmit the virus.

www.newscientist.com/article/2244096-coronavirus-and-covid-19-your-questions-answered/