Checks on people who are self-isolating

Tulipomania · 2021-06-06T06:27:02+00:00

Some one I work with was told to self isolate by the NHS app (her niece had tested positive). She got several phone calls during self-isolation checking up on her - all fine as she was following the rules, but once was in the shower and couldn't get to the phone. Is this normal now? When I had to do it last summer no-one checked at all.

ColettesEarrings · 06/06/2021 07:31

The app isn't legally binding so I'd be surprised if they went to all that effort. Did you mean she was contacted by Test & Trace in the first instance, as a close contact - they are legally binding and sometimes will follow up with calls, yes.

itwa · 06/06/2021 07:32

Yes, daily checks is how it's supposed to work.

Original poster

Tulipomania · 06/06/2021 07:33

I may have got it wrong!

I didn't know the app isn't legally binding?

OP posts:

UnmentionedElephantDildo · 06/06/2021 07:35

Yes, they announced greater checks on SI

I think it's also practice for checks on those returning from Amber countries

I think they realise, as everyone does, that there will be times you cannot get to the phone. But as long as you are answering most, you'll be OK

BiniorellaSun · 06/06/2021 07:40

I had lots of calls when SI as actually positive. Fair enough to check we are ok but I refused to let them read me a threatening script about not breaking SI. Of course we didn’t- only left the house once to go and get DH and DS tested at a drive through testing centre. I found the scripts rude.
Do they check up on kids whose bubble has burst at all?

LemonCake79 · 06/06/2021 08:04

@BiniorellaSun, currently on our third school bubble bursting SI period and we have never been contacted by anyone. Even the instruction to isolate comes just by email.

I honestly wonder if there is even a record of who should be isolating with school bubbles or it's just a case of 'email 30 families'.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 06/06/2021 13:48

How do they know where you are though? I'd give my mobile number so I could be anywhere. Obviously I would isolate if I was contacted by Test and Trace, this is purely hypothetical

BettyOBarley · 06/06/2021 14:35

When DH tested positive in Jan they called him loads of times! Not every day but I'd say at least 3 times in the ten day isolation period.

BelleBlueBell · 06/06/2021 14:39

There was something on the radio very recently, I think they have capacity to call around 10000 people per day. I didn't get any indication that they are expecting to be able to contact everyone It's a sampling approach I think.

Farahilda · 06/06/2021 15:01

@PinkSparklyPussyCat

How do they know where you are though? I'd give my mobile number so I could be anywhere. Obviously I would isolate if I was contacted by Test and Trace, this is purely hypothetical

If it's isolation after travel, I think you have to fill in the address at which you will be isolating as part of the landing paperwork

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 06/06/2021 15:27

Sorry, I meant how do they know you're where you say you are when they phone a mobile. I presume if they had suspicions you would get a knock on the door!

ShowMeYourMethod · 06/06/2021 18:49

Someone who works with my DP had the home office knocking on their door to check on her son who had returned from an amber list country 12 hours earlier. That was just this week.

In the whole pandemic that is the first time I have heard of doorstep checks.

When my DD had covid we all got called individually every 1-2 days - their script got a little annoying after a while especially the faux-cheeriness. I felt a bit sorry for the poor people doing it though as by day 7 I wasn't really interested in their useful suggestions to do craft and cooking to pass the time, especially since I was still working from home full time as I wasn't actually unwell myself!

Watermelon222 · 06/06/2021 19:34

What do they do if they find someone hasn’t isolated or quarantined properly?

I’ve heard of so many stories of people being caught out, including one gp receptionist who phoned a patient who had tested positive and they answered in the supermarket and someone else local to here who went out to several pubs knowingly positive and caused an outbreak.

What I really want to know is what are the penalties?

LivinLaVidaLoki · 06/06/2021 19:39

My ndn runs an airport taxi firm. He recently had to complete a statement for t&t detailing when the person returning from an Amber country (on business) was in his taxi.

This is because they had called him at home and got no answer so called his mobile and demanded to know why he wasn't home.

He was still in arrivals. His plane had only been landes 40 minutes.

woodfort · 06/06/2021 20:52

@PinkSparklyPussyCat

Sorry, I meant how do they know you're where you say you are when they phone a mobile. I presume if they had suspicions you would get a knock on the door!

Yeah I was wondering this. If you’re somewhere busy presumably background noise but if you were at someone’s house or whatever how would they know?

That’s hilarious that they give you suggestions of things to do @ShowMeYourMethod . I mean, we’ve all been through several lockdowns I’m sure we can cope. It’s like well meaning people on MN who suggest people bake banana bread and do zoom pub quizzes as if we’ve not all lived through spring 2020.

We’re waiting on a PCR now. I half want it to be positive and someone to ring me now At least it would be a lovely week + to isolate weather wise...

NotBot · 07/06/2021 07:30

I couldn’t believe how much I was contacted last December when I had covid. It was bordering on intrusive! I got 2 calls a day and up to 10 texts a day! 🙄 YES I KNOW I need to isolate! However, I think it’s because I was on their lists twice as my 9 month old also tested positive & I used my email & number for her.. it made me laugh when they were reading the script for her about self isolating away from the rest of the household in her own room. Sure, I’ll just pop a kettle in there & she can make her own milk and change her own nappy 😂😂

littlepeas · 07/06/2021 11:05

I would absolutely hate this. I dislike speaking on the phone anyway (much prefer a face to face conversation), but this sounds incredibly intrusive. I can't even bring myself to say that I understand why they need to do it - surely it has to be factored in that some people will not isolate no matter what, but that the vast majority will?

OliveTree75 · 07/06/2021 13:00

@NotBot

I couldn’t believe how much I was contacted last December when I had covid. It was bordering on intrusive! I got 2 calls a day and up to 10 texts a day! 🙄 YES I KNOW I need to isolate! However, I think it’s because I was on their lists twice as my 9 month old also tested positive & I used my email & number for her.. it made me laugh when they were reading the script for her about self isolating away from the rest of the household in her own room. Sure, I’ll just pop a kettle in there & she can make her own milk and change her own nappy 😂😂

Yes!! They rang me for both me and my DS separately. Then my DP got his own calls as well. It was really annoying. We just wanted to answer the phone with "WE ARE IN THE HOUSE!!" by the end.

LarsErickssong · 07/06/2021 13:03

I have a friend who works for T&T doing the calls to check people are isolating so yes this is standard I think, it's ridiculous though as she says you can quite often tell people aren't at home but there isn't then a procedure to report them or anything you just have to accept them saying 'yes I'm at home' as the truth even though they clearly aren't!

I also know someone who came back from France a couple of weeks ago and had someone from a security firm turn up at her door checking she was in.

HarrietOh · 07/06/2021 13:08

I had covid last November and have never received a single phone call. I received an email from T&T with a link to online form to fill out, and that's it.

Ostara212 · 07/06/2021 13:13

The people I know who isolated last year were getting about five calls a day. They wanted to speak to each family member. They said it was hellish.

DeathByWalkies · 07/06/2021 13:14

No chance I'd be downloading the app or self isolating - if they rang me up the first words out of my mouth would be "who's going to cover the costs, in full, of all my business overheads, lost earnings, perishable stock I'd have to bin and a dog walker to boot seeing as I'm not allowed out to walk the dog?". Call me back when you can tell me where to send the invoice and I'll start self isolating when you've paid up 👍

Unless you don't work / get full sick pay / can WFH on full pay then there should be no obligation to self isolate. I don't know anyone who can afford 10 days off with zero pay and zero help - especially not when (like me) you've already lost loaded of contracts and been denied SEISS and furlough on a technicality.

Before anyone mentions the £500 - most people who aren't on benefits are turned down for it, and it wouldn't cover all my costs anyway. I don't trust I'd get it.

Before anyone mentions some well meaning mutual aid scheme for the dog - he's got behaviour issues and I don't think they take on dogs like mine. He needs an experienced, professional, insured walker and they would cost £140 for 10 days of walks.

Imnothereforthedrama · 07/06/2021 13:19

Yeah you get phone calls not every day it annoyed me one day as they rang at 8am on a Saturday so I ignored . They ring back if they don’t get you .

XenoBitch · 07/06/2021 13:39

I thought the app was different to the Test & Trace thing, as in the app is not legally binding, but being called up by Test & Trace and told to isolate is.

Ostara212 · 07/06/2021 13:49

@XenoBitch

I thought the app was different to the Test & Trace thing, as in the app is not legally binding, but being called up by Test & Trace and told to isolate is.

I don't know for sure but I think another thread had a link saying the law had been changed and now an app notice is legally binding.