Voluntary isolation before holidays

[DelayRepay]

Obviously it's the time of year when a lot of people are going abroad for holidays - for many people it will be their first foreign holiday for a few years.

Over the last few weeks, I have observed several people who've put themselves into self-isolation (working from home, cancelling social engagements etc) as they do not wish to catch Covid before their holiday.

Is this common or are my friends/colleagues/neighbours just a strange bunch?

 

[Snow1964]

All your friends must be rich, and going to exotic countries then, as most of the common destinations no longer require any special action, or proof of tests

The chances are wherever you go, could pick up an illness on first day of holiday, so rather pointless avoiding seeing people for few days before.

Slightly different if it is a one off special event that don’t want to miss (wedding, graduation ceremony etc)

 

[James H]

It's nothing to do with how rich they are or whether their destination requires anything - it's about not having your holiday ruined by being unwell.

Yes I have known people limit their travel and socialising in the run-up to an event that is important to them, to minimise the risk of covid scuppering the whole thing.

 

[DelayRepay]

It's nothing to do with how rich they are or whether their destination requires anything - it's about not having your holiday ruined by being unwell.

Indeed - most of the people are going to 'normal' holiday destinations in Europe. Spain, Greece, etc. You're right, it's not official testing requirements that's driving this behaviour, it is fear of a holiday spoiled due to illness.

 

[Simon11]

Indeed - most of the people are going to 'normal' holiday destinations in Europe. Spain, Greece, etc. You're right, it's not official testing requirements that's driving this behaviour, it is fear of a holiday spoiled due to illness.

I presume they will continue to self-isolate while they are on holiday to protect the rest of their holiday.... Plus maybe wrap themselves in bubble wrap to prevent injuries and never never cross a road while on holiday.....!

 

[102 fan]

Obviously it's the time of year when a lot of people are going abroad for holidays - for many people it will be their first foreign holiday for a few years.

Over the last few weeks, I have observed several people who've put themselves into self-isolation (working from home, cancelling social engagements etc) as they do not wish to catch Covid before their holiday.

Is this common or are my friends/colleagues/neighbours just a strange bunch?

The obvious question is, did they do any if this prior to 2019? I know a few people who seem to think that the flu never existed.

 

[yorkie]

It's nothing to do with how rich they are or whether their destination requires anything - it's about not having your holiday ruined by being unwell.

Yes I have known people limit their travel and socialising in the run-up to an event that is important to them, to minimise the risk of covid scuppering the whole thing.

This makes no more sense to do this now than pre-2020; are you saying you know people who have done this prior to the pandemic? Or are they only doing it now specifically because of Covid?

Given the vast majority of us have built up good immunity against Covid, and that the vast majority of infections are very mild or asymptomatic, it is nonsensical for anyone to do this specifically because of Covid.

Is this common or are my friends/colleagues/neighbours just a strange bunch?

I heard a colleague trying to limit their contacts just before going on a cruise, but that was because apparently the cruise still wants people to test.

Other than that, it's not something I have heard of recently.

 

[nedchester]

I was going to do some sort of isolation prior to my family holiday to the USA early in July. The reason was because up until mid-June the USA required "observed" Covid tests the day before travel and if you tested positive then the holiday would have been knackered.

As it was we caught Covid in the USA (!) towards the end of the holiday (mostly just carried on) and flew back to the UK as there were similarly no restrictions.

 

[greyman42]

Obviously it's the time of year when a lot of people are going abroad for holidays - for many people it will be their first foreign holiday for a few years.

Over the last few weeks, I have observed several people who've put themselves into self-isolation (working from home, cancelling social engagements etc) as they do not wish to catch Covid before their holiday.

Is this common or are my friends/colleagues/neighbours just a strange bunch?

Yes, i would say they are a strange bunch.

 

[nw1]

Obviously it's the time of year when a lot of people are going abroad for holidays - for many people it will be their first foreign holiday for a few years.

Over the last few weeks, I have observed several people who've put themselves into self-isolation (working from home, cancelling social engagements etc) as they do not wish to catch Covid before their holiday.

Is this common or are my friends/colleagues/neighbours just a strange bunch?

When rigorous testing was a thing, I did take steps to minimise contact before an overseas holiday.

Now it isn't, I don't.

Indeed - most of the people are going to 'normal' holiday destinations in Europe. Spain, Greece, etc. You're right, it's not official testing requirements that's driving this behaviour, it is fear of a holiday spoiled due to illness.

But illness could have spoilt holidays in the past.

When in France in 2012, and again in France in 2013, I caught some viral illness (bad cold, mild fever) which knocked a day or two out of the holiday in each case. Both of these were in the summer months (September 2012 and July 2013).

I almost certainly picked up these illnesses from France, given I became ill a few days after leaving the UK. What I would have done in the UK beforehand would have made absolutely no difference. Same would apply to Covid, you could easily pick it up overseas and unless you isolate through your holiday, you're not protecting yourself.

 

[Tracked]

We're doing hybrid office/home working where I work, know a few people have been only working from home for a week or two before big holidays because of Covid, any suggestion they just don't fancy travelling in to work is probably true; and in fairness, most of the people they're dealing with aren't actually based in the same office anyway!

Went in as normal before I went on holiday, I'd have been more likely to pick it up on the train/in the pub than the quiet end of a half-empty office

 

[Mag_seven]

Having a holiday spoiled due to illness is just one of those risks we must be prepared to live with. I don't think taking precautions such as isolation before travelling really makes much of a difference tbh. I remember having a really heavy cold for several days during a two week all line rover. I could have stayed at home and missed some of the days but I decided to soldier on because those were the days when we were allowed to decide for ourselves whether to go out when ill or not.

 

[greyman42]

I remember having a really heavy cold for several days during a two week all line rover. I could have stayed at home and missed some of the days but I decided to soldier on because those were the days when we were allowed to decide for ourselves whether to go out when ill or not.

Which is pretty much normal behaviour, then or now.

 

[ld0595]

I went into a sort of voluntary self isolation just before Christmas last year as I was heading to the US with my partner to see her family for the first time since this all began. Pre departure tests were required at the time and it was a 2for1 redemption on BA's new business class so we didn't want to miss out!

Over in the US we just followed local law. Masks/vaccine passport in Philadelphia but nothing when we went to Virginia and South Carolina. Fortunately there were no pre-departire tests required to return to the UK so we didn't have to worry about it.