Is anybody else actively avoiding being tracked and traced?

[Asterion]

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?

@damnthatanxiety

Good. I'm glad you are staying away. I don't want people like you in society.

Why wouldn't you want them in society? I don't understand

@LeanishMachine I’ve wondered how t&t deal with it. If t&t contact you, do you have a right of reply?

If they call and say you’ve been in a pub at the same time as someone who has tested positive, and you say I was on my own and did not get within 2m of anyone at any time, what then? Do they say ok no need to isolate? Or do they overrule you and say tough you’re not going out for 2 weeks and it’s illegal if you do?

And then last week I read that the police have been instructed not to download the app. Presumably because doing so would result in too many police isolating and not enough left to work.

A teacher friend said they’d been told the same this week. Presumably too many staff members being instructed to isolate because they were in the vicinity of someone who later tested positive (despite spending their entire day unmasked in the closer vicinity of 30 potentially asymptomatic children )

I haven’t downloaded the app, phone is too old and I was going to buy a new one but won’t because I don’t want the app.
I only go to one place where I have to leave my details and it’s an outside place. I’m avoiding most places and most people.

I’ve got the app but half the places I scanned kept saying they were somewhere else entirely. I scanned in at a Costa in my hometown in Devon and it was adamant I was in Norfolk - I pointed it out to a member of staff and they just laughed and said it kept thinking it was a branch in a variety of different towns. Then when I scanned in at the swimming pool it just couldn’t recognise it - again staff said it was happening to loads of people. So I just though ‘fuck it’. Unless it works accurately and absolutely everyone is scanning in and giving their actual information it’s all entirely pointless.

[quote Lemons1571]@LeanishMachine I’ve wondered how t&t deal with it. If t&t contact you, do you have a right of reply?

If they call and say you’ve been in a pub at the same time as someone who has tested positive, and you say I was on my own and did not get within 2m of anyone at any time, what then? Do they say ok no need to isolate? Or do they overrule you and say tough you’re not going out for 2 weeks and it’s illegal if you do?[/quote]
As I understand it, no you have no right of reply. If they tell you to isolate you have to isolate or risk a fine.

@WorkingItOutAsIGo

No I am not avoiding it because I understand that we all have to work together to manage this thing. So I happily leave my details.

How is you choosing to go to places where track and trace or details are required working together to manage covid, in a way that not going at all isn't? If that's your concern, OP is taking less of a risk than you are!

I deleted the app, I don’t go anywhere where I would have to check in anyway, it isn’t worth the bother now going into a cafe if we go out, I would rather just take a flask.

@BigBadVoodooHat

And then last week I read that the police have been instructed not to download the app. Presumably because doing so would result in too many police isolating and not enough left to work.

A teacher friend said they’d been told the same this week. Presumably too many staff members being instructed to isolate because they were in the vicinity of someone who later tested positive (despite spending their entire day unmasked in the closer vicinity of 30 potentially asymptomatic children )

The DfE has asked teachers to use it, our school has encouraged staff to download it but schools are not required to have a QR code or ask visitors to check in.

I heard of a school where staff had been asked not to use it, but I think that was either a rogue head or a misunderstanding/incorrect reporting.

I heard of a school where staff had been asked not to use it, but I think that was either a rogue head or a misunderstanding/incorrect reporting.

I did wonder if this was general guidance, or just their school in particular.

Don't have the app - I rarely leave the house, venture no further than grabbing a Costa takeaway and quick whizz around Tesco. Only place I have to leave details is my hairdresser - and then, to use their words, "we have pens!" Oh yeah and the pavement outside school - that's my life.

There's nowhere worth going with all the crazy rules and mask exemption hatred anyway.

@Allmyarseandpeggymartin

Surely if you never go anywhere that requires track and trace it’s a bit of a non issue?

It's not a big issue for me, I was asking if other people are also avoiding T&T.

Not avoiding as such. I just don’t go anywhere anymore
We don’t have to download the app either
Apparently the ppe we wear is enough
Even though I work literally 6 inches from other people mouths if any patients test positive it’s all normal work for me - unless I’m ill myself presumably And in that case I’ve no idea what would happen with the t+t and how they’d trace all our patients tho
(We aren’t allowed to divulge personal contact info to anyone outside the practice without the patients explicit permission - gdpr)

What really annoys me is that it’s acceptable for me to take that risk 6 hours a day mon-fri. But a socially distanced masked chat and cuppa after church is far too dangerous and is banned

I don’t mind at places like the hairdressers as I am going for a reason and they have my details anyway and if I got traced it would be just unfortunate but a cup of coffee or meal, not worth the bother.

I have not downloaded and app and definitely will not be!!! Banish me from society!!!!

I am but only because I am due to go on holiday next week.
Once I get back I don’t mind, I can WFH and so can DH and the DC school Have set up a full online timetable for anyone who has to isolate

@HappilyHoppily

Depends on whether you’re taking about avoiding exposure (fine, and kind of the whole idea) or not caring about exposure but avoiding being identified (very not fine).

Oh I'm a rule follower, hence my not wanting to have to give my details!

I'm wondering what happens if you've already had Covid. My understanding is that you would still have to isolate if you were tracked and traced.

I was in a clinical workplace recently where a positive case was identified, a work client of mine. All my details were given upon visiting the site but at no point afterwards was I contacted by T and T nor was the suspected source of the outbreak contactd and tested (an Agency Nurse/HCA)

I now only leave details for work visits but I question how effective the T and T process is...

Unless I've totally misunderstood you don't automatically have to isolate simply because you were in the same venue as a positive case unless you're a close contact

Isn't that how it works?
I think you are correct but a lot of people seem to be confusing the check in part of the app with the contact tracing part. The contact tracing is the part which uses Bluetooth to determine if you have been in close contact with other app users, and if one of these users later tests positive you'll get an alert with advice on what to do, such as self isolate. Contact tracing can be switched off for situations such as when you are leaving it in a locker.

With the check-in, if it is later discovered that others at the same venue at the same time as you have tested positive, you may get an alert with public health advice on what to do. Crucially, in the faqs about the app it says:

"This alert will not usually be triggered by just one person who tested positive, and it will not usually tell you to self-isolate, just to be aware and to get a test if you develop symptoms. The decision about whether to send an alert will be taken by local health protection teams in line with wider NHS Test and Trace or NHS Wales Test, Trace, Protect policy, it is not an automated decision."

So all those people who are complaining about the prospect of being told to self isolate because Bob, who was 10 metres away from them at the other side of the restaurant, has tested positive, can stop worrying.

I bet @damnthatanxiety just read the thread title, over reacted and didn't even read/comprehend what OP actually said in her post. Calm down dear 😂😂😂

if I'm asked to fill a form in I give fake details
Wow.

I haven’t downloaded the app. I will check in to places using the QR code. I wouldn’t ever leave fake details. Seems a really childish thing to do. If you don’t want to leave your details then don’t drink in/stay etc.

So all those people who are complaining about the prospect of being told to self isolate because Bob, who was 10 metres away from them at the other side of the restaurant, has tested positive, can stop worrying.

Well that depends on whether you trust the system to work perfectly, with no technological or human error. I don't, personally!

Also it says it "will not usually be triggered by just one person who tested positive"

Work have told us we are not to use the app. It makes little difference TBH because there is no signal at work and no signal in my home village either so the chances of me hearing anything from them are unlikely.

I haven’t downloaded the app, but since it has been out haven’t been anywhere where I have needed to ‘check in’. Will happily leave my details if needed.