Track and trace calls, do I have to answer?

[Lovemusic33]

Dd1 and I tested positive a few days ago, they called me to ask about dd1's contacts etc.., I then filled the online stuff in for me so they don't have to call. I have had several missed calls on my phone this morning and a answer phone message asking me to answer their calls. I'm busy trying to look after the dcs whilst feeling unwell myself, the phone calls and the emails are getting really annoying. We haven't been in close contact with many people (2 relatives) and can't remember what days we popped to tesco etc.. so there's nothing else to really tell them, the 2 people we were on contact with have tested. I really want to be left alone and not checked up on, dd1 has been quite unwell and when I can I try and get a bit of sleep, I don't want to be woken by them calling me to check I'm OK. Can I just ignore the calls?

If it were me I’d answer and say very politely but curtly, “I’m poorly, I’ve done what you asked, I’m poorly, staying at home for the 10 days and need to be left alone to look after myself and my poorly child”.
And hang up. At least you’d then be down on record as having answered.
Hope you feel better.

Digressing slightly but this whole thing puts me off getting pcrs tbh.
I am doing lateral flows, if I get a positive one I’ll assume I’m positive, stay at home, letting everyone know who needs to know.

@Lovemusic33

Also dd2's test has come back negative but she has a snotty nose, she's 15 and school have said she can go in. I'm testing her daily with the LFT bit mine was negative but my PCR positive, im worried the LFT isn't accurate, do I still send her in? It's all so confusing.

Why don't you ask the person on the phone about this? Surely its the perfect opportunity.

The thing is, they call to make sure you are isolating but what if folk say yes I am when in actual fact they aren’t?
Not saying I would do that, I had covid last year and I remember all the calls, very annoying but really you could tell them anything and they will just take your word for it

@Frazzled2207 I wish I didn't have to do a pcr test as my lateral flows was positive. Unfortunately many work places refuse to accept lateral flows and make you get a pcr or they won't pay you sick pay.

HungryHippo, I did ask yesterday and they said if her test negative to send her to school because thats the new rules.

Ignore and block the numbers

[quote ShaneTheThird]@Frazzled2207 I wish I didn't have to do a pcr test as my lateral flows was positive. Unfortunately many work places refuse to accept lateral flows and make you get a pcr or they won't pay you sick pay.[/quote]
Fair point. I wfh anyway so fortunately would make no difference to me but I get that some employers need “proof”. And it makes sense, given that I think you can fake lft positives with fruit juice!

Agree with pp block number if it is getting too much. I say that as some one who otherwise follows the rules religiously.

I blocked them - household of 6 who all got covid over a period of two weeks. It got to the point of 10 calls a day (which I answered with the exception of the one where I was in the loo!). They were trying to ring me when I was already on the phone to them! At that point I blocked them. I was feeling far too ill to be dealing with it.

That level of calls from any other person or organisation would be considered harassment.

They even tried to reset the isolation period for those who were about to come out of isolation having tested positive for covid because the system doesn't join up those contacts already in the household who have tested positive. Told me I would have to ring 119 to get them to sort it. I told them to jog on, then blocked.

I have not had anyone coming knocking on my door or anything and was following the rules so wasn't worried if they did. I just needed the calls to stop!

I don't see why you can't just answer the phone, is it really such a big deal to say hi, yes we are isolating. They could probably advise what to do with your other daughter to.

@Autumngoldleaf

All the user names there is no way id get my ill dh to do that they can come in!

Op I'm confused about your second child.

For us as soon as dd + confirmed, we all booked pcr. Negative and do lat flows every day.

We can all still be + and shedding the virus at schools and work but just don't have enough virus.

Sadly, I’m horrifically obedient to authoritative figures. They knocked on the door, I said “I’m sorry I can’t answer the door, we’re isolating” They said “yes we know. We need to see MrUsernames” I said “he’s in bed. He’s really not well” “Which window is it? We need to make sure we’ve seen him”

So I went and helped him to the window and then put him back in bed.

I filled out the evaluation form at the end and said how awful it was to pester and hound ill people in this way.

The stupid thing is, they don’t even know if that was my husband or not. We could have not been isolating and had visitors over. I could have an adult son. It could have been any male waving to them from the window. Bloody stupid.

We got calls every day when we travelled to an amber country in July. They literally read at speed from a script giving us the symptoms of covid to look out for (as if anyone didn't know after 18 months of this crap) and telling us not to go to the GP or A&E if we got symptoms etc etc.
I answered it, put it on speaker phone on the work top and just carried on with what I was doing until they finished and then hung up

No of course you don’t have to answer
You don’t have to do anything that isn’t underwritten by LAW

@AllTheUsernamesAreAlreadyTaken
I’d have told them to piss off
They are just feeding off peoples fear

They were V annoying when my son had Covid - called at least four times to speak to him and he was very poorly. They also called early on a Sunday morning....not impressed!!

Well I answered, by running up stairs to get a signal, the call was to check on me, told them I was fine and didn’t plan on escaping. Ten minutes later the phone goes again 😡, I didn’t answer. Guessing it was the exact same call for dd1 even though I told them during my call that dd1 was ok and isolating in her room.

When we all had covid in February we had so many calls, and 3 lots on mine as obviously I was down as a contact for the children. We were all poorly, my husband significantly so. The calls all came at 8am. I wasn't particularly pleased!

My phone is set to send any numbers not in my contacts straight to voicemail so they would have to be content to leave a voicemail message on my case.

If they left a number to call back on I would probably do so.

I work for test and trace in wales and we don't call positive cases if they've filled in the online form. The only time I've rung positive cases (I only usually speak to contacts of positive cases) is if someone phone number isn't working or to try and find out more information if someone doesn't think they are a contact.
They really shouldn't be ringing you all the time if you're positive.
A tip for anyone filling in the online form - put a DOB for any contacts if you know it, and individual phone numbers even if they all live in the same house as you (if they're over 16)

It’s not a long phone call. I think if you persistently ignore and they have the manpower they might send someone from the council round to check on you. I get it’s annoying though - and the most pointless thing as you could answer the call and then go out, I don’t even want to know how much money is being wasted paying for these phone calls. And weird - the ones who phoned me didn’t go off script at all, it was like talking to robots. But as I said, short enough, so not a big deal even though I was feeling like shit. But I never answered before lunchtime. Calling at 7.30 when you’re ill and can’t leave the house so have nothing to get up and ready for is massively taking the piss IMO.

The thing is, they call to make sure you are isolating but what if folk say yes I am when in actual fact they aren’t?

Well exactly. I understand one phone call at the beginning to clarify isolation days and point you in the right direction for information, maybe identify someone who is vulnerable stuck at home. But then I had two more phone calls before my isolation was over and they were all exactly the same. They just read the same script, and it was just a little bit creepy actually the way they read it out like they’d been hypnotised by someone. Calling doesn’t prevent someone leaving the house and people don’t need reminding 3 times in a week when their isolation finishes. Such a waste of money and resources, it’s sickening.

Shocking waste of resources. What happens if they phone and someone is obviously out, say in a trains station or something? Or you say No I'm not isolating?

We have to read off a script lol

Peppamintea. I had the same same problem. Hold hold of six tested positive, 4 children. I had to do a separate phonecall for each lasting 40mins each even though with it being the summer holiday we had been together all the time. I had about 40 missed calls the first day mainly as I was already on the phone to them, while being incredibly suck with young children to look after. This isnt mentioning the amount of texts and emails I also got (loads).

My sister got 27 phonecalls as my meet her the day before, theres three of them so 6 x 3 phonecalls for each of us. Even before they called she had already had a pcr test and result back.

There calls pushed me to a crying fit as it was so stressful. The system is ot fit for purpose. I told them I couldn't take it any more and I would be blocking them as I need to look after myself and sick children, instead of doing what seemed to now e a full time call centre job

How the hell do they know whether you're isolating or not when they ring you? You could be anywhere! We've not had a landline for over 15 years, just use mobiles.