Do you really keep DC indoors for 14 days?

[notevenat20]

DS's school year has been sent home for 14 days because someone in his year has covid. I know we are supposed to keep him indoors the whole time. But what have people really done in practice? It's a very long time not to walk further than the bathroom.

[NoSquirrels]

@Spikeyball

"If you are self isolating in a high density population area, and can’t get out without meeting people, stay in."

You couldn't have a rule allowing some out but not others (when there is no difference in needs) because people would see it as unfair and not comply.

Yes - this is why The Rules are blanket catch-all stay in do not open the front door on pain of £1,000 fine.

But it doesn’t mean people self-isolating in a rural area can’t go on a dog walk where they encounter no one without passing on a virus, which is what some on this thread seem to think. It’s breaking the blanket ban rules - but no one will find out and nothing will happen. (Unless you break your leg and need medical attention blah blah insert unlikely scenario here.)

[NoSquirrels]

To be clear - I do not think we need different rules. The rules are simple and effective.

But I also do not think people ‘breaking the rules’ are always wrong to do so.

[Jroseforever]

[quote Northernsoulgirl45]@Jroseforever wow a run around the woods seems like such fun. It would however be a pity if your neighbour whose child had been shielding for months thought what harm can it do taking child for a run around the woods not expecting to see someone who could be incubating a. Virus which could kill them. A perfectly legal run for the shilder of course unlike....
.They than collide with said child and fall to ground in a heap. Far fetched I know but possible.[/quote]
So in this scenario, for the shielding child to have contacted from my self isolating child...

1. My child will have had to have had corona
   

And

1. The shielding child would have had to have been home educated (because i am talking about taking my isolating child out at a quiet time when a school is on)
   

1. And in the very isolated woods (in about the 3 dozen times we have been we have perhaps passed.... 2 people) on the same day and time.
   

And

1. And for some reason one of my otherwise very coordinated children of 10 and almost 8 run in to them and fall in a heap.
   

“Far-fetched”. Yep, I’ll go with that

[Jroseforever]

@RedskyAtnight

That’s why there’s a 2m rule, for the coughs and sneezes!

People don't keep to 2m when they are walking past someone though.
Which is the point of this thread really. It's not safe to go out for "a quiet walk" unless you live somewhere where you can 100% guarantee you will not meet a soul.

I live in a quiet residential area and am in the habit of going for a walk after 10pm. I virtually always meet someone (even when it's raining).
Unless people live in very deserted rural areas (which of course some people do, but most do live in towns/cities) I can't see how you can guarantee you won't meet someone.

And when it’s 10pm and raining and you’re out on your walk and you pass someone you don’t know.

Do you stop and talk to them?
Get so close to them as to cough or sneeze in their face?

Or do you keep at least 2 metres from them and have absolutely zero interaction with them?

[Inkpaperstars]

I think coughs and sneezes can travel more like 8 metres anyway. 2 m is just about reducing some of the chances some of the time....like most of guidance, it doesn't mean you are totally protected.

[WhoopsSomethingWentWrong]

I live in a quiet residential area and am in the habit of going for a walk after 10pm. I virtually always meet someone (even when it's raining).
Unless people live in very deserted rural areas (which of course some people do, but most do live in towns/cities) I can't see how you can guarantee you won't meet someone

But do you get within 2m of those people? And if so, why? I can’t think of any time I’ve had to be within 2m of someone when walking in the streets near my house, unless we’ve deliberately stopped to talk to each other.
In lockdown #1 there were loads more people walking near us than normal, for obvious reasons. We always managed to stay at least 2m and generally far more from anyone else.

[Inkpaperstars]

Incidentally I live in a city though not central and near a large park, and have been going for walks at various times of day throughout this. I don't think I have once been out, even a single time, where no strangers have come within 2m of me, it's impossible to avoid here.

[NeverTwerkNaked]

My ex took our son into hospital to visit a relative while our son was supposed to be self isolating.

There is a reason he is my ex.

[WhoopsSomethingWentWrong]

I suppose a lot must depend on the area. Even pre Covid I would only be within 2m of someone if it was a deliberate action, eg to talk to them.

[Wowthisisreal]

@TheKeatingFive that's good news. But kids in playground are running around and often not distancing. It's just not needed.

[Wowthisisreal]

@AltJ I'm not hard of thinking. And I'm actually pretty relaxed about this whole thing.

My point being is that yes you can be asymptomatic and going about your lives potentially infecting people. Nothing I can do about that and it's a fact of life right now. You can't mitigate that risk.

The chances of being an asymptomatic person infecting others is much much higher if you have been identified as having close contact with a positive case. That's the point. This is a risk than and should be mitigated, by staying indoors.

I say this being in a period of isolation. If sucks but it's necessary to try and curb this thing.

[Jroseforever]

@NeverTwerkNaked

My ex took our son into hospital to visit a relative while our son was supposed to be self isolating.

There is a reason he is my ex.

No visiting hospitals. Only for drop off and pick up. And sometimes it’s just drop off. And no children. Just one person. So either you or he are incorrect

[NeverTwerkNaked]

Not remotely incorrect sadly.it was to pick up the relative and they were all allowed onto the ward.

I wish I was incorrect

[Jroseforever]

@NeverTwerkNaked

Not remotely incorrect sadly.it was to pick up the relative and they were all allowed onto the ward.

I wish I was incorrect

What hospital?

I have been explicitly told that hospitals are not accepting visitors
Drop off and pick up only
Limited to one person

[Jroseforever]

And If accurate... the really “bad” is be in this scenario is the hospital for permitting...

A visitor
More than one
A child

[RedskyAtnight]

But do you get within 2m of those people? And if so, why?

Because I'm walking on a path through park/woods and the extent of the area available for 2 people to walk past each other (bushes/trees/river on both sides of the path) is not as wide as 2m (in places 2 people can only just get past each other). I have been known to turn round and go back again if there are lots of people walking towards me, but that doesn't always work (if there are as many people coming the other way).

[Northernsoulgirl45]

@Jroseforever during this lockdown shielding children are advised to have remote education.
Many will have come to an arrangement for remote learning.
No doubt they are more likely to ho out during the school day as they would expect most kids to be at school or isolating at home.

[Jroseforever]

@RedskyAtnight

But do you get within 2m of those people? And if so, why?

Because I'm walking on a path through park/woods and the extent of the area available for 2 people to walk past each other (bushes/trees/river on both sides of the path) is not as wide as 2m (in places 2 people can only just get past each other). I have been known to turn round and go back again if there are lots of people walking towards me, but that doesn't always work (if there are as many people coming the other way).

At 10pm
In a wood?

Pull the other one
Unless of course it’s an area known for dogging?!

[RedskyAtnight]

I would think it's pretty uncomfortable for dogging (and muddy at the moment). But there's generally a few dog walkers. And the odd jogger. And occasionally a random nutter like myself who gets cabin fever from being stuck in the house. And quite often groups of teens (though they tend to be off the path). The point being that if you live in a town, it's hard to avoid other people altogether.

[Jroseforever]

@RedskyAtnight

I would think it's pretty uncomfortable for dogging (and muddy at the moment). But there's generally a few dog walkers. And the odd jogger. And occasionally a random nutter like myself who gets cabin fever from being stuck in the house. And quite often groups of teens (though they tend to be off the path). The point being that if you live in a town, it's hard to avoid other people altogether.

I live in a commuter town in SE
Very urban

And woods and parks at 10pm are DEAD! I know because sometimes as, a treat, I bundle up my two children after film night and we go for a walk and then come back for marshamallows and hot chocolate. 9pm... and no one in any park or wood other than very occasionally we see a dog Walker clearly out for dog’s last wee.

I am afraid I simply do not believe that there are crowds of people in the woods and parks you walk in at 10pm!

[OrangeBlossomsinthesun]

I spent weeks indoors with two children this spring in Spain, it won't kill you.

[WhoopsSomethingWentWrong]

@RedskyAtnight

But do you get within 2m of those people? And if so, why?

Because I'm walking on a path through park/woods and the extent of the area available for 2 people to walk past each other (bushes/trees/river on both sides of the path) is not as wide as 2m (in places 2 people can only just get past each other). I have been known to turn round and go back again if there are lots of people walking towards me, but that doesn't always work (if there are as many people coming the other way).

It’s very unfortunate that you live in a place where close contact with others is forced, with no means for escape.
Thankfully, having lived many places in the U.K. and various other countries, that has never been the case for me.

[Delatron]

Yes must have really felt worth it in Spain too...

Poor kids over there, it amounted to cruelty.

[RedskyAtnight]

It’s very unfortunate that you live in a place where close contact with others is forced, with no means for escape.

That's not remotely what I was saying, as you are well aware.

I was simply responding to all the posters on this thread that say they can take their DC on a nice quiet isolated walk where they are unlikely to meet anyone. That in fact what you think is a nice quiet isolated walk may well not be so quiet or isolated but you won't know that until it happens.

[RedskyAtnight]

I am afraid I simply do not believe that there are crowds of people in the woods and parks you walk in at 10pm!

I never said there were crowds of people. I said there were some people. Mostly people (presumably from neighbouring houses) walking their dogs. Or jogging. And that the nature of the layout of the area is that sometimes you can't socially distance from others. Other people live in different areas where this may not be the case. Other people live in other different areas where this is also the case.
If everyone descends on your local wood thinking no one is there, then you will end up with quite a lot of people who are there.