Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

Pinged by app while on holiday what to do

153 replies

YellowSunshineSky · 26/07/2021 12:23

I'm with DH and kids. We're currently staying with DHs mum (arrived yesterday). Due to go and stay in a cottage near my mum tomorrow so we can visit her.

Then due to go on a holiday on way back on the 30th with a DC from another family joining us.

Just had a notification from the app saying I've been in contact with someone who's tested positive and to isolate until the 31st.

I've not been in close contact with anyone, just been in services to the loo yesterday on way up and in a shop this morning. Both times I stayed well away from people.

DH is out with his mum and so I can't yet discuss with him.

What would you do in this situation? My options are:

  • Give up on holiday and go home, go to other bit of holiday on 31st
  • Go to first cottage tomorrow but isolate there (do the rest of my family isolate too or just me as I got pinged?)
  • Ignore the app as I haven't been in close contact with anyone

We have LFT tests with us but they're in the car with DH. All four of us tested negative yesterday morning on those.

OP posts:
muddyford · 27/07/2021 18:05

Delete the app.

Thelittleweasel · 27/07/2021 18:06

@YellowSunshineSky

We were on holiday and on return I was pinged. To isolate three days so contact must have taken place when we were driving up. [South West to North West]. My beloved was with me at all times and at no time were we within 2 metres of anybody for 15 minutes +. My beloved was not pinged! I am afraid that I do not believe thi thing and will keep my phone off when travelling

Youneverknowwhatyourgonnaget · 27/07/2021 18:07

Ignore and delete

Anastar23 · 27/07/2021 18:08

The app pinging you isn’t enforceable by law, only a recommendation. If you get a letter or call from 119 then it’s a legal requirement.

AgrippinaT · 27/07/2021 18:09

Delete the app. And have a great holiday.

Hallyup6 · 27/07/2021 18:21

Delete the app and carry on. It's all getting ridiculous now.

Barmychick · 27/07/2021 18:32

You've risk assessed so make your decision accordingly.

user1492450936 · 27/07/2021 18:32

You could be pinged without having any contact - imagine parkin and leaving your phone in the car. Someone parks next to your car and leaves there phone behind - Ping!!
Second scenario - you're in a traffic jam for 15 mins. You get pinged because the car in front has someone who tested positive
The whole pinging thing is ridiculous

GettingItOutThere · 27/07/2021 18:33

delete the app, do some LFT daily !! and go enjoy your holidays

pollymere · 27/07/2021 18:46

I know someone who got a positive PCR then got a call to say actually it was negative. Caused an entire school year and various teachers to isolate for two days. I dread to think how many app pings there were from it. It can all be that you've been in the same location as someone but no where near them. I didn't have to isolate when I could prove I'd not been within two metres of the person. It's a tough call. I'd probably go to the cottage and do LFT with a view you'll be fine on 30th if it's negative.

altiara · 27/07/2021 19:00

My work said we can go in if pinged but only to isolate if contacted by test and trace.

caringcarer · 27/07/2021 19:02

If you have children the chances are they have not had vaccine. I know 3 children who got if from their Dad but they were all really ill with it. One was asthmatic and had to go to hospital. She was 12. I would isolate from your children and let DH take them out. I would just stay in bedroom but DH would have to.bink up with kids. What bad luck.

Blueink · 27/07/2021 19:03

Order a test, your family don’t have to isolate if you have a negative PCR (lateral flow not sufficient)

Forstarters · 27/07/2021 19:09

In about 2 weeks time you wouldn’t even need to isolate. Don’t give up a holiday for the spurious app. Delete. Enjoy

Hopelesscase32 · 27/07/2021 19:24

Delete the bloody app for gods sake.. So many people are getting worked up over this stupid thing when it's been proved so many times it's unreliable

Hertsgirl10 · 27/07/2021 19:24

Just delete that app. Did you not see the euro final? The government doesn’t care anymore clearly, don’t ruin your holiday.

HummingBeeBox · 27/07/2021 19:32

I got pinged because my positive neighbour was the other side of the wall. Bonkers

Bard6817 · 27/07/2021 19:34

Uninstall the app, ignore the ping.

User56439876 · 27/07/2021 19:46

I'm baffled that anyone has still got this app, the only thing I can think is that people put it on their phone and have forgotten it is there until they get pinged

Unsure33 · 27/07/2021 19:50

Don’t delete the app

But as you have worked out you were not in close contact do a few LFT. Just to make sure .

Apparently about 1/3 of people pinged do end up getting covid so it is still saving spread even if everyone who gets pinged does test .themselves .

Unsure33 · 27/07/2021 19:53

It’s not bonkers just read up on the gov uk site how it works .

It explains everything.

The fact is that the op was in the vicinity of someone with covid and even if they were in the next room they may still have spread the virus on surfaces or in the air so it has allowed her to test to make sure .

cptartapp · 27/07/2021 19:54

RIsk v benefit. Ignore and delete.

warmandtoasty2day · 27/07/2021 19:57

i wouldn't isolate but then i don't have the app either.

Jmaho · 27/07/2021 20:00

@Unsure33

Don’t delete the app

But as you have worked out you were not in close contact do a few LFT. Just to make sure .

Apparently about 1/3 of people pinged do end up getting covid so it is still saving spread even if everyone who gets pinged does test .themselves .

Do you have any evidence of this? A third is a lot
User56439876 · 27/07/2021 20:02

The third is from test and trace of known contacts and the app combined so the app may be just a small percentage of the third