NHS Test & Trace have contacted me - need to take DS to school!

[SaintVal]

Apologies if this has been done to death but I have just been told by NHS test and trace to self isolate for ten days as someone I have been in contact with has tested positive! I have no idea who this is so can only assume it's someone who checked into the same restaurant as me last Thursday. So... how do I get my DS6 to school? Single parent. Nightmare!

Sorry @DumplingsAndStew I can only comment for England where it definitely is a legal requirement www.gov.uk/guidance/maintaining-records-of-staff-customers-and-visitors-to-support-nhs-test-and-trace
Scotland has Check In Scotland which I am not sure of the rules around it.

Thanks @PseudoBadger

I know when we used to check in before the latest closures, we could say how many people were in the group, but it doesn't ask me that any more when checking in to the place I regularly go. I'll take a look at Scot Gov. Thanks.

IN England last summer/autumn only one person per group had to check in. Now everyone over 16 has to.

[quote luckylavender]@RichardMarxisinnocent - I know quite a few people who have been pinged after being in a pub or restaurant where someone tested positive. They were contacted just because they'd checked in at the same time. It's how Track & Trace works [/quote]
Pinged by the app? And told to self isolate? That's the contact tracing part of the app, which works using Bluetooth to gauge proximity to the positive person. It's not the checkin part. The checkin part can result in an alert advising that they may have been at a venue at the same time as a positive case, it won't result in them being told to self isolate.

You can turn off contact tracing and still use the app for check ins and you won't get told to isolate by the app. Did you look at the link I posted? That explains how the two separate parts of the app work.

I can't really find anything definitive, except this that says anyone over the age of 12 "can" use the app, but not that they "must".

www.mygov.scot/help-qr-check-in

If I was contacted, then I would obviously know whether the kids were with me at that time. I also know when youngest DC goes to, say, McDonalds with a friend she knows to scan and register that she's there. Eldest doesn't go anywhere without me, so I'm not worried that she wouldn't be notified, but would just be nice to know whether she's breaking any rules by not signing in herself, as she'd be uncomfortable with that.

Just to be pedantic, in England it is not a 'must' that you use the app to check in, just that over 16s must leave contact details.

The app isn't fit for purpose. There was a thread on here a few months ago where someone had downloaded the app and it had instantly told her to isolate for x number of days. The phone can't store exposure data without the app being on the phone, so it was a physical impossibility that this was correct. Amazingly a significant number of replies told her to isolate anyways even though it was clearly just a glitch in the app. Just delete it and carry on with your life.

The app isn't legally binding, as it's not fit for purpose really. I ended up switching off the contact tracing as during the winter lockdown I got an alert to isolate and I hadn't been anywhere, aside from walking outside, I'm assuming it was a neighbour through the wall so ignored it.

@NotSorry

PP's are saying delete the app, but what do people do when they go to a restaurant (for example) and the restaurant is saying to check in with the NHS app (if they have deleted it)

Use the other non NHS QR code offered or comparison of paper form (though to be honest, most places I go to don’t offer either (or the NHS app)

You would think that the whole household would have to self isolate. The rules are madness and I feel for you OP. All the best for you.

@CousinKrispy

I don't know if it's the same situation, but when I was self-isolating for 14 days prior to surgery a few months ago, the NHS told me I could keep doing the school run (obvs avoiding other people) as I'm a single parent.

I was told the opposite before my DD's operation 8 weeks ago. I wasn't allowed out in the car to give a child a lift to school or anywhere, and it was irrelevant if I stayed in the car and had no contact with anyone. I'm a single parent. I thought it was a bit senseless - I was in a car with a member of my household and not getting out. But that's what I was told.

We were told to turn the app contact tracing off as work on a ward and have covid contact. It’s too much to remember to keep turning it on and off so I leave it off.
I do check in to places and I do keep my distance where possible, masks and am fully vaccinated.

But the amount of people I know who say they’ve not been close enough to people for the amount of time needed to be a risk and the app has told them to isolate for anything from 1 to 10 ten days shows it’s not exactly working in a timely manner or is very effective.

Pop a mask on OP, and walk/drive your child to school, but just ensure you keep your 2 meters distance from anyone else. Absolute madness to do anything else when the majority of people out and about neither observe social distancing, nor do they wear masks when inside anywhere.

@RichardMarxisinnocent

It won't be someone who checked into the same restaurant, that's not what check-ins are for. It will be someone who has named you as close contact.

I own a cafe, the whole point of track and trace is if anyone tests positive and they have been in your premises, everyone signed in on that day or within a time scale gets told to isolate. It is almost definitely not someone you have been in contact with just you have been in the same building.

Another vote here for turning it off going forward. I was notified that I had to isolate and I had literally seen no one - work from home, shopping delivered but I hadn't even taken it in and a walk in the country where we didn't even see anyone to say hello to.

I never installed the app in the first place.

I've also been out to eat (sitting outdoors) every week since hospitality re-opened and I've never once been asked for my details. The tables all have the QR code on them but nobody checks whether you've checked in and there's no paper log.

I've eaten indoors too, and although they ask "have you checked in?" there's nobody checking to make sure you're telling the truth.

The whole thing is a farce and a total waste of time/money.

I think it’s still useful isn’t it? It’s just that common sense needs to be applied. If we have been in close contact - then we restrict everything that we can, but schools runs or essential things are OK.

Also - think it is airborne. It’s probably not a good idea to go to a restaurant or meet up with unvaccinated aunt with diabetes for 10 days. However walking a child into the door of the school with a mask on and leaving promptly is not going to expose them to high risk.

Think... passing this onto to others involves

15 minutes, unmasked talking close outside, or unmasked inside any distance in a room. So quick pop into a shop with a mask = OK. 30 minutes talking to granny in her living room = not ok.

@cupsofcoffee

I never installed the app in the first place.

I've also been out to eat (sitting outdoors) every week since hospitality re-opened and I've never once been asked for my details. The tables all have the QR code on them but nobody checks whether you've checked in and there's no paper log.

I've eaten indoors too, and although they ask "have you checked in?" there's nobody checking to make sure you're telling the truth.

The whole thing is a farce and a total waste of time/money.

I’d say 90% of places have asked me to check in and shown me the QR code to do so before you enter. Some outdoor tables have the code on the table and yes not always likely people would but that’s up to them.

Evening all and thanks for the replies - I found out yesterday that the guy who lives above me (and his balcony is also directly above mine) tested positive for Covid yesterday following a test on the 9th. We can see each other's phones on Bluetooth so I am almost certain that's why my phone pinged. I called the test and trace people and they also said it was very likely that's what's happened but still advised me to self isolate!

I've done a massive Sainsbury's shop which is coming later so I have no reason to step into a shop this week and I won't visit or meet anyone just in case. I think I would feel too guilty.

Oh and I did a lateral flow test earlier and it was negative.

The opinion on whether to have the app on contact tracing or not seems divided although having spoken to a few friends about it I was met with the following responses "oh, my one is broken"; "I've switched my Bluetooth off"; and "just ignore it and carry on as normal it's a load of bollox".

Sigh!

@Yellowbrickrobe

Drive to school and let them walk in themselves? Shouldn’t be someone in a restaurant surely as you should have been over two metres apart?

The Delta variant is circulating between people who are distancing. Bear in mind there was a thread on here quite recently by someone calling themselves "wewillnotcomply" boasting that they were at a friend's house, (BBQ or some social event). No masks, no distancing. All it takes is for one such person to contract and carry this, and every single person they come into contact with is at risk. Every single person. Which is why "Do whatever you think is best" doesn't work.

The whole thing is a farce and a total waste of time/money. Whilst I agree it’s badly run, please don’t throw the good away with the bad. It’s still part of the holey cheese model.

Each slice of cheese has it’s vulnerabilties to let in Covid. Like the holes in slices of cheese.
But a lot of slices together makes Covid much less likely to spread. Every small thing we can do does make a collective difference.

Also 2 metres apart in a restaurant inside is not scientific. Inside a room unmasked for hour or so will mean that most of the room will be at risk.

It’s still useful to keep apart but it is airborne.

I’d say 90% of places have asked me to check in and shown me the QR code to do so before you enter. Some outdoor tables have the code on the table and yes not always likely people would but that’s up to them.

I've never seen anyone use the outdoor QR codes lol, and I go out for meals most weeks now restrictions have lifted.

I don't have the app and have zero intention of getting it. I'm self-employed and can't afford to be off work because Sue next door tested positive last week.

@Rejoiningperson

I think it’s still useful isn’t it? It’s just that common sense needs to be applied. If we have been in close contact - then we restrict everything that we can, but schools runs or essential things are OK.

Also - think it is airborne. It’s probably not a good idea to go to a restaurant or meet up with unvaccinated aunt with diabetes for 10 days. However walking a child into the door of the school with a mask on and leaving promptly is not going to expose them to high risk.

Think... passing this onto to others involves

15 minutes, unmasked talking close outside, or unmasked inside any distance in a room. So quick pop into a shop with a mask = OK. 30 minutes talking to granny in her living room = not ok.

It *is airborne. Always has been. People who declare they've been to cafes/eating places every week/regularly at this point beggar belief.

"But they wouldn't be open if it wasn't safe..."

Oh yes, they would.

@Rejoiningperson

The whole thing is a farce and a total waste of time/money. Whilst I agree it’s badly run, please don’t throw the good away with the bad. It’s still part of the holey cheese model.

Each slice of cheese has it’s vulnerabilties to let in Covid. Like the holes in slices of cheese.
But a lot of slices together makes Covid much less likely to spread. Every small thing we can do does make a collective difference.

Well, I won't be installing the app regardless of what benefits people try and persuade me that it has.