Visiting family in Ireland - coronavirus

[Allaboardthemagicbus2020]

What's the consensus there on people coming over from the UK to visit family in Ireland?

Want to see my elderly parents - don't want to risk their health. Sisters taking good care of them but both parents are vulnerable with underlying issues

No one will thank you for it OP. most of us here are taking these extreme measures very seriously.

@Miou32

Don’t lash out at me. I am going on the thought that most healthy adults have had it as For the last two months everyone has moved around.

I am trying to work out what the general thought is over there, thats's all.

The general thought over here is that the UK is handling this very poorly and we really think you should stay away from us. Unfortunately, arlene forster,

Sorry. Pressed post instead of back space to correct typo. Arlene Foster, being Arlene Foster, is slavishly following Westminster's lead but will hopefully cop on soon so we can have an all-Ireland approach.

Just phone your parents.

We live close to GP's and are not visiting.

Hard I know

I wish they would make public spitting a crime here. It is not as bad as it used to be but someone has just spat into a bin as they walked past.

It is a really disgusting habit.

An all world approach is necessary in my view as we have Heathrow here, with most passengers then getting tube in or around London.

Don’t go. They’re are taking it very seriously, no interaction with grandparents, children, babies.

I have just informed my siblings that we won't be over this Easter - My mum is over 80 with asthma and high blood pressure therefore in a high risk group. Given that my kids use public transport to get to and from school, I work in an acute trust that has confirmed cases and we are expecting a surge in cases ( so those who have already been exposed presenting with symptoms) I feel that the risk of exposing her to the virus is too high. I am scared that I might not see her again if she contracts it via other means, but I can't justify exposing her to that risk. It's really bloody hard, but it's about what is best for her. I plan to go either at May half term or in the summer depending on how things are then

The general consensus over here is that the UK's approach is worrying and most (not all but most) people seem to be taking it seriously. My family have been stuck at home for nearly two weeks, with the exception of myself as I work in essential services (not healthcare). I haven't seen my mum or sisters, my partner hasn't seen his parents or siblings. None of us have seen each others kids.

Take some personal responsibility and stay at home.

There is no proof that "most healthy adults have had it" absolutely none. Look at the situation in France, Spain, Italy, South Korea. Educate yourself on what has worked and what hasn't. People travelling here there and everywhere spreading the virus is not the solution. It's not ok to spread it further just because it's in the community already. It's not a case of "oh it's here now, there's nothing we can do". The whole point of these measures is to slow the spread of the virus so that the health service can cope with the overwhelming demand that there is going to be. So that hopefully those that will need it will have access to a bed, a ventilator, trained medical staff. People that could well include your parents!

I find the sheer arrogance and stupidity of some people in relation to this just mindboggling (and that is not aimed solely at you OP but just at the amount of people who can't seem to consider the greater good beyond their wants).

@Allaboardthemagicbus2020

I will not be seeing either of my elderly parents in person for the next 6 months. Their best chance of getting through this is not getting COVID-19 at all. Their next best hope is that if they have to get it, better in 6 months than in 3, after the likely "peak" in the number of people infected at any one time.

The big hope is that if enough people in the general population get this and then recover, they will then be at lower risk of getting it again and passing on to someone else. We don't know if that is right, but I think Boris is effectively saying there is no better alternative course of action that can realistically be taken. I'm not here to debate that. The reality is that it is what's happening and it's probably too late to do anything else.

I am also hoping that there might be better treatment protocols in 4-6 months as there will have been more cases and the healthcare professionals will have more experienced with what works and what doesn't work. In the worst case, mistakes will have been learned from. In the best case, we might find out that certain existing antiviral drugs can help to reduce the severity of disease.

@Slomi but don’t lash out at me because I am talking about this.

I have said clearly I am not coming.
I am doing everything possible to reduce transmission/catching it.
I am being realistic that whilst there is still open movement between uk, ni and Ireland there are likely to be far more people that have it than recorded (who are symptomless).

And finally, I am not coming to Ireland.

@HelpFlattenTheCurve

Thank you - my feelings are the same.

@Allaboardthemagicbus2020 I am not lashing out at you. You asked what the general consensus is here and I have told you from my perspective. I made sure to point out that my last line (which is my own views and frustrations at a minority of peoples' attitudes) was not aimed directly at you.

I completely agree with you that while there is an open border between UK and Ireland, that the virus will spread further and it is something a lot of people here are concerned about. The UK approach has been openly discussed and (politely) completely ruled out by our chief medical officer as being an approach that is suitable for our own country. I believe that is why it is important to quash any notions of " the virus is there already and therefore it doesn't matter if I have it". It flies in the face of all advice we are currently receiving from our health service and government.

@Allaboardthemagicbus2020 I'm not lashing out at anyone. You clearly need to be told bluntly because you just aren't getting it. Ireland has semi locked down because it doesn't want the spread of the illness, its health service just cannot cope with it. The HSE struggles (way more than the NHS) at best of times. The last thing they want is people entering from another country and undoing all their efforts. Respect what they are trying to do to protect their country.

@Miou32

Clearly, you haven’t read the thread.

Allaboard glad to hear that you are not travelling.

Like several posters upthread, my quite elderly parents depend on support from siblings- I am not nearby.
I will not be visiting for the foreseeable.

We can't lockdown travel from the UK- because of Northern Ireland- but, I imagine, that if Arlene Foster comes on board, then travel between the 2 islands will be drastically cut-down to essentials.
(PLEASE come on board Arlene).

I am glad to see so many posters feel as I do.... social distancing/physical distancing is being taken seriously.

Two people I know have travelled from London to their respective villages in Spain and Germany. To my mind, travelling by air, coach and train to these areas will now have spread it and run the risk of bringing it to the village.

That is crazy to me - to not be consistent regarding travel from uk internationally.

@Allaboardthemagicbus2020 oh I've read the thread. Your initial message was about coming to Ireland. I told you not to. You replied to me saying "don't lash out". I then replied giving you reason as to why I replied as I did - regardless of whether you had subsequently changed your mind about coming.

The general thought is please do not come. Most people here are staying away from elderly parents if possible. I think the general feeling is horror at the UK's take on this and a wish that our airports could be closed. The majority of people are doing everything they can to keep our people as safe as possible at this stage. Forget official advice and think of what your actions could mean in terms of icu beds in the coming week.

Oh for the love of God.