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Original poster

Does it matter if I don't reply to Track & Trace text?

82 replies

ScribblingMilly · 21/10/2020 09:32

Someone I met briefly has tested positive with COVID and I've had 'the text'. I'll be self-isolating for 14 days but is there any real need to fill in the forms and give my full name - the acquaintance and I are just on first name terms - and all my details? Does it help with research on how the virus spreads or is it just about keeping tabs on me (which I'm not keen on).

OP posts:
Orangeblossom7777 · 21/10/2020 17:30

Just been reading an article in the papers where someone went out to the shop while meant to be isolating. Had a mobile call from the police and they said they were at home. Police asked why then are they not answering the door as they are outside.

£1000 fine. Said if they had not lied they would not have had the fine. It's scary. I can't afford such a fine. I'm sorry but this whole thing makes me angry, when it is the case that like the Op they are not even within 2m for more than 15 mins.

Doing all I can to avoid T&T to be honest.

AcornAutumn · 21/10/2020 18:06

Feminist “ Why were you within 2m of someone you’re only on first name terms with?”

How can that be avoided?! I’m guessing you don’t live in a city.

AcornAutumn · 21/10/2020 18:08

@ScribblingMilly

I can see it must take up time you'd rather be spending on other police work. I'm now realising from reading the criteria again, that I don't meet it as it says 1-2m for 15 mins or longer and we were 2m plus for most of that time. Aaagh, I suppose I can't discuss it with the T&T people as there's no number to call them back on.
Yes, it doesn’t meet the criteria they state.

So T & T don’t have a resource if you need to call them back for a y reason?

This is just a massive exercise in profits for private companies.

Feminist10101 · 21/10/2020 18:11

I live very near and work in a capital city. 🤷🏻‍♀️

AcornAutumn · 21/10/2020 18:14

@Feminist10101

I live very near and work in a capital city. 🤷🏻‍♀️
And you can’t see that keeping 2m isn’t possible all the time?
Feminist10101 · 21/10/2020 18:15

If it’s impossible you mitigate with a mask.

But yes. Have managed for 8 months not to get within 2m of anyone I don’t live with without a mask on.

AcornAutumn · 21/10/2020 18:20

@Feminist10101

If it’s impossible you mitigate with a mask.

But yes. Have managed for 8 months not to get within 2m of anyone I don’t live with without a mask on.

Ah, I thought you hadn’t got within 2 m of anyone you don’t live with but I see it’s less with a mask.

I’m going to have to be careful with neighbour chats now, if one of them gave my details to T&T....but there must be a way to dispute it, I’ll see if I can find out.

Feminist10101 · 21/10/2020 18:38

Ah, I thought you hadn’t got within 2 m of anyone you don’t live with but I see it’s less with a mask.

I work for the NHS.

Feminist10101 · 21/10/2020 18:41

Posted too soon.

I take my responsibility to colleagues and patients seriously, so no, I’ve not put myself in the position of being within 2m of friends or family, acquaintances or total strangers. It’s not impossible or even that hard.

PleasantVille · 21/10/2020 18:42

@AcornAutumn

Feminist “ Why were you within 2m of someone you’re only on first name terms with?”

How can that be avoided?! I’m guessing you don’t live in a city.

Passing someone momentarily isn't a problem, even in a city you wouldn't be within the same stranger for 15 minutes would you?
Hopeisathingwithfeathers · 21/10/2020 18:46

I wonder what happens if OP (or people in their situation) totally deny seeing the infected one, or say it was only 5 minutes or that they were 2m apart at all times.

AcornAutumn · 21/10/2020 18:48

Pleasant

OP was strolling along with an acquaintance

Anyway, I see I’m alone in being horrified by this but I’ll adjust my behaviour even more to escape the T&T net.

I live in a flat, and yes, chats do occur on the stairs or by the post boxes.

Sometimes they have been 15 mins, nit least because many of us are a bit lonely. Better stop that then.

If I was coming out of the station at the same time as a neighbour, we’d certainly walk back together, better stop that too. Sad

Orangeblossom7777 · 21/10/2020 18:53

It's worrying isn't it. I have been meeting a friend for walks but may stop this now- unless chat with her first about track and trace...tricky. We keep apart, and meet outside.

Orangeblossom7777 · 21/10/2020 18:55

Just a thought, how do they know what the person reporting is truthful?

We have some strange neighbours who do odd things, like they decided to call the police about the garden even though no problem there. What if they said they had met up and given others covid? There seems to be an issue here with them just taking the person reporting's word for it.

Miljea · 21/10/2020 19:00

@Orangeblossom7777

Just a thought, how do they know what the person reporting is truthful?

We have some strange neighbours who do odd things, like they decided to call the police about the garden even though no problem there. What if they said they had met up and given others covid? There seems to be an issue here with them just taking the person reporting's word for it.

That thought went through my head, too.

I deleted the App because I'm a HCP and regularly come into close contact with Covid, but in full PPE. The App doesn't know that.

Orangeblossom7777 · 21/10/2020 19:03

You can turn contact tracing off on the app. Also apparently it is personal and not shared with T&T in case that helps.

OverTheRubicon · 21/10/2020 19:06

@ScribblingMilly

Yes sorry, briefly was a misleading word to use. We only chatted face to face briefly but then walked alongside each other until we got to her street. All outdoors and 1-2 metres apart but she thought our contact met the criteria of 15 or more mins.
I think I'd be pretty pissed off to be reported as a 15 minute 'close contact' in these circumstances. I've already isolated once with kids and took it seriously even though it was a short exposure, this seems OTT.
Original poster
ScribblingMilly · 21/10/2020 19:07

Don't, Acorn. The woman who tested positive caught it from an immediate family member in the home, so there are no guarantees there. There's no need to be guilted about caring about neighbours and acquaintances and stopping for a chat in the fresh air. I can see now from the guidelines that neither of us did anything wrong - despite the fact we don't know each other's surnames!

OP posts:
StellaGib · 21/10/2020 19:08

@Orangeblossom7777

I'd be pissed off if a friend did that to me. and would not answer, or tell them how it was.
Why would you be pissed off? Would you expect a friend to lie for you Confused

The T&T people will ask what you were doing, where you’d been during the infectious period. One of those days we’d been in a friend’s garden and I told T&T - as it goes the tracer decided it didn’t qualify as contact.

If the OP’s friend was honest when asked that they met the OP and chatted for x minutes, and maybe some of that time was at 2m or less, and the tracer decides OP is a contact, is that really something to be pissed off about?
Ok, maybe the OP disputes it and maintains she never got within 2m, but I can’t see it’s a problem that the friend answered honestly from her perspective.

Orangeblossom7777 · 21/10/2020 19:25

Depends what the friend said. I agree with T&T but not if it is being used wrongly.

CommanderBurnham · 21/10/2020 19:38

This is where it can get woolly. Apparently T&T are very strict about what is considered as a close contact. I think they have to err on the safe side.

If I get asked I'm deffo saying I've been chatting Dominic Cummings lol. But joking aside yeah be careful and keep your distance from others, then no ambiguity.

Original poster
ScribblingMilly · 21/10/2020 19:39

To be clear, when we were chatting we were 2m apart. When we walked down the road, there were several occasions when we were closer to 1m apart because of avoiding others. But the criteria says (I think!) that you need to have contact of 1-2m for 15mins for it to be close contact. She has just misunderstood, I think (unless I have), as she did say to me that she wasn't sure at first if our meeting qualified. She's a very conscientious person so has veered on the side of caution. I'm not remotely pissed off with her, just would like to be able to go out and exercise if I'm not a risk.

OP posts:
AcornAutumn · 21/10/2020 19:42

@ScribblingMilly

Don't, Acorn. The woman who tested positive caught it from an immediate family member in the home, so there are no guarantees there. There's no need to be guilted about caring about neighbours and acquaintances and stopping for a chat in the fresh air. I can see now from the guidelines that neither of us did anything wrong - despite the fact we don't know each other's surnames!
It’s not about guilt.

It’s about being forced to isolate for two weeks for no reason.

I genuinely wonder if the T&T person was right to contact you.

Orangeblossom7777 · 21/10/2020 19:44

Can the OP speak to them and explain? It seems OTT. I think the friend in this case would have just told the OP, rather than T&T...

AcornAutumn · 21/10/2020 19:45

Orange I was going to say that but thought I’d get slaughtered for saying it.

I meet my sister for walks but I can trust her not to do anything stupid.

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