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!

Here is what I posted about the check ins (apologies for typos)

So PHE can identify outbreaks at venues ans send alerts to people who may have been there at the same time as the positive person, advising them they might have been in contact and to ensure they abide by current social distancing guidelines. It's the contact tracing part of the app (which. Am be turned off) which can detect close contact and tell you to self isolate.

If you go into the app, click on about this app, then how this app works, then what the app does, there's lots of info about how each part of the app works and what can happen as a result of them.

[quote SaintVal]@Ostara212 .. I downloaded the app as soon as it came out and believed you had to in order to check into places. Also I thought you would be alerted if you had come into contact with someone who had tested positive - as in someone you knew and had spent a lot of time with (eg socially or work) - not via Bluetooth every time a confirmed case person came into range. [/quote]
And you don't mind this government being able to monitor your every move? Don't you find that a bit sinister?

@Joeblack066 exactly! Also, why assume everyone has a smart phone.

@Tzimi most people aren't tin foil hat wearers, no.

Well at least we now know why the Indian variant is spreading out of control... nobody is self isolating anymore.
All those saying she hasn’t been in contact with someone... how can you be so certain?
There is a possibility she has actually been exposed and could spread it.

When we don’t have all restrictions lifted on 21st or even worse ... end up in another lockdown in Autumn... it is all your faults. Please remember how you advised someone to ignore self isolation advise when you are whining about how you wish covid was over and how you can’t handle the face masks and social distancing anymore.
Covid has not disappeared! I really want my normal life back, I want to go to the theatre, I want to stop wearing a face mask, I want to go on holiday...
So for the love of god ... self isolate if you are told to. Yes it might seem pointless but it also might stop the spreading of the Indian variant.

@LightasaBreeze @Ostara212

Thanks, I haven't noticed them on shops here, just hospitality venues.

[quote DumplingsAndStew]**@LightasaBreeze* @Ostara212*

Thanks, I haven't noticed them on shops here, just hospitality venues.[/quote]
I saw one outside a National Trust plant shop, the outside bit which was a bit odd and then a group of 4 people went past it and spotted it and promptly all got their phones out, discussed it, scanned it and then carried on their way but didn't actually go into the plant shop so some people must use them or just randomly scan QR codes. It was definitely a T&T code, I just thought it was odd it was there.

@Mum2b43

Well at least we now know why the Indian variant is spreading out of control... nobody is self isolating anymore. All those saying she hasn’t been in contact with someone... how can you be so certain? There is a possibility she has actually been exposed and could spread it.

When we don’t have all restrictions lifted on 21st or even worse ... end up in another lockdown in Autumn... it is all your faults. Please remember how you advised someone to ignore self isolation advise when you are whining about how you wish covid was over and how you can’t handle the face masks and social distancing anymore.
Covid has not disappeared! I really want my normal life back, I want to go to the theatre, I want to stop wearing a face mask, I want to go on holiday...
So for the love of god ... self isolate if you are told to. Yes it might seem pointless but it also might stop the spreading of the Indian variant.

You're forgetting that most of us have gone to the trouble of getting vaccinated, many of us twice! What was that for, if you still want to self-isolate? And as you rightly say, no-one can be sure that they havn't been in contact with an infected person anyway..

Just thought I would hop on to say I AM self isolating, in case there was any doubt. I am almost certain my phone pinged because of my poor neighbour but you're right, I can't be 100% sure.

But the app is clearly ineffective when people either aren't using it, have the contact tracing part turned off or they're ignoring the alerts when they get them.

I see Michael Gove was alerted by Test and Trace but is exempt because he's taking part in some sort of PHE daily testing trial.

I am still racking my brain as to whom I've spent at least 15 minutes with at a distance of less than 2 metres, who has since turned positive. I can't think of anyone.

If if were me, I'd get a test done and then assuming it's negative, take child to school but isolate otherwise.

Do your own risk assessment. Be careful

Sorry just read the full thread

If you're at risk due to neighbour above then your son is equally at risk

The fact he doesn't need to isolate is obviously due to not having a smart phone with covid app installed

What a load of tosh

So you may as well do the school run if he's going in every day

The guidance says if you have been told to self isolate due to coming into close contact with someone who has tested positive, but you have no symptoms yourself, then anyone living with you does not need to self-isolate although they need to take extra care with hand washing and reducing contact. I agree, this part seems ridiculous which is why the system is flawed, if indeed, it's the neighbour I've been exposed to.

If it is your neighbour then you are unlikely to be contacted by Test and Trace, the part that you do have to abide by law.

However, let’s just assume your neighbour is definitely the reason why you got the alert.

Then presumably the only reason why your son hasn’t been alerted is because he doesn’t have a phone which has the NHS Covid app with the track and trace feature turned on.

So, the system is flawed, as one of you is isolating when they (arguably) don’t have to. Or one of you isn’t isolating when (arguably) do have to.

This is the main reason why I have the app but have the contact tracing feature turned off.

The app (like many Covid measures) will only properly work it EVERYONE does it. All these half measures and do it if you want to measures are the reason why the Delta Variant has become dominant.

Covid measures only really work if they are compulsory.

If we have learnt one thing during the pandemic, it’s that you really cannot rely on the ‘goodwill’ of the British public.

I am including myself in that as well before anyone jumps on me. I am also only doing the things I ‘have’ to do. I fully admit I am part of the problem.

Perfectly put @MonsterMash2210

I’m in a similar situation childcare wise OP.
I think in your shoes I would get myself a whole bunch of lateral flow tests from the Govt website (or cadge from someone else who has a stockpile) and test myself and DS every morning before school. If negative, take him into school. If positive, neither of you go.

@Rosehip10

If it is an app alert rather than a call from test and trace, I would just do the school run.

Me too the app is not fit for purpose.

Different if for example your colleague that you went for dinner with tested positive and then you were called by a t&t person. In that case you definitely were in close contact with someone and furthermore are legally obliged to comply.

The alert is from the NHS Test and Trace app - I haven't been called by anyone ..

"I am still racking my brain as to whom I've spent at least 15 minutes with at a distance of less than 2 metres, who has since turned positive. I can't think of anyone."

Or any time at all face to face, or within one metre for one minute...

I think pseudo that the test and trace app only alerts you if you have been less than two metres away from the infected for a minimum of 15 minutes ...

@PseudoBadger

"I am still racking my brain as to whom I've spent at least 15 minutes with at a distance of less than 2 metres, who has since turned positive. I can't think of anyone."

Or any time at all face to face, or within one metre for one minute...

It's doing its job then! I think this whole thing is just meant to distract us from thinking about the calamity caused by brexit. Are you aware that the Home Office have been detaining innocent EU travellers in detention centres for days if they are deemed to not have the correct papers? This has been all over the European press, but not reported here at all. If & when travel restrictions are lifted, we may well find some animosity when we want to travel to the EU...

We don't have the app in Scotland.
I use the QR code to check in wherever I eat in. It might work, it might not, I've never been traced through it, but better than nothing.
I've had a T&T phone call for my DC, they were close contacts at childminders, as DC we're young an adult had to self isolate with them but the other adult at home could go about normal business but stay away from rest of family. If they'd been teens the adults could have left them to isolate.
You don't get told who the 'contact' was but if it was really close, like mine, then you'd guess pretty easily.
I wouldn't trust an app that works on Bluetooth contact. If you hadn't been to the post office or shop you'd not even be considering isolating as you'd have known who you stood and chatted to.
Also I haven't seen a retail store with a QR to check in, hospitality - yes. Retail -no and I work in an outlet mall. None of the stores have check ins.
And in reply to PP commenting on stores knowing you're there and offering you service based on previous sales. That does happen now (kind of). If your GPS is on and you enter a store (and it has that technology in action) you will start to receive ads on FB or messages from the website if you signed up to them. Not exactly personalised service but I'm sure it does that sort of thing via your phone.

@Cantstopeatingchocolate

We don't have the app in Scotland. I use the QR code to check in wherever I eat in. It might work, it might not, I've never been traced through it, but better than nothing. I've had a T&T phone call for my DC, they were close contacts at childminders, as DC we're young an adult had to self isolate with them but the other adult at home could go about normal business but stay away from rest of family. If they'd been teens the adults could have left them to isolate. You don't get told who the 'contact' was but if it was really close, like mine, then you'd guess pretty easily. I wouldn't trust an app that works on Bluetooth contact. If you hadn't been to the post office or shop you'd not even be considering isolating as you'd have known who you stood and chatted to. Also I haven't seen a retail store with a QR to check in, hospitality - yes. Retail -no and I work in an outlet mall. None of the stores have check ins. And in reply to PP commenting on stores knowing you're there and offering you service based on previous sales. That does happen now (kind of). If your GPS is on and you enter a store (and it has that technology in action) you will start to receive ads on FB or messages from the website if you signed up to them. Not exactly personalised service but I'm sure it does that sort of thing via your phone.

We do have an app in Scotland. I have it on my phone - Protect Scotland it's called.

@CovoidOfAllHumanity

I've deleted the stupid app now It told my neighbours to self isolate when DH and I had Covid because we have a terraced house and it pinged them through the wall. We had not been in any contact at all and didn't name them as contacts.

If the proper track and trace people contact you to say you are an official contact then I would 100% abide by that despite being vaccinated etc but just the silly app I do not believe that is reliable.

Exactly this... Also when you ‘check in’ to a venue and don’t check in anywhere else that day, it doesn’t ‘check you out’ until midnight! You may go to a coffee shop and be the only person in there for an hour but someone after you may test positive and you’ll get the message to isolate. It’s madness.

Dementedpixie
I had no idea there was even a Scottish one
If it works the same as the England and Wales one, I won't be adding it. I work in retail and my staff room is less than 2 metres away from shop floor. No way I can afford to have it pinging me daily/weekly.

If your phone isn't with you then you'd turn off the contact tracing. Then turn it back on when it was with you.