Why do people still not understand the in contact isolation rule?

[Lubiluxe]

It's one of the first things that came in to place!!

Received a message last week from someone who said they may not be able to come to an (outside) event that night because they'd been in close contact with a friend who'd tested positive. They said they were booked in for a test and if the result came back negative in time then they'd come along?! Why don't people realise you need to isolate for 10 days from contact?
Sorry for ranting but I wonder if this is another reason it spreads?

Because the rules have changed so many times it can be hard to keep track - particularly the faulty logic around negative tests and whether or not they overrule quarantine.

It's daft for example that people arriving in the UK CAN swap the 10 day isolation for 5 days + -ve test, while those contacted by T&T cannot.

Well that rule seems pretty ott now if you’ve tested negative/have had vaccine.

It’s not really daft, the people arriving in the UK havnt knowingly been in contact with someone who’s tested positive, it’s a precaution, those who have been in contact no there is a reasonable chance they could have contracted the virus. But I do agree the rules have changed that much that it’s confusing for everyone unless you make a point of following the updates.

Because they're stupid, it's as simple as that. If you're in contact with someone with covid you need to isolate.

Fudgefox its not stupidity, its changing guidance.

At my work close contact means no isolation, just daily tests.

Of course people are confused!

@PheasantPlucker1

Fudgefox its not stupidity, its changing guidance.

At my work close contact means no isolation, just daily tests.

Of course people are confused!

Where do you work with that rule? I know they considered if for schools but it was then deemed insufficient so didn't happen fortunately.

Outside of this example,
The rules to self isolate after being a close contact has remained the same pretty much since last. Arch, though reduced from 14 days to 10. You've never been able to test your way out of isolation, in England, when you're a close contact afaik.

@SmidgenofaPigeon

Well that rule seems pretty ott now if you’ve tested negative/have had vaccine.

I wonder if when the majority of people have been vaccinated, or offered the vaccine, this may be the case. At present it can't as unvaccinated people wouldn't be happy about having to isolate if vaccinated people didn't.

At some point the rule won't exist -- I hope. Unless we have different rules for covid forever more compared to any other possible respiratory illness that is mostly mild to huge majority of people.

I think this is one of the few rules in the pandemic that has never really changed. Most people who claim they don’t understand simple rules like this are doing so for their own convenience.

The rule that a test does not release you from contact isolation has been unchanged throughout

People do understand it. They just don't want to isolate so will go through all sorts of shenanigans to try to avoid the considerable sten requirement

There was someone posting on MN the other day that they thought nursery was being OTT because they won’t let their child who had a temperature returns unless they had a test or isolated for 10 days. She was completely surprised by it. I can’t work out if people are stupid, choose to be ignorant or are just incredibly selfish.