Test and trace

[Chopsy Varmint]

We are all in this together, apart from you

It's not just me. From what clients have said this week, far from it. Bottom line, as a self-employed person with no-one else and no other income to fall back on I can't afford to take two weeks off each time someone I may or may not have been near reports a cough.

 

[arcobob]

Presumably there is no defence and the identity of the person and the result of his/her subsequent test will not be revealed. I can see this being abused to such an extent that recent events will pale into insignificance. Maybe that is intentional.

 

[Suffolk Serf]

I really fear that we will end up desperately understaffed, with people constantly being on 14 day lockdowns.
At the beginning of lockdown one of my men might have had an indirect contact with his C19 infected sister. He did the right thing and phoned 111.
They told him to isolate for 14 days and any workmate he had been in close contact with
.
That would have put me down to myself and one other with the workload for 5, caring for livestock.
The men concerned contacted me that evening and I told them to take no notice and come in to work.
Probably very wrong and or very risky. Anyhow they remained well so all was well.
Roll on to last week, one man came in clearly ill, so I sent him home advising he and his family get a test, which he got that day (last Friday).
His partner got a negative result two days later, he hasn’t heard anything, is feeling better and has chased up his test results in vain. He is still off.
I really fear for more and more repeats of this and being constantly understaffed.

 

[Willie adie]

It's not just me. From what clients have said this week, far from it. Bottom line, as a self-employed person with no-one else and no other income to fall back on I can't afford to take two weeks off each time someone I may or may not have been near reports a cough.

I'm self employed too but if I'm required to stop I will have to because it's right for the public and its decency

 

[jendan]

My wife is all registered but waited over 2 weeks for training to start. spoke to NHS still massive back log. shambles

Exactly the same here.I mentioned to her that it might be a good idea to chat to someone with the same problems.She thinks its just her and her laptop.

 

[Chopsy Varmint]

I'm self employed too but if I'm required to stop I will have to because it's right for the public and its decency

Good for you. Hope you have a back up income and don't lose business if you have to take significant time off as I doubt there will be financial government support for the likes of us.

The consequences don't seem to have been fully thought through by the government and I am becoming more suspicious by the day that they seem determined to drive the economy and standards of living down, plus get a whole load of '1984' surveillance and control laws on the statute books.

I started off being a good citizen and toeing the line. But when our national senior leadership team is not abiding by their own rules it makes me wonder what we're not being told.

 

[linga]

Good for you. Hope you have a back up income and don't lose business if you have to take significant time off as I doubt there will be financial government support for the likes of us.

The consequences don't seem to have been fully thought through by the government and I am becoming more suspicious by the day that they seem determined to drive the economy and standards of living down, plus get a whole load of '1984' surveillance and control laws on the statute books.

I started off being a good citizen and toeing the line. But when our national senior leadership team is not abiding by their own rules it makes me wonder what we're not being told.

Why would they want to drive the economy and standard of living down ?

 

[Chopsy Varmint]

Why would they want to drive the economy and standard of living down ?

I don't know but even I could see from the start in March that that's a clear consequence of going into a lockdown lasting for months.

The Swedish method of managing the virus alongside the economy has always made more sense to me and I've said from the start that once all the final figures are collated in a year or so's time I very much doubt there will much difference between the cv19 death and case statistics per head of population of all the European countries, but those that have protected their economies will suffer fewer additional deaths, ill health and social poverty as a result.

Despite having the population locked down for 10 weeks so far the government still hasn't got a functional tracking system in place. Doesn't add up for me.

 

[arcobob]

I am 75 and vulnerable. I employ one man who acts very responsibly. He only needs to be implicated in a contact with a carrier and the business closes. Fortunately no livestock are involved in my situation. I have had enough and my business will close forever in six weeks and I won`t be alone. After over 37 years I am very sad but highly relieved that the decision making has largely been taken away from me.

 

[czechmate]

I am 75 and vulnerable. I employ one man who acts very responsibly. He only needs to be implicated in a contact with a carrier and the business closes. Fortunately no livestock are involved in my situation. I have had enough and my business will close forever in six weeks and I won`t be alone. After over 37 years I am very sad but highly relieved that the decision making has largely been taken away from me.

It can be a relief to have a decision made for you. I wish you a happy retirement.

 

[arcobob]

It can be a relief to have a decision made for you. I wish you a happy retirement.

Thank you and a happy future to you.

 

[DrWazzock]

I am 75 and vulnerable. I employ one man who acts very responsibly. He only needs to be implicated in a contact with a carrier and the business closes. Fortunately no livestock are involved in my situation. I have had enough and my business will close forever in six weeks and I won`t be alone. After over 37 years I am very sad but highly relieved that the decision making has largely been taken away from me.

I too wish you a long and happy retirement.

I am sure you are not alone in that this virus has partially made the decision for you. My wife has carried on teaching for a couple of years beyond the earliest retirement age, but this situation has crystallised it for her so she will be finishing at the end of this term after 34 years continuous service and there are plenty more people doing the same. We have been just slightly upset by the indifference shown by some people to the impact of this virus on older or vulnerable people and so we will be looking after own interests as far as we can rather than falling victim to the inconsistent and shambolic policies of others and those who seem to take an “I’m alright Jack” attitude. We will let them get on with it!

 

[Chae1]

Could be a headache for any one man band farmer if he gets a call saying he was in contact with someone who has been tested positive with covid. 14 day standstill.

Also how are we meant to know it isnt any old prankster telling you to self isolate. What sort of proof will we get that its legit?

Been thinking about this today.

I think your right. It could be a complete pain in the ar$e. In our little bubble my wife works at a primary school so she's bound to come into contact with someone who has it.

 

[arcobob]

I too wish you a long and happy retirement.

I am sure you are not alone in that this virus has partially made the decision for you. My wife has carried on teaching for a couple of years beyond the earliest retirement age, but this situation has crystallised it for her so she will be finishing at the end of this term after 34 years continuous service and there are plenty more people doing the same. We have been just slightly upset by the indifference shown by some people to the impact of this virus on older or vulnerable people and so we will be looking after own interests as far as we can rather than falling victim to the inconsistent and shambolic policies of others and those who seem to take an “I’m alright Jack” attitude. We will let them get on with it!

Your wife is clearly a very special person to survive that long in a profession where all round support from the authorities has dwindled over the years. Best wishes to her for the future.

 

[DrWazzock]

Been thinking about this today.

I think your right. It could be a complete pain in the ar$e. In our little bubble my wife works at a primary school so she's bound to come into contact with someone who has it.

Do they take into account door handles, stair rails , toilets, IT equipment etc that are touched by hundreds of students and teachers per day. So if one student or staff tests positive is the whole school and all associated people, families etc on 14 day lockdown?
Knowing where contact starts and stops is going to be very difficult or nigh on impossible in a school environment.

 

[Chopsy Varmint]

Do they take into account door handles, stair rails , toilets, IT equipment etc that are touched by hundreds of students and teachers per day. So if one student or staff tests positive is the whole school and all associated people, families etc on 14 day lockdown?
Knowing where contact starts and stops is going to be very difficult or nigh on impossible in a school environment.

Indeed, same as in factories and hospitals. How often are fixtures and fittings in communal areas going to be sanitised I wonder?

Same as when getting diesel the other day the pumps all had a notice to use 'pay at pump' wherever possible to 'keep everyone safe' - how does that work when the pumps have little touch screens and keypads that are not sanitised between each customer, but proper cash can be quarantined in a bag or envelope for a week before use?

Best wishes to you and your wife for her retirement. My mother was also a long-served primary school teacher who worked beyond her earliest retirement opportunity out of a sense of vocation to her school and the children in her care. Retiring knocked years off her and gave her a new lease of life and I hope your wife enjoys a similar experience.

 

[hoff135]

I believe if you are contacted by nhs and told to isolate for 14 days it will only be you that has to do this. Members of your household can carry on as before.

 

[Chopsy Varmint]

I am 75 and vulnerable. I employ one man who acts very responsibly. He only needs to be implicated in a contact with a carrier and the business closes. Fortunately no livestock are involved in my situation. I have had enough and my business will close forever in six weeks and I won`t be alone. After over 37 years I am very sad but highly relieved that the decision making has largely been taken away from me.

Onwards and upwards and best wishes for the future. Have you got any plans for your retirement?

 

[Chopsy Varmint]

I believe if you are contacted by nhs and told to isolate for 14 days it will only be you that has to do this. Members of your household can carry on as before.

Which is nuts as they'll spread your germs by for you by proxy.

 

[linga]

Which is nuts as they'll spread your germs by for you by proxy.

It is but in the absence of a vaccine or cure/treatment we either lock ourselves away for ever or face the risk in some way