People who deliberately misunderstand the rules

[Sittinbythetrees]

Eg my db. Visiting vulnerable relatives for Christmas (staying in their house) so have taken the kids out of school to isolate in preparation. Seems sensible. Except they’ve all been swimming in the local pool, been for a meal in a pub (had a babysitter) and still going shopping. Apparently the babysitter (who has a dh & 3 kids) was fine because they are part of their bubble.
I just don’t know what to say - it’s so stupid. Either own it and say ‘we’re not that worried, prepared to take the risk’ or isolate properly but wtf is the pint of pretending to isolate? They are intelligent people (normally). If you challenge them they just say ‘oh it’s fine because...’ like you’re the one who doesn’t understand! 🤯

I can understand that. Kids don’t socially distance. They mix with about thirty other kids. All the other activities are socially distanced. They aren’t pretending to isolate, they are reducing their chances of the children having to isolate over Christmas.

People are doing their best in most cases, and this sounds like that. They don't sound like they're being reckless. Just trying to interpret the guidelines reasonably. I could not get upset about this.

Quite - but they don’t say that, they are making a big thing about how they are ‘isolating’. Eg the babysitter- we aren’t allowed people in our houses atm, you can’t just say that random people are in your bubble.

People don’t seem to understand that the Christmas household bubbles only apply to meeting in your house. You can’t eat out with the Christmas household bubble.

I get that going swimming is fun - but it’s really not isolating!

I don’t think they’re being reckless at all. But they are misleading their vulnerable relatives who think that they are isolating.

Just because something is technically within the rules, doesnt mean it is safe. Theyre not breaking any rules, but they are putting the vulnerable relative at risk. My sister is the same, doing everything she is "allowed" and putting my mum at risk. We're going to visit over christmas, but we're not going inside. I am not going to be responsible for transmittimg covid to my mum.

I agree it’s annoying. Like the people who mix freely inside with their childcare bubble and treat it like a support bubble instead because they’re already mixing with the children so it’s fine. No, it isn’t, the adults aren’t allowed to mix because it’s upping the number of contacts and they could catch it from the adult when they might not have from the child.

Nootka - exactly. They seem to be looking at as what are we allowed to do rather than what is sensible before staying with the relatives. I’m by no means isolating but we are doing a lot less than them. They visited my parents yesterday (luckily stayed outside) my parents were not amused to find out during the visit all the places they’d been. They’d have said no to the visit if they’d known.

I suspect a lot of people will be doing this.

Its not against the rules but can't understand how people prioritise.

I would not come to the same decisions.

He does need to be honest with relatives though and let them decide what they want to do.

They visited my parents yesterday (luckily stayed outside) my parents were not amused to find out during the visit all the places they’d been. They’d have said no to the visit if they’d known.

Why did your parents think they were at risk from visiting family who stayed outside? It doesn't matter where they'd been--if they didn't go inside your parents' house, what was the problem?

One - because little children don’t social distance. They still spent 3 hrs together - it’s not zero risk. But mainly they’d like to make deductions based on correct info!