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Original poster

Isolating over Christmas to spend new year with family

36 replies

Enidblyton1 · 13/12/2020 11:01

Are many people doing this? As our school don’t break up until 18th, our parents don’t want to take the risk of seeing us indoors over Christmas. We are able to completely isolate ourselves from 19th until school starts again on 13th Jan. We work from home, will buy all shopping in advance etc. So the sensible way of having Christmas would be to see family over New Year.
Obviously this is going against ‘the rules’, but it is much more sensible than us meeting on Christmas Day.
Wondering how many people are taking this approach?

OP posts:
Original poster
Enidblyton1 · 13/12/2020 11:02

We all live in tier 2 by the way, and our area has 40 cases/100,000 (and falling), which is less than Cornwall had when it was put in tier 1

OP posts:
Danglingmod · 13/12/2020 11:04

I'm not and don't personally know anyone talking about this but you're right; whilst against the rules it's far safer to do what you suggest than what is on offer legally from the govt.

Marilla1966 · 13/12/2020 11:05

This is what we are doing. Isolating from 18th and seeing family on New Years Day x

CottonSock · 13/12/2020 11:06

Possibly. Dh working Christmas for NHS. We would get him covid tested before we went as he won't isolate until 26th.

KittenCalledBob · 13/12/2020 11:06

You're right that this is the safer approach despite being against the rules. I don't know anyone who's doing it though.

Char2015 · 13/12/2020 11:07

Well done OP for planning to break the rules. You should be very proud of yourself for potentially spreading the virus in the near future. Well done you.

CottonSock · 13/12/2020 11:11

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Ymlaen · 13/12/2020 11:11

@Char2015 but OP is being sensible and self isolating before seeing family. That's much safer than following the rules and seeing family within days of school etc.

FellWanderer · 13/12/2020 11:13

I am a teacher so we are doing the same.

Char2015 · 13/12/2020 11:15

[quote Ymlaen]@Char2015 but OP is being sensible and self isolating before seeing family. That's much safer than following the rules and seeing family within days of school etc.[/quote]
The problem is people can argue that doing things to make things 'safer' can be applied to all of the covid laws, rules and restrictions. People may have the opinion that it is safer but it is still against the rules and the rules are there for a reason. I 100% do not agree with the rules being relaxed at Christmas. And by Gov relaxing the rules, people are seeing this as a reason to see family at other times. I don't blame OP, I blame Gov.

Scarby9 · 13/12/2020 11:17

@Char2015 I agree OP would be breaking the rules. OP agrees OP would be breaking the rules. And if they met people for Christmas and then for New Year your other point would be valid.

But simply shifting the dates later so it is safer does not in any way, shape or form increase the risks of catching or spreading Covid. It DECREASES those risks.

Tell OP it breaks the rules by all means (although they already know) but don't pretend the actual virus is going to differentiate between Bank Holidays...

Char2015 · 13/12/2020 11:25

[quote Scarby9]@Char2015 I agree OP would be breaking the rules. OP agrees OP would be breaking the rules. And if they met people for Christmas and then for New Year your other point would be valid.

But simply shifting the dates later so it is safer does not in any way, shape or form increase the risks of catching or spreading Covid. It DECREASES those risks.

Tell OP it breaks the rules by all means (although they already know) but don't pretend the actual virus is going to differentiate between Bank Holidays...[/quote]
I by no means think the virus is going to differentiate between Bank Holidays. This is why, as stated above, I do believe Gov should be relaxing the rules at any time.

I know plenty of people will be following the same idea of spending time with family at new year instead but then this will be no doubt be a cycle whereby others will also say I won't spending time with family at Xmas or New Year, I'll wait until mid Jan or I'll wait until Feb. Just by Gov saying people can meet up with others, this is certainly giving people the idea that if it is okay to meet up at Xmas then it is okay to meet up other times of the year.

Char2015 · 13/12/2020 11:26

I should really preview my post before posting.... I mean ... I do not believe Gov should be relaxing the rules at any time.

ChasingRainbows19 · 13/12/2020 11:29

It’s against the rules but it’s probably far safer than the Christmas bubbles if you are isolating beforehand.
If I could isolate and see family properly I absolutely would but unfortunately I work throughout Christmas and nye so that’s not happening.

DobbyTheHouseElk · 13/12/2020 11:31

I’ve thought about it. I agree it’s a safer way than the gov offering.

Sockwomble · 13/12/2020 12:07

"Well done OP for planning to break the rules. You should be very proud of yourself for potentially spreading the virus in the near future. Well done you."

Don't be so ridiculous. What the OP is doing is safe. It couldn't be offered as an option to all because some people are incapable of behaving safely without a set of rules.

Frouby · 13/12/2020 12:28

I'm planning the same OP, dcs finish school 17th, dh work 18th. Will be nipping and seeing my mum briefly, outside if weather permits Christmas day, wearing masks, windows open if inside. Then nyd am cooking dinner for us because we won't have been in close contact with anyone for 2 weeks.

Got to be far safer than her coming on 23rd and staying until 27th which bojo has said we can. Taking his other advice and being jolly careful.

Chewbecca · 13/12/2020 12:34

The problem with that is potentially bringing the virus back to work/school in the NY.

Original poster
Enidblyton1 · 13/12/2020 12:47

@Char2015 don’t worry, I haven’t said I’m going to do this. Just pondering the potential.
There is practically zero chance of bringing back to school as we would be isolating before (obviously so we have little chance of passing anything to grandparents), then seek them on 30/31st, then we don’t go back to school until 13th January. Lucky to have a late start back in Jan. So I’m not worried about passing anything on to anyone else. I’m an extremely conscientious person. I also think the rules are a blanket approach which is not always the most sensible.

Just merely wondering if this is an approach others might take. Or whether people are just taking the risk of being indoors with grandparents when their children will have been at school until 18th? Or whether people are simply having a zoom Christmas, or just not seeing older family indoors until a point in the future when the virus is negligible.

OP posts:
Original poster
Enidblyton1 · 13/12/2020 12:48

see them, not seek them! Autocorrect!

OP posts:
Original poster
Enidblyton1 · 13/12/2020 12:51

But I just went for a walk in our small town and saw a couple of covid ambassadors walking the streets. Wondering if these people are merely checking on shops/pubs etc or whether they knock on doors to check what people are doing at home??

OP posts:
LegoPandemic · 13/12/2020 13:13

Yes. Isolating from 18th for 10 days, using lateral flow tests bought privately and having a family meal in between Christmas and NY.
The government aren’t following the science with this one. If Christmas bubbles start 23rd, schools should have finished on Friday 11th.

ArosAdraDrosDolig · 13/12/2020 14:20

We were planning todo this but I think Wales will lock down on 28th December

DobbyTheHouseElk · 13/12/2020 14:34

What’s a covid ambassador?

SleeplessWB · 13/12/2020 15:04

We are meeting on 27th with grandparents which will be 10 days from end of school. I think the approach of the op is very sensible.

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