Isolation - going for a walk

[OrangeSunset]

Myself and a few other members of my family tested positive over the past week. It was pretty horrid but feeling on the mend now.

In terms of the rest of isolation, I’m interested in views on whether it would be ok to go for a walk. Context is, we live in a village where we can walk out the door, down the road and over the fields. We may encounter one or two other people, but it would be easy to cross the road/move to another path etc.

Obviously we are sticking to the rules - no visitors, not left the house for shops/work or anything else involving others. But, I feel it’s important for us as we recover to get some gentle exercise and fresh air, especially now the clocks have changed. I can feel the rot setting in, mentally and physically, from sitting around inside all day.

However, the rules on the NHS self isolate page say do not go out to exercise.

Given our circumstances, I’m interested in how many people would take a view that it’s logically no risk to others to take a walk.

Do you not have a garden?

I had to isolate for nearly 3 weeks as I was the last of the family to catch the bloody thing, I stayed home and paced the garden like a caged tiger. It was boring and frustrating but it was the law.

At the beginning of the pandemic (the first lockdown) the rules initially stated that you could leave the house for exercise even if you had Covid/were isolating, which we took full advantage of (well, not DH; he wasn't very well). They changed some time in April 2020. Not sure why, but I suspect public perception rather than scientific basis....

@thewhatsit

But what if you fall, hurt yourself, get hit by a car. Then you have other people helping you whilst you have Covid. This just gives me so many horrible flashbacks to 2020 when people made out that if you left the house or went in the car you would almost certainly have some kind of terrible accident (murderer!!!). One MN comment I remember so horribly horribly well was that you might “fall into a rut”. It would have been comical if it weren’t just so sad. I remember myself that I didn’t leave my own home/garden for so long in the first lockdown that when I took the bins out and decided to stray a few metres out into the road as some kind of pathetic attempt for freedom, a police car and ambulance happened to roar past at the same time with sirens roaring and I actually ran back into the front garden CRYING because I felt like I’d almost been caught doing something wrong.

This is the main reason people I know who have tested positive on a lft don't bother with a pcr. They isolate at home and go for walks (countryside here) without track and trace people knowing This is what these laws lead to. I can’t get my head wrapped around the fact that testing when appropriate is considered a good thing / your civic duty but then once positive you basically become a criminal.

But the poster has Covid, this is not about being too scared to leave your house or overreacting. They are actively unwell and even if they don't feel too bad, anyone they pass it on to could be very poorly.

Don't twist my point. The OP has to isolate.

We did, live in similar rural village, we have 2 dogs that need walking. Went out at times when other people generally aren’t out & chose least popular route to fields. Most times I saw no one, if I did I kept well away or chose a different route. Only did one walk a day rather than normal 2

@naughtyfurballs

At the beginning of the pandemic (the first lockdown) the rules initially stated that you could leave the house for exercise even if you had Covid/were isolating, which we took full advantage of (well, not DH; he wasn't very well). They changed some time in April 2020. Not sure why, but I suspect public perception rather than scientific basis....

I really don't remember that, are you sure? I was ill in the March and had to isolate. No walks etc allowed.

Yes go for it. Maybe early evening or early morning though

Just go! I popped out to get petrol during my isolation because it was in the middle of the shortage I heard they had some at our local station.

@thewhatsit

But what if you fall, hurt yourself, get hit by a car. Then you have other people helping you whilst you have Covid. This just gives me so many horrible flashbacks to 2020 when people made out that if you left the house or went in the car you would almost certainly have some kind of terrible accident (murderer!!!). One MN comment I remember so horribly horribly well was that you might “fall into a rut”. It would have been comical if it weren’t just so sad. I remember myself that I didn’t leave my own home/garden for so long in the first lockdown that when I took the bins out and decided to stray a few metres out into the road as some kind of pathetic attempt for freedom, a police car and ambulance happened to roar past at the same time with sirens roaring and I actually ran back into the front garden CRYING because I felt like I’d almost been caught doing something wrong.

This is the main reason people I know who have tested positive on a lft don't bother with a pcr. They isolate at home and go for walks (countryside here) without track and trace people knowing This is what these laws lead to. I can’t get my head wrapped around the fact that testing when appropriate is considered a good thing / your civic duty but then once positive you basically become a criminal.

I mean, that’s slightly dramatic but okay

@naughtyfurballs

At the beginning of the pandemic (the first lockdown) the rules initially stated that you could leave the house for exercise even if you had Covid/were isolating, which we took full advantage of (well, not DH; he wasn't very well). They changed some time in April 2020. Not sure why, but I suspect public perception rather than scientific basis....

Oh dear you are wrong

You absolutely had to completely isolate if you tested positive for covid

The change that happened was that the isolation period increased from 7 to 10 days early on in the first lockdown

Don't twist my point. The OP has to isolate.

No the point is that going outside for a 20 minute walk over some woodland is not putting others at extra risk and that we’ve had a year and a half of “but you might have a fall outside and need to call 999!” when it doesn’t actually make much sense? What are the odds of needing emergency help because of a short walk? 1 in tens of thousands I’d imagine, if not more. Accidents happen in the home more than they happen outside so just by having COVID you are putting others at risk just by living.
It would be helpful if someone could actually explain why going on a short, deserted walk is actually dangerous. More dangerous than things like drinking alcohol at home, making a cup of tea with boiling water, running on a treadmill at home when you could fall…?

I think there has to be a balance. If you have active Covid, even if well, I don’t think it’s a huge hardship to avoid a walk unless you have other factors in your life. I know there are people with mental health problems who would be even more mentally unwell at home for 10 days so I don’t think it’s black and white. Being super bored and fed up isn’t on the same level.

It’s ten days. Not a lifetime. Use your garden.

You know what I wouldn't do is post on here to ask. I'd make a decision and I'd do it. Not invite a kicking from sanctimonious randoms!

I guess this is partly why there are so many cases.

It isn’t just asymptomatic transmission but people who know they actually have covid still going out and about.

I was climbing the walls waiting for my isolation period to end.
I wouldn't have gone out before it ended.
I done a LFT on day 7 and it was still positive day 9 was negative.

The change that happened was that the isolation period increased from 7 to 10 days early on in the first lockdown No, it was 14 days if positive down to 10 days (now). Down to 10 only happened very late in 2020.

I really don't see the harm in going for a rural walk where you can keep well away from others so I would in your situation. The crazy situation we have of allowing members of household positive homes to go about mixing with everyone else makes me put things like this into perspective.

Just don't answer the phone to test and trace if your out on a walk 😂 If you don't answer at home they don't send the police instantly. You are allowed to wee/ poo/ shower / sleep/ be on another call.

I went for walks once well enough, one person did try to get really close to me to talk even though I kept backing away, but literally it was only person I saw out of 5 trips. In fresh air anyway.

I would. As long as you're outside and away from people I don't think there's a risk. You'll probably recover better with exercise. I think we need to change the messaging, a walk outdoors is fine.

I still won't go to gyms or restaurants as ventilation is the issue and I still double mask but outdoors I'm not fussed.

As someone who’s had to isolate more than once ( had Covid and family had it ) if I caught it again and I was well enough I’d go for a walk round the block for a few minutes I don’t see any harm if you a) don’t walk / talk with a friend go alone or with household.
B) don’t think oh I’ll nip to shop/ friends house/ toilet etc .
If you don’t think you can do that stay home .

I would go. I live rurally and would have no problem with not bumping into a soul. I might have second thoughts if people in the area knew I was positive in case they were overly zealous in their attitudes. Some people just love coronavirus and the restrictions and policing other people.

“ Obviously we are sticking to the rules - ”
Not if you go for a walk outside whilst having tested positive for covid.

We did
Rural, in the evening, after dark, walking up a quiet lane with a face covering and touching nothing.

I would