How do you feel about testing/isolation ending?

[Usernumber5253747293]

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 😅

@containsnuts

I'm curious to know how employers/managers will handle this.

For example, you know that one member of staff has a health complaint, one has caring responsibilities and one is pregnant for example, but another member of staff comes in looking dreadful, sneezing, feverish etc but says they don't want to test or go off sick. Other staff members are concerned. How would you manage that situation? Genuinely interested.

At our work we are told not to come into the office with Covid symptoms or if anyone we live with has Covid. I don't expect that to change any time soon. Fortunately we are geared up for home working, so staying away from the office doesn't mean not working. I can see the situation is a lot trickier where working from home isn't possible.

Frustrated.

Because I live in Scotland where Queen Covid, Saint Nicola is in charge and will not be releasing us from masks in shops or testing until March 2029. At the earliest.

If you mean your family was self-isolating due to actually having Covid, you were not "perfectly healthy ".

We had minimal symptoms and were perfectly well in ourselves. The presence of covid wasn't impacting our health.

Isolation has all the negatives effects of lockdown, just more localised.

@BestKnitterInScotland I hear you.

It's time.

We can't keep living our lives as hostages to fortune, forced to test ourselves on a constant basis for a virus that is mild for most, then isolate in our homes for days on end even if we display no symptoms whatsoever. It should be common sense - if you're ill, stay at home. Workplaces need to be forced to provide sick pay for ALL illnesses until someone is no longer symptomatic. The reality is, it's not just covid that's an issue - stomach bugs can kill vulnerable people, flu can kill vulnerable people, and so on. Pre-pandemic, people were often forced to struggle into work while symptomatic with illnesses that could cause serious harm to others because of shit sick pay. I've had flu twice in my life and been totally wiped out by it for weeks afterwards - both times caught at work from people who came in while ill. This is what needs to change. We need to move away from this being a covid-specific conversation and more of a workplace legislation and societal attitudes towards illness conversation. People need more protection in the workplace and sick pay and parental leave to look after sick kids needs to be better. Until that is sorted, you can put in place all the guidelines you like - but people aren't going to follow them because so many can't afford to.

Covid has become endemic. It's all over the world. We can't stop it. All of the restrictions put in place in various countries, from masks to lockdowns, have done nothing to halt it in its course. The real game changer has been vaccines - which most of the population have now had - so really, we're in a situation now where it's as good as it's going to get. The only missing piece in the puzzle is sick pay. Without changing that you're not going to stop people from spreading it around.

Totally relaxed about it, it is time and not a day too soon. Isolating perfectly healthy people is nonsensical. The testing hysteria must stop and we need to go back to staying home if we are too Ill for school/work.

I don't know a single person who has had lasting lung difficulties after Covid. And I know probably about 50 people who have had it now of varying ages. Still too small a sample to make/break a theory on though . You may know a particularly 'atypical' group of people!

@NewModelArmyMayhem18

I don't know a single person who has had lasting lung difficulties after Covid. And I know probably about 50 people who have had it now of varying ages. Still too small a sample to make/break a theory on though . You may know a particularly 'atypical' group of people!

I know at least a couple of hundred. 6 died. Rather long lasting impact on their lungs

I think it's a little early. Would have preferred it well into spring with the natural benefits for both the population (outdoor living and fewer other viruses) and the nhs in terms of other pressures

Overall I am more interested in the wider picture. What does the science really say? Will there still be testing? So if I have a cold (which is how omicron presents itself for many at first) I can test myself reliably before visiting vulnerable parents. How are we going to test fir new variants (which can go either way).

All for moving on but the timing has to be scientifically right (this is so obviously led by Boris politics) and don't want to throw the baby out with the bath water

We’ve had resistance a few times from scientific quarters which haven’t turned out to be right

Last time I remember similar posts too and in summer last year

Schools are fully open and so I don't think it makes a blind bit of difference relaxing all the rules.

Everybody has been offered vaccines and omicron is the mildest strain. There is nothing else that can be done IMO.

@luckylavender

So we do what? Continue on like this just in case another variant rocks up?

No. The measures were put in to protect the NHS from becoming overwhelmed.....cases are dropping and dropping as are deaths. Hospitals are coping

The workplace now needs the staff back working.... too much stress on everyone trying to cover unnecessary absence!

It feels rushed and I'm unclear about how new variants will now be tracked. I'd feel more comfortable if Whitty or even Vallance had endorsed it. Think I read that SPI-B had spoken out against it.

@mumsneedwine

As a teacher, if I now test positive and feel well enough, I'll be in teaching over 180 students each day. Working in close contact with them. Let's just hope none of them are CEV or have family that are. Or are the unlucky ones who are left with long term effects. Several of my tutor group have not been able to taste or smell for over a year. Not life threatening but life changing. One has bad asthma when was fit before COVID. But hey, Covid is 'just a cold'.

But you won't be testing. Honestly I think some people somehow expected testing to continue indefinitely. Personally I'm surprises it's continued this long.

if asymptomatic kids can come in and spread it around unchecked I can't see it ending well.

That has been happening already.

Not all children test themselves regularly and even if they do test, they are infectious for 2 days before even testing positive!

So there's already been lots of transmission happening n schools (and elsewhere).

The reason why the peaks are in younger age groups are because transmission has reached most.

So most have already been in a class with many asymptomatic cases

All for moving on but the timing has to be scientifically right (this is so obviously led by Boris politics)

I'm not sure why people keep saying stuff like this. It's happening in Norway, Denmark, Sweden, now ROI too.

The measures were put in to protect the NHS from becoming overwhelmed.....cases are dropping and dropping as are deaths. Hospitals are coping

Exactly.

If anything hospitals are suffering from staff having to isolate for up to 10 days .

I think it's a huge mistake. It hasn't gone away.

How are the clinically vulnerable going to have any kind of life when the knowingly infected just wander about spreading it?

Why would people put others at risk like that?

I have covid now. Started as a 'cold'. Would have gone to work and my fitness class - had it not been for the positive test.

It's now nearly a week later and it has been much worse than a cold. So glad I didn't spread it beyond my household.

It's far too soon to be getting rid of self isolation and testing. .

I've had all jabs on offer too.

All for moving on but the timing has to be scientifically right

What does 'scientifically' right even mean?

What science are you referring to? Medical science, social science (economics)?

We need to decide whether the costs of isolation are smaller than the benefits!

@AndAsIfByMagic

I think it's a huge mistake. It hasn't gone away.

How are the clinically vulnerable going to have any kind of life when the knowingly infected just wander about spreading it?

Why would people put others at risk like that?

There's measures they can take to protect themselves as there has always been. Get vaccinated/booster was the measures required to support that group, and that's done now

Businesses cannot be expected to fail due to people being scared to leave their houses

Very worried. Am still getting over covid and despite being tripped vaxxed I’ve been really poorly with it. No way I would have been able to work even if not isolating and am very worried going back to working in a school full of potentially covid positive people. Much as I love my job, I’m going to have to find something else with less exposure as I’m worried another infection like this will finish me off.

From the BBC:

"Only around half of people who are infected come forward for testing and so are never asked to isolate. Of those that do, a fifth admit to not adhering fully to the isolation guidance"

So there are already loads of people out there spreading the virus.

The new rules are simply catchup with reality. And will save a lot of money.

@AndAsIfByMagic

I think it's a huge mistake. It hasn't gone away.

How are the clinically vulnerable going to have any kind of life when the knowingly infected just wander about spreading it?

Why would people put others at risk like that?

How long for? As it’s not going to go away