Non vaxxed friend refusing to isolate (close contact)

[Watermelontonic]

They’ve been contacted by track and trace as they have been identified as a close contact as someone who has just tested positive.

He says he’ll just take LFTs for 7 days, same as vaccinated people.
He’s self employed, so he’ll lose money if he isolates for 10 days.

I wish he hadn’t told me, as I know now that he’s breaking the law and not sure what to do.

What would you do?

I would do absolutely nothing.

Unless you can explain why a lateral flow test can be trusted to allow a person who has actually had covid out of isolation after 5 days, but a lateral flow is not trusted to let someone out who has only been in contact?

The vaccines in my opinion are amazing and stop people getting seriously ill. As for reducing transmission, I'm not convinced

I have been contacted by track and trace this week. I am a close contact (my son) but the text clearly says I do not have to self isolate, just take lateral flows for 7 days and isolate if I test positive. Is he in England? Because if he is, he is doing what he has been told. Also the test and trace didn't ask my vax status.

Send him this:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/test-and-trace-support-payment-scheme-claiming-financial-support/claiming-financial-support-under-the-test-and-trace-support-payment-scheme

Obvs he can’t keep working and claim it though!

@AnEpisodeOfEastenders

The non-vax have had long enough, if they’re not worried then why should you be?

I hate this. Some people are CEV or have CEV relatives. My adult DS would love to go back to normal but can't. I doubt he'll ever be allowed out for more than his 10 minute walk for the rest of his life.

I hate this. Some people are CEV or have CEV relatives. My adult DS would love to go back to normal but can't
If it was ONLY unvaccinated transmitting covid then you'd have a point but as the vaccines have done very little to reduce transmission, especially of Omicron, then you don't at all

I personally wouldn’t do anything, he won’t be the first and he won’t be the last.

This is probably more common than we would like to think.

The list of medical reasons not to be vaccinated is extremely limited. I appreciate end of life care means vaccination is of little benefit but examples where the recipient may be distressed during the process is surely a short term sacrifice for the longer term benefits? There is only one real excuse not to be vaccinated and that’s selfishness.

Don't do anything. Mind your own business. Carry on with your day.

@AnEpisodeOfEastenders

The list of medical reasons not to be vaccinated is extremely limited. I appreciate end of life care means vaccination is of little benefit but examples where the recipient may be distressed during the process is surely a short term sacrifice for the longer term benefits? There is only one real excuse not to be vaccinated and that’s selfishness.

In your opinion

@AnEpisodeOfEastenders I agree it is selfish as in thinking of oneself. I havent been vaxxed because i dont want to be and i dont want to take the risk of blood clots etc. The only person i am beholden to is myself. Im not here to keep you or anyone else 'safe', surely you trust the vaccine to do that anyway dont you? These self righteous posts are maddening. Get on with your lives and mind your own bloody business and we would all be a lot happier in life.

I'd tell him you're a massive dickhead who isn't really a friend and he should be very careful about what he tells you in the future as you're very untrustworthy. Protect him from you.

Then maybe have a think about what's gone so wrong in your head that you'd consider reporting a friend for working and trying to keep himself afloat.

The problem with this is that most vaccinated people still get the virus and pass it on. The rules are to punish the unvaccinated or to reward the vaccinated. Thankfully the isolation rules are coming to end and hopefully the two tiers society would end soon at least in England.

I'd also do nothing. If he's testing daily, he's unlikely to be a risk. Highly likely at this point that he has some natural immunity anyway

Just to be clear, the whole 'you have to isolate if you're not vaccinated' has nothing to do with protecting the health of others, it's a punishment, to inconvenience and irritate unvaccinated people. Vaccinated people pass on covid as much as unvaccinated people do so there is zero logic for requiring unvaccinated people to isolate but not vaccinated people - it is entirely an annoyance tactic.

[quote Tana433]@AnEpisodeOfEastenders I agree it is selfish as in thinking of oneself. I havent been vaxxed because i dont want to be and i dont want to take the risk of blood clots etc. The only person i am beholden to is myself. Im not here to keep you or anyone else 'safe', surely you trust the vaccine to do that anyway dont you? These self righteous posts are maddening. Get on with your lives and mind your own bloody business and we would all be a lot happier in life.[/quote]
Total agreement - 100%. It's your choice and your risk, I don't care about your choice or reason not to be vaccinated but that choice shouldn't mean others are restricted in what they can do anymore.

This has always been the issue with regards to isolation. People can't afford it. And when they can't afford it they won't do it.

Op I would do nothing in your scenario.

I caught covid from a fully vaccinated person. So personally can't see why the rules are different based on vaccination status. It may reduce transmission but it doesn't stop it.

@WheelieBinPrincess

I guess you could call the Gestapo? They might drive round and put a bag over his head and take him in for ‘questioning’.

Are we no longer just bolting people into their homes? Put the army outside the house as well just to be sure.

@TheChip in my opinion and that of the BMA

www.bma.org.uk/advice-and-support/covid-19/gp-practices/covid-19-toolkit-for-gps-and-gp-practices/covid-19-vaccination-exemptions

[quote AnEpisodeOfEastenders]@TheChip in my opinion and that of the BMA

www.bma.org.uk/advice-and-support/covid-19/gp-practices/covid-19-toolkit-for-gps-and-gp-practices/covid-19-vaccination-exemptions[/quote]
They don't claim that those who don't get vaccinated are selfish.

They just do a great job at making sure that only those who are either about to die or are likely to die from that jab itself, are exempt.
Even the one about distress is questionable because people like you claim that the distress is only short lived, so people should just soldier through it. Otherwise, they will be classed as selfish, too.

Basically, you get the shot or you're a dick. Doesn't matter what concerns or worries you may have personally. Well in my opinion, peoples concerns and worries do still matter and shouldn't be dismissed so easily and have them labelled as selfish.

@AnEpisodeOfEastenders

The list of medical reasons not to be vaccinated is extremely limited. I appreciate end of life care means vaccination is of little benefit but examples where the recipient may be distressed during the process is surely a short term sacrifice for the longer term benefits? There is only one real excuse not to be vaccinated and that’s selfishness.

If someone is extremely distressed then no HCP will go near them with needle as it would be too dangerous. Yes, there are limited medical reasons not to be vaccinated but they only apply if you are seeking an exemption. If someone who is not vaccinated is not after an exemption, then they are answerable to no one.

OP - you do nothing. Unless you think you can financially prop up your friend for 10 days.

These are only examples and other conditions may, in the judgement of the clinician, be given as reason to exempt a patient from vaccination and/or testing

From the link.

OP leave your friend alone. He's as likely or unlikely to catch and transmit it as anyone else and £500 is hardly going to cover the loss of ten days work for most people.

Go NC
Call the Police
Offer to cover all his earnings whilst he isolates
Leave him alone

@MaxNormal

These are only examples and other conditions may, in the judgement of the clinician, be given as reason to exempt a patient from vaccination and/or testing

From the link.

It would be interesting to find out what other reasons would be accepted.

It would be interesting to hear peoples reasons not to be vaccinated rather than just CEV.