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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:
Wishfulthinking1977 · 09/10/2020 22:54

Biggest reason for me for not downloading the app came for me today! A close friend whose dh hasnt left the house since March with highly vulnerable kids, downloaded the app took their dogs for a walk passed one person In a deserted field more than 6ft away and that is the only place he has been!! Alerted and now the whole family including a nhs worker are in isolation!

Original poster
Asterion · 09/10/2020 22:55

@Wherehavetheteletubbiesgone

This is typical of the british mentality of looking to not do what's best for society and looking after oneself. Unfortunately the government will get the blame when it is really its rebellious citizens spreading covid and not participating in track and trace. Look how well asian countries have delt with covid with their very compliant populations who all seem to be able to wear a mask fine without countless medical "exemptions" and they are highly tracked. They will beat covid whilst we are still arguing about our right to sabotage the governments ability to control the virus.
Compliant Asians, is it? Hmm

Also, have you actually read my post, or are you replying to somebody else's post(s)?

OP posts:
BrightYellowDaffodil · 09/10/2020 22:56

I'm avoiding anywhere where I'm at risk of being tracked and traced. I've self isolated once and I'm sure as fuck not doing it again - the impact on my mental health was horrendous (covid or not, there's a reason why solitary confinement is a punishment) and I'm not going to risk it again.

So, I'm not "cheating the system" by giving fake details or sidling into pubs without checking in, I'm just avoiding any situations where T&T would be applicable. It's crap and quite lonely at times but at least I can still go out when I want, which I wouldn't be able to do if I was told to self-isolate.

I also don't have the app - I live in a flat surrounded by other flats and Bluetooth doesn't recognise walls. I could be told to isolate because I've left my phone near a wall when a neighbour - who later tests positive - has done the same. Fuck that.

The mental health aspect of Covid and the rules the government has imposed has been completely thrown under a bus.

tsmainsqueeze · 09/10/2020 22:57

Dementedma has summed up how i feel .
I will not be downloading app for same reasons .
I am going to work and 1 food shop and that's about it ,i have zero faith in the goverment , i don't think they have a clue.
I know this is not what they want but i will be doing what i think is safe and right for my family not what they are telling me , how can we follow them when they are changing rules so frequently ?
I am not scared of the virus at all , but i am very scared at what's happening around us and by avoiding the app i feel a little bit more in control.

Ilovemypantry · 09/10/2020 22:59

@guiltynetter

I haven't downloaded the app and I've been to quite a few places where they ask you to check in, I just don't do it. I dont like it and I don't trust the app to be accurate. the only place I checked in was pizza express today as they made us otherwise you couldn't look at the menu!
“I don’t like it”....what an unbelievable statement! Do you really think anyone LIKES it, or likes having to wear a mask everywhere, or not being able to see a loved one in a care home and all the other things we are all having to live with at this time? But you carry on not downloading the app and not checking into venues because YOU DONT LIKE IT!
CrappleUmble · 09/10/2020 23:00

@BigBadVoodooHat

and you wonder why we have lockdown instead

That makes no sense: if, rather than avoiding going to public places where they’d be close to other people, everyone went out and about but left their details everywhere they went, there’d be no need for lockdown?

Surely avoiding public places is a far more effective way of combatting transmission in the community, rather than going into enclosed spaces where other people are but giving them your name and address?

You would think, but evidently that isn't a view shared by some of the vivid intellects on this thread.
RationalOne · 09/10/2020 23:01

I'd forgotten that it is silently running on my phone. It will work well if everyone uses it. If you are just not going to many places then no worries. However, for the not downloading and going everywhere brigade don't moan if cases aren't tracked and trace in your particular area.

Smallsteps88 · 09/10/2020 23:01

And your personal data isn’t with any any other organisation etc? Hmm

It is. Like MN, where it’s been leaked before. I’m not leaving it anywhere I don’t have to. You can chuck yours at whoever you like.

IndiaMay · 09/10/2020 23:03

I'm surprised at the amount of people so fearful of being tracked and traced. Surely if you're down south the chance is minimal?! I go to a pub/restaurant 3 pr 4 times a week and havent been tracked or traced and dont yet know anyone who has.

CrappleUmble · 09/10/2020 23:04

@IndiaMay

I'm surprised at the amount of people so fearful of being tracked and traced. Surely if you're down south the chance is minimal?! I go to a pub/restaurant 3 pr 4 times a week and havent been tracked or traced and dont yet know anyone who has.
And obviously nobody on here could be outside the south.
RationalOne · 09/10/2020 23:05

Hmm that's very, very unlucky. Nowhere at all since March and the only time he goes out he goes to a deserted field and he now has to isolate.... did the sheep have mobiles with track and trace on and of course covid.

Or of course the family might be isolating due to the NHS worker having been in contact - who knows

'Biggest reason for me for not downloading the app came for me today! A close friend whose dh hasnt left the house since March with highly vulnerable kids, downloaded the app took their dogs for a walk passed one person In a deserted field more than 6ft away and that is the only place he has been!! Alerted and now the whole family including a nhs worker are in isolation!'

Ilovemypantry · 09/10/2020 23:05

[quote 00100001]@Ilovemypantry
oh piss off.

why should i give my details? the app doesn't work as its supposed to - i am one of potentially hundreds of customers in Coffee Shop, and then one of hundreds in Library, and then 1 of hundreds in Cafe. And I go to Supermarket, encountering dozens of people that aren't required to T&T. The numbers are exponentially huge and lots are missing... so, by me not checking in, makes no fucking difference.[/quote]
“Why should I give my details?”

You are just typical of the “me, me me” mentality that will keep this virus spreading. Hope you’re prepared for another national lockdown because it’s people like you that will cause it to happen.

Tootletum · 09/10/2020 23:06

This thread is why we might as well bin all this crap and merely shield old people's homes. I've also barely been anywhere for the same reason, I don't want the kids to miss school. Ive checked in once in the app.

BigBadVoodooHat · 09/10/2020 23:06

Surely if you're down south the chance is minimal?!

I believe there are some people who are not ‘down south’! I also heard a rumour that some of them have internet access so could even be posting on this thread! Imagine that?! Shock

Ilovemypantry · 09/10/2020 23:11

@Tootletum

This thread is why we might as well bin all this crap and merely shield old people's homes. I've also barely been anywhere for the same reason, I don't want the kids to miss school. Ive checked in once in the app.
It’s not just old people in care homes that get seriously ill or die from the virus.
Xmasbaby11 · 09/10/2020 23:12

I have the app and have checked in a lot with it - twice today, gym and cafe. Some days not at all, but probably 3-5 times a week.

I hadn't realised so many people were actively avoiding it. For my part, I feel like I'm happy to go to these places and it's only fair I check in.

Smallsteps88 · 09/10/2020 23:12

Surely if you're down south the chance is minimal?!

Grin

Of course why wouldnt anyone be down south? Are there even any other places to be in the U.K.? Confused

Pikachubaby · 09/10/2020 23:15

I am not going anywhere anymore really OP

Kind of sad

Just meeting friends for walks a lot

For me the pleasure of eating out would be marred by worrying about then being tracked/traced. I have not been anywhere with QR

Ilovemypantry · 09/10/2020 23:21

@Xmasbaby11

I have the app and have checked in a lot with it - twice today, gym and cafe. Some days not at all, but probably 3-5 times a week.

I hadn't realised so many people were actively avoiding it. For my part, I feel like I'm happy to go to these places and it's only fair I check in.

It’s a shame not everyone has the same responsible attitude as you, we might just get through all this a bit quicker if they did.
Original poster
Asterion · 09/10/2020 23:23

@Pikachubaby

I am not going anywhere anymore really OP

Kind of sad

Just meeting friends for walks a lot

For me the pleasure of eating out would be marred by worrying about then being tracked/traced. I have not been anywhere with QR

Exactly.
OP posts:
FeckOffCup1 · 09/10/2020 23:25

ilovemypantry it’s not about having a responsible attitude - it’s about a large proportion of people not actually having a device that they can run the app on. This alone (ignoring the other issues of it not actually functioning properly, being incompatible with the NHS positive result codes and people being under no obligation to actually use it anyway) means that it’s completely pointless.

CoronaBollox · 09/10/2020 23:47

Most people I know just give wrong details and change the last digit of their phone number apparently...

Lemons1571 · 09/10/2020 23:53

@Ilovemypantry people complying is not going to roll out a vaccine quicker. And a vaccine is the only way of getting through this.

Even if a huge majority of people complied, got the app etc, it doesn’t mean that we’ll get through this any quicker. We might be able to suppress it a bit more, that’s all. The ship of elimination strategy sailed long ago for the uk.

MadameMeursault · 09/10/2020 23:56

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Stefoscope · 10/10/2020 00:07

We've been taking T&T details at my workplace since our 'non essential shop' reopened back in June. Short of storing the details for 21 days then securely disposing of them in line with GDPR, I still have no idea what the procedure is if we were to come into contact with someone who tests positive. I assume T&T will tell us if we need to close our business or isolate. No other shops in our industry, (which sits somewhere between small retail and hospitality) across the UK seem any more informed on the process either.

We were going out to eat a few times a week at quiet, local restaurants up until a couple of weeks ago, but since the law changed and fines for not self isolating came into play, we don't anymore. The Government needs to be more clear on how they will use this information, as PP have said, I don't want to risk having to close my business because I was in a restaurant hours ealier then someone who tested positive.

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