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Definition of 'quarantine' [in the UK]

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Definition of 'quarantine' [in the UK]

 
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Old Aug 22, 2020, 6:20 pm
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Definition of 'quarantine' [in the UK]

Dual US/UK citizenship so am able to travel from my US home to visit an over 95 year old mother in the UK. Happy to quarantine but depends on what the definition is. Does it mean just staying at my destination (or home on my return) and not going out or does it mean total isolation from others at my destination location. Would be happy to fly to UK, rent a car and check up on my mother for 4 days then fly home but not if I have to isolate myself from her in her home and then again from my husband on my return. Have actually been tested for covid and am negative but that doesn't mean anything a few days down the line. Anyone else dealing with a similar situation? and how are you handling it.
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Old Aug 22, 2020, 6:32 pm
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enviroian has/is doing a similar trip. USA to UK to visit family.
Look at his posts samplesWhat people are supposed to do and what they are doing are different things. Need to check the rules for each country.
Older people are more at risk and seem to have a higher mortality rate
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Old Aug 22, 2020, 7:08 pm
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Isolating from her and your husband (stay in a bedroom with en suite bathroom) is exactly what your supposed to do; of course whether one does it is up to them. I personally wouldn't fly all that way for only four days, unless you want to see for your own eyes that she is fine.
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Old Aug 22, 2020, 11:15 pm
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There is a small chance that you will contract the virus en route. Are you willing to take the chance that you will pass the virus on to your 95-year-old mother?

If not, you know what to do.
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Old Aug 23, 2020, 2:13 am
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Could do, should do, and what is actually possible to do without enforcement are 3 totally different things. With an elderly parent, this is a time when most people would look at the second item - what you "should do". According to the England rules you do NOT have to be isolated from the family member whom with you are staying, only from people outside that household.

If it were me, I would find a way to work with my employer to work remotely or take leave for at least 2 weeks, stay isolated from my parent for the first 10 days, and feel a lot more relaxed about the remainder of the visit.
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Old Aug 23, 2020, 2:26 am
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Nike.

’just do it.’

Seeing family is more important than government bureaucracy just use common sense and know the difference in the uk between guidance and law.

go home and stay home, they have no right to tell you what to do in your own house. You can also go for shopping if no one else can reasonably do so.
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Old Aug 23, 2020, 3:45 am
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In the UK if self isolating in the home of a friend or family member you do not have to self isolate from any member of that household. The law is very clear on this.

I don’t know what the requirements are for you in the US on your return.
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Old Aug 23, 2020, 6:07 am
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Originally Posted by dwugson
Dual US/UK citizenship so am able to travel from my US home to visit an over 95 year old mother in the UK. Happy to quarantine but depends on what the definition is. Does it mean just staying at my destination (or home on my return) and not going out or does it mean total isolation from others at my destination location. Would be happy to fly to UK, rent a car and check up on my mother for 4 days then fly home but not if I have to isolate myself from her in her home and then again from my husband on my return. Have actually been tested for covid and am negative but that doesn't mean anything a few days down the line. Anyone else dealing with a similar situation? and how are you handling it.
It depends on where you live in the US, however in general, the US restrictions are pretty much voluntary.
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Old Aug 23, 2020, 6:21 am
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Originally Posted by KARFA
In the UK if self isolating in the home of a friend or family member you do not have to self isolate from any member of that household. The law is very clear on this.

I don’t know what the requirements are for you in the US on your return.
That's not the case. You're meant to keep apart from others in the house.

https://www.gov.uk/government/public...avel-to-the-uk

It’s important to avoid as much contact with other people as possible in your home in order to reduce the risk of transmitting coronavirus. You should stay in a well-ventilated room with a window to the outside that can be opened, separate from other people in your home.
Obviously this can't be policed and I wouldn't expect anyone to do it, but personally, I would question the wisdom of risking transmission to a 95 year old given how susceptible someone of that age would be to covid and its consequences.
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Old Aug 23, 2020, 6:23 am
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Scotland is even more specific about it. OP doesn't say where in the UK.

It is important to avoid contact with other people in your accommodation in order to reduce the risk of transmitting coronavirus. The people you are staying with do not need to stay at home, unless they travelled from outside the UK with you.

Avoid contact with them and minimise the time you spend in shared spaces, like kitchens, bathrooms and sitting areas.

You should stay in a well-ventilated room with a window to the outside that can be opened, separate from other people in your home.

If you can, you should use a separate bathroom from the rest of the household. If you have to share these facilities, regular cleaning will be required after each person has used them. Make sure you use separate towels from the other people in your house, both for drying yourself after bathing or showering and for hand-hygiene purposes.
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Old Aug 23, 2020, 6:37 am
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Interesting reading this thread. I need to go to the UK next month to renew my US visa. I want to visit my mom however her partner is still going through chemotherapy and thus very high risk. My plan is, rent a car and go isolate somewhere in an Airbnb in the country (Kent) and then on to visit my mom knowing after 14 days likelihood of having Covid-19 will be low (if no symptoms have arisen).

My two cents, the rules are there for a good reason, follow them and use that as the metric if the trip is worth it.

If you do decide that you don’t want to follow the rules I would completely self isolate in the US two weeks before the trip. Not for any bureaucratic reason, you don’t want to bring your mom Covid!

Good luck!
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Old Aug 23, 2020, 6:53 am
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Originally Posted by Dan1113
That's not the case. You're meant to keep apart from others in the house.
.
with all due respect I was pretty much quoting verbatim from the statutory instrument. It says exactly what I posted. You do not have to self isolate from those in the same household. It may be good practice to do so if you can and it’s practical, but you don’t have to. I don’t see any issue with what the OP is proposing.
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Last edited by KARFA; Aug 23, 2020 at 7:36 am
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Old Aug 23, 2020, 6:59 am
  #13  
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Presumably one would not fly across an ocean to visit someone in order to harm them. Thus, if the question is, "what must I do, it is answered well above." If the question is, "what ought I to do" that is answered as well.

If the UK repealed its quarantine today, I still would not have contact with a 95-year old relative, let alone live with them, until the passage of 14 days or possibly two negative PCR Covid-19 tests a few days apart. The first covering the period up to just before departure and the second for the possibility that one has contracted the disease during the journey.

There are no 100% risk avoidance techniques, but this seems to minimize something which one presumes one would want to avoid.
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Old Aug 23, 2020, 7:36 am
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Originally Posted by ahmetdouas
Nike.

’just do it.’

Seeing family is more important than government bureaucracy just use common sense and know the difference in the uk between guidance and law..
Is this exactly the reason why the Covid number keeps going up? Can't believe this kind of comment get an upvote!
Rule and regulations are here for a reason, if you don't believe in science, and blame the government, no one can stop you.
Just want to share,, I have person friend who don't believe social distance, died within 2 weeks when symptoms came to him. In his early 50s. Sorry I may sound harsh, but this is very real and happening, and really want people to be responsible for themselves and their family, and people around them too.
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Old Aug 23, 2020, 7:50 am
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Originally Posted by ahmetdouas
Seeing family is more important than government bureaucracy just use common sense and know the difference in the uk between guidance and law.
In this case, "common sense" would be to not visit a 95-year-old relative immediately after arriving by air from somewhere with one of the highest covid infection rates in the world. The guidance exists for a very good reason.
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