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Original poster

How do you feel about testing/isolation ending?

488 replies

Usernumber5253747293 · 19/02/2022 20:16

If it happens ^

I was speaking to a relative earlier and I was saying how glad I will be when and if all the isolation and testing rules end. It's not that I don't take covid seriously, because we really have. I spent nearly 2 years being so anxious about getting to catching it and being fine!! I know not everyone gets away with it's so mildly but my experience of covid wasn't too bad at all!

Anyway, both dc have sen. Isolation periods have been hard (Dd has had covid twice) m, holding down to test them has been hard, waiting for test results etc. I can't bloody wait to feel like I don't have to anymore. We all had covid in December. The isolation period was hell, far worse than the actual illness. My dc were climbing the walls! Dc had barely any symptoms really and found the isolation hard.

Of course if dc were ill I'd keep them off until better as I would have before covid. I've always kept my kids away from people when germy.

My relative is moaning about all the rules ending and how it will spread it! Which is ironic as they were very poorly last month with covid symptoms and didn't test or isolate but that's another story 😅

I just feel people should use their common sense. If you feel ill, stay home. If you have to go out when ill don't go too close to people, wash your hands and practise good respiratory hygiene!

It's a good thing right? Surely I'm not the only one waiting ever so patiently for any announcement over it 😅

OP posts:
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halfpastthree · 20/02/2022 00:12

Given how cruel and draconian the rules are (house arrest for accidentally catching something) I was surprised they didn't end last Spring after they'd vaccinated groups 1-9.

Shadeelane · 20/02/2022 00:13

Yeah can't wait to be surrounded by covid positive kids in a tiny classroom. Plenty of young, fit and healthy staff at my school have been ill/left with lasting symptoms so no, not massively looking forward to it. I get that we can't do this forever and I don't know what the answer is other than hang fire til April maybe.

It's alright saying stay home if you're ill but as anyone who works in a school will tell you, this just doesn't happen. Kids come in full of cold, dodgy stomachs, feeling sick often just before the hols and inevitably you catch it. We had a kid come in on Thursday who really should have been at home in bed. Wonder how many people he passed his cold on to, messing up their holiday plans.

Just before Christmas a kid came in, knowingly covid positive and took out 3 members of staff meaning their Christmas plans were ruined.

It's bollocks. People do not stay at home when they're ill when they're legally required to so why would they if it's not required.

On the other hand it will be nice not to have to worry about plans being ruined because of a positive lateral flow.

I want us to get to this stage, I really do but it just feels a little early.

jellybeans · 20/02/2022 02:04

I think it is a crazy idea.

Florelei · 20/02/2022 04:31

I don’t really know how I feel about it. Yes I think we do have to accept covid is here to stay but I think I would be a lot happier if I could find some scientific evidence that supports this move at this time when cases are still pretty high.

I’m worried about the nhs and it’s capacity to treat non covid patients if hospitalisations rise.

DearlyBeloathed · 20/02/2022 04:36

Very happy.

SpringRainbow · 20/02/2022 04:37

Very mixed.

On a personal level it will be nice not to have to constantly worry about isolation and testing and the impact that has on daily life.

However, I do worry about the potential impact this may have. It’s another very risky gamble that Boris is taking.

luckylavender · 20/02/2022 06:26

@GirlInACountrySong

its time people got back in the workplace....sick of covering for everyone. and the unvaccinated are off monthly! its a joke

its over, the worst of it is behind us

You don't know the worse of this is behind us, nobody does. And it's certainly not over. We need to be cautious.
Using4532 · 20/02/2022 06:28

Yay! I don't test anyway, if I'm feeling ill I stay in.

Mumdiva99 · 20/02/2022 06:33

I'm pleased. We need to get back to normal and live with covid now. Isolation has been worse than the illness (I know some people have been very poorly but most are ok).

Oblomov22 · 20/02/2022 06:33

Pleased.
What shadeelane said about teaching, and kids coming in unwell, was true before covid, and will always be the case.

KatherineJaneway · 20/02/2022 06:39

I'll be glad to be honest. Hopefully masks will go by the summer

UseOfWeapons · 20/02/2022 06:42

Fine.
Not sure what the rules for those of us who work for the NHS will be, we’ll probably still have to test, but if that means being off sick for work, but not having to be confined to the house, that’s fine too. If I was found to be positive through work, I’d still keep away from people, like my elderly parents, but would be able to go out for long walks.

Overthebow · 20/02/2022 07:01

I’m pleased. Time to treat covid like all other illnesses and stay in if you’re feeling very unwell but otherwise go about life as normal. I’m very much looking forward to not having the threat of isolation hanging over me.

TizerorFizz · 20/02/2022 07:16

All these scared teachers who get weeks and weeks of sick pay on full pay! You are no more vulnerable than nhs staff! Or anyone in hospitality or shops. Others have had to work through all of this to pay for people on way better terms and conditions than they are and who got full pay whether they worked or not. My local council more or less sent everyone home on full pay and in many cases shut up shop! In fact one member of staff moved abroad but allegedly kept working. No one knew they had gone! Now refuses to come to meetings! So it’s about time normality returns and backlogs of work are tackled without the covid excuse. I’m sick of hearing it.,

RichTeaRichTea · 20/02/2022 07:38

I am relieved. The isolation rules are intended to stop spread of cases, but they are not currently doing so. When (at a national level) the negative impact of isolating is greater than the negative impact of covid then it is pointless.

VikingOnTheFridge · 20/02/2022 07:45

@LilyPond2

I believe that dropping the requirement to isolate if you actually have Covid is a step too far. Even if people want to do the right thing and avoid contact with others when they have Covid, the reality is that many employers will force people into work with Covid if employees only have cold symptoms themselves. Teachers could be exposed to particularly high viral loads if half the class has Covid but most are in because they have mild symptoms.
People are already being forced into work when they have covid, because of inadequate sick pay. That isn't a new thing.
user1487194234 · 20/02/2022 07:49

Absolutely delighted

nether · 20/02/2022 07:50

I think it should have been isolate for 48 hours, or until 24 hours after your temperature returns to normal whichever is longer.

That puts it as less onerous than for may other notifiable diseases, but still means the most infectious people are far less likely to be in proximity of the vulnerable.

I'm concerned about the reduction in testing because it means we would be less able to spot a new variant early. But there does seem to be some sort of arrangement for sentinel testing, and as the current guidelines say that the critically vulnerable should have all visitors test, if people do log their results it might also be possible to track increases that way (though not variant)

The emergency legislation is due for renewal next month.

This isn't happening based on NHS support or scientific consensus (as neither exists). It's to save Boris who knows he's finished if new measures pass only with Labour support.

Starmer appears to think abolitionism is premature, and I think he's right

Barrawarra · 20/02/2022 07:52

In scotland so rules are not looking likely to change as swiftly. I feel mixed about the prospect. Delighted that we don’t need to test or isolate the kids mainly. They have colds constantly and it’s just not fair on them to have to test all the time. If they got those lollipop style tests id be happier. But equally I would still worry and feel guilty about passing it on to people, just like I do with other bugs.

RichTeaRichTea · 20/02/2022 07:54

“It’s to save Boris”

I’m sure, but even if I don’t support him one bit (and I don’t) I can still agree with this decision, for different reasons to the ones he is using

FourChimneys · 20/02/2022 07:55

Happy that most people will have more freedom, it really is time to move on.

As someone who is CEV and having been told the antiviral drugs may have little effect if I become ill I am feeling slightly concerned.

TizerorFizz · 20/02/2022 07:59

@nether
Omicron came from South Africa. A variant can start anywhere. From what I’ve read the severity of future variants could well be less severe. Rate of spread can be great but ability to kill is less. So we cannot hide away forever. Ill people shouldn’t work. Some cannot afford not to work.

I don’t know anyone vulnerable. My DM is very elderly. She wants a life and so does every older person I know. They don’t have the time left to be cooped up and scared any longer!

ihearttc · 20/02/2022 08:09

I’ve not been overly worried about Covid the entire time and I honestly thought I’d be relieved by this but I’m a TA and the thought of being in a classroom surrounded by lots of Covid positive kids is actually really scary.

nether · 20/02/2022 08:11

[quote TizerorFizz]@nether
Omicron came from South Africa. A variant can start anywhere. From what I’ve read the severity of future variants could well be less severe. Rate of spread can be great but ability to kill is less. So we cannot hide away forever. Ill people shouldn’t work. Some cannot afford not to work.

I don’t know anyone vulnerable. My DM is very elderly. She wants a life and so does every older person I know. They don’t have the time left to be cooped up and scared any longer![/quote]
Yes, and Kent brewed up here.

And there is no evolutionary imperative for covid to become milder.

It is infectious before symptoms, so it doesn't matter whether or how quickly it kills its host as it's already moved on.

Future variants could go either way

And just because you dint currently know anyone who is young and highly vulnerable doesn't mean they don't exist. Everyone with cancer for a start

sunflower1993 · 20/02/2022 08:11

Quite frankly: absolutely petrified for the vulnerable people who are still dying every day.

I'm also concerned, as a secondary school teacher they have taken away our right to WFH as of September 2021.

I will be working until 35 weeks pregnant, surrounded by children who may or may not be positive when the NHS guidelines tell me it's dangerous for my pregnancy and that I'm vulnerable Confused