To bend christmas lockdown rules?

[ShopTattsyrup]

Fully prepared to get flamed for this so I shall gird myself accordingly! But all the same I am uncertain of what I should do and am after some outside perspective.

I am working the 25th and then off work until the 30th. My original vague plan (pre announcement of rules etc.) was to drive home to my mother on Boxing day and then drive home again on the 29th. Obviously now that the rules have been announced this is not allowed.

Apart from the fact that it's a four hour drive and I don't particularly want to do an 8 hour round trip for one night etc. My mother has already had covid in October, I am getting twice weekly testing through work, I am not seeing anyone else over the festive period and neither is she. In my head - surely once I'm there in her house it's fairly irrelevant if I stay for 1 night or 3?

She is keen for me to stay until the 29th as we haven't seen each other since last christmas, I am little scared of breaking the rules but can't see why I shouldn't in this instance?

Just do it. The dates aren’t magical.

I would do it. You can use common sense and risk assessment. They won’t be stopping people on the motorway surely. Agree there’s nothing magical about the dates they’ve told us we’re allowed to see family.

@Delatron Sorry I should have clarified in my OP that I live in England and my mother in Wales. I can't imagine that they are stopping people on the motorway who are leaving Wales - but they have been pulling over people on the roads in general ... that's what's making me twitchy

Ah ok. They’ve been pulling people over in Wales?

It’s hard to know isn’t it? Will they be stopping loads of people in the motorways on the 28th and 29th to check where they’ve been/going? I don’t know! I hope not.

To me what you are doing is very low risk and the dates don’t make any difference. I guess the slight stress is being pulled over and checked.

I’d stay. Like you say if you’re there a day a couple
More doesn’t seem to increase the risk much.

If you get stopped you can make something up about travelling home late due to being unwell and unable to travel before.

As a police officer who is very aware of the ridiculously low staffing we have over Christmas (and at all times) I highly doubt we will be pulling anyone over. As per most days we won't even have the resources to meet the 999 calls

support bubbles?

@Delatron they have been pulling people over yeah - although to be fair I think that was primarily in tourist hot spots (Snowden, West Wales, Mumbles etc.) As opposed to former mining villages!

@AIMD - I did briefly consider that if I was pulled over I could just tell them I'd had food poisoning and was too busy shitting myself to drive before the 29th!

@ShopTattsyrup maybe stick some boiled eggs under the passenger seat for realism just in case

Christmas dates are fucking unfair on people who are working Christmas/Boxing day. I've already had an AIBU rant about this.

Just go. And if you are stopped, it's an essential care visit - your mum felt seriously unwell and needed help .

Rules are for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise men. Do what you gotta do.

You can form a bubble with her I believe?

YANBU

Although I can see your point about the low risk, the length of time you spend with someone DOES increase the risk as you can become infectious at any time so spending 1 day together is technically less risky than 3 days, but depends because if you spread it on day 1 then it makes no difference as you’ve already passed it on!

I don’t see a problem with this. I have been following the rules quite strictly as I’m in a risk category, and I would do it. I agree there isn’t anything special about the dates and you are low risk by the sounds of it, especially if your mum already had it. I think there needs to be flexibility with certain circumstances and this is one of them! I don’t think you will get in too much trouble even if you are pulled over, I would say it’s for care purposes !

@Lifeispassingby

Although I can see your point about the low risk, the length of time you spend with someone DOES increase the risk as you can become infectious at any time so spending 1 day together is technically less risky than 3 days, but depends because if you spread it on day 1 then it makes no difference as you’ve already passed it on!

But according to the rules 3 days is fine if it's between certain dates, but not if it's a few days later! Good thing viruses check the calendar and the gov guidelines before infecting people.

Is there any allowance for a support bubble in the Welsh rules, if she lives alone? Otherwise go for the illness option.

Hi OP,

I would 100% go to see your mum for Christmas and stay for the days that you had originally planned. I think using common sense it would be ok for the reasons that you mention. She has already had covid and you have regular covid tests.

As your mum lives alone and you will be traveling alone you can form a support bubble for each-other over these days.

I really cant see them stopping cars on the motor at all.

I'd take any evidence of your most recent negative test with you just incase. Even better if you could get a test on the 25th before you travel.

Enjoy and have a lovely Christmas with your mum.

I'd do it

And here we go, typical MN ‘use common sense’ ‘ just do it’

And then everyone wonders why we are up shit creek

Wales has a lockdown starting directly after the 5 days finishes, your mother may have had COVID but you haven’t, and you don’t know if it can be caught again.

Go for the two days go early on the 26th, leave late on the 27th.

Please just follow the damn rules

As your mum lives alone can't you be her support bubble? You are then always one household and can mix as much as you like.

Support bubble!

Nothing else to say

YABU. Plus the tests being given out to NHS staff are infamous for false negatives. A friend of mine had 2 negatives this week, despite being positive

If she or you is single just form a support bubble, we may do this with DS, then you can see her when you want