Travel back to Ireland right now?

bitofabind

Hi guys,

I hope it's ok to post this here. I'm living in London right now and I'm sure you're all aware of how useless Boris has been so far with handling this whole situation. Anecdotally, there's still people on the streets and up until Tuesday I've been taking the tube to work and all the rest of it.

I'd previously booked a flight to Dublin for a weekend back and as of now, it looks like my flight this evening has not yet been cancelled. I'm toying with the idea of coming back and heading home to the west of Ireland, particularly as the notion of a London lockdown looms hard in the air right now.

I'm from the west of Ireland with two 70 year old parents, one of whom is a diabetic. I'm obviously concerned about the risk I'd be bringing into the household, living in London and then taking a flight / public transport etc and what I could pick up along the way.

What's the best advice here? Should I stay put?

Can you spend 14 days somewhere in between landing and your parents?

Sorry about that

I'm here praying that all passenger flights from the UK are cancelled. The situation has been handled so badly there, it's almost unbelievable to me, and IMO any movement of people from there to here is putting more of us at risk.
We as a country (apart from the gangs of teens; parents fault), are doing a superb job in containing it as much as possible, except for people coming in from other countries.
If I were you, I'd be here already, renting a room as close to the airport as possible, keeping yourself as distant from people and objects as possible. Stay there for a few weeks, then go home.
Your user name is appropriate. Good luck and good health.

Augme

If you are fit and healthy there is no reason to leave and head home to the West of Ireland, except to avoid boredom. Unless you can isolate yourself completely for 14 days then it would actually be incredibly selfish of you to go home to your parents at this moment.

bitofabind

bitofabind wrote: »

Hi guys,

I hope it's ok to post this here. I'm living in London right now and I'm sure you're all aware of how useless Boris has been so far with handling this whole situation. Anecdotally, there's still people on the streets and up until Tuesday I've been taking the tube to work and all the rest of it.

I'd previously booked a flight to Dublin for a weekend back and as of now, it looks like my flight this evening has not yet been cancelled. I'm toying with the idea of coming back and heading home to the west of Ireland, particularly as the notion of a London lockdown looms hard in the air right now.

I'm from the west of Ireland with two 70 year old parents, one of whom is a diabetic. I'm obviously concerned about the risk I'd be bringing into the household, living in London and then taking a flight / public transport etc and what I could pick up along the way.

What's the best advice here? Should I stay put?

Im from the West of Ireland and was due to go home tomorrow for the rest of my WFH duration. I live in Dublin. My dad, who is 80, rang me yesterday asking me not to travel. His concern is that I'd pick it up while traveling down and give it to him.

If I was you, I'd stay put, stay in and get a Netflix subscription.

Salary Negotiator

Unless you have a health condition that puts you at risk I would stay where you are. No point coming home and putting your parents in increased danger.

lastusername

bitofabind wrote: »

Hi guys,

I hope it's ok to post this here. I'm living in London right now and I'm sure you're all aware of how useless Boris has been so far with handling this whole situation. Anecdotally, there's still people on the streets and up until Tuesday I've been taking the tube to work and all the rest of it.

I'd previously booked a flight to Dublin for a weekend back and as of now, it looks like my flight this evening has not yet been cancelled. I'm toying with the idea of coming back and heading home to the west of Ireland, particularly as the notion of a London lockdown looms hard in the air right now.

I'm from the west of Ireland with two 70 year old parents, one of whom is a diabetic. I'm obviously concerned about the risk I'd be bringing into the household, living in London and then taking a flight / public transport etc and what I could pick up along the way.

What's the best advice here? Should I stay put?

Um...have to say it - your username was made for this one thread!!


Don't go home to your parents in any case. I can see how you'd be tempted to get out of London, but they've said there are no plans for a Spain or Italy-style lockdown.

You could maybe rent a house or apartment by yourself back home, if that was an option? But if the point is to see your parents, then you'll have to wait a couple of months at least I reckon.

bitofabind

Thanks for the feedback guys. It's only really hitting a chord with me in recent days as to how serious and scary this whole situation is - that sense of urgency hasn't hit London yet and it's a bit daunting to see that people are still getting on with things, getting onto tubes and restaurants and cafes and gyms etc.

What's more worrying is that my diabetic Dad doesn't seem to be taking this seriously at all, and I've a severely mentally ill sister in residential care who is going to be coming to stay with them in the next few days - Dad's decison - and indefinitely at this point - and I've just gone completely bonkers with the worry of it all.

I'm still a bit mixed but erring strongly on the side of staying put here in London and just take all the usual precautions, I'd only be going home to support my parents and it sounds like I'd be causing more harm than good right now anyway. I'll just have to yell at them over the phone!

Witchie

I hear you loud and clear. I am in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, have asthma and been self-isolating for over a week now.

My mother wants me to come home. I fear that airports are the last place I should be right now and that am safer here, my best friend is an A&E sister in a London hospital and she is telling me to stay.

My options are running low and according to the embassy here, will become even harder for me to travel from next week. Oh and my tourist visa expires in May...

Am so conflicted and stressed I am barely sleeping. If I lived in the UK, I would be home in a flash as I don't trust how they are dealing with the situation at all.

Calypso Realm

I'm glad to read BB you've decided to stay put. It's the best decision.

London already has 1200+ confirmed cases (which is only the tip of the iceberg) and with all that travelling on the tube etc-basically you're too high a risk already! Like you I can't believe the way some Londoners are behaving......

I know it must be frustrating but hopefully when things calm down

Gretas Gonna Get Ya!

This thread got me thinking about something. (Sorry OP not trying to hijack it)

I wonder what people will do, if they live at home with elderly parents and have nowhere else to live?

With the housing/rental situation, there's probably a decent % of people in this situation. Very tricky knowing you could give this thing to elderly people you live with. I think that was part of the problem in Italy & Spain to a certain degree, because their culture is to stay in the family home even with grandparents living there too!

lastusername

Gretas Gonna Get Ya! wrote: »

This thread got me thinking about something. (Sorry OP not trying to hijack it)

I wonder what people will do, if they live at home with elderly parents and have nowhere else to live?

Well this is why we have social distancing. It doesn't just mean not going near elderly relatives, it also means staying away from public places and minimising contact with everyone when you do live with elderly relatives.

Gretas Gonna Get Ya! wrote: »

With the housing/rental situation, there's probably a decent % of people in this situation. Very tricky knowing you could give this thing to elderly people you live with. I think that was part of the problem in Italy & Spain to a certain degree, because their culture is to stay in the family home even with grandparents living there too!

Totally, Italy and Spain were prime candidates for this pandemic - they are super social, it's all about family and the different generations getting together like you say. Plus Italy has a very old population, second only to Japan in fact!

lainey_d_123

I'm in a similar situation and have stayed put. A family friend offered to have me stay with her and her family in the country, which would be lovely and relaxing, but there's no way I could take the risk of possibly passing something on. There are over 1200 confirmed cases in London and God only knows how many unconfirmed cases. There's an extremely high chance you could already be infected and not only pass it onto family, but everyone on the plane, in the airport, train from airport, etc.

The last place I want to be right now is London but I've been working here and it looks like I'm in it for the long haul now.

lainey_d_123

Gretas Gonna Get Ya! wrote: »

This thread got me thinking about something. (Sorry OP not trying to hijack it)

I wonder what people will do, if they live at home with elderly parents and have nowhere else to live?

With the housing/rental situation, there's probably a decent % of people in this situation. Very tricky knowing you could give this thing to elderly people you live with. I think that was part of the problem in Italy & Spain to a certain degree, because their culture is to stay in the family home even with grandparents living there too!

This IMO is definitely a large part of why it spread so quickly in Italy and Spain. Generations of a family all living together. Lovely most of the time, devastating at a time like this. Teens, 20 and 30 somethings coming back from socialising in bars and clubs and passing it on to older relatives at home. It's also far more common for older people to be out at bars at night in those countries, increasing the risks of transmission even further, and of course the way they greet each other, with kisses on the cheeks.

lastusername

lainey_d_123 wrote: »

This IMO is definitely a large part of why it spread so quickly in Italy and Spain. Generations of a family all living together. Lovely most of the time, devastating at a time like this. Teens, 20 and 30 somethings coming back from socialising in bars and clubs and passing it on to older relatives at home. It's also far more common for older people to be out at bars at night in those countries, increasing the risks of transmission even further, and of course the way they greet each other, with kisses on the cheeks.

Exactly, no Contagion-type Hollywood movie could set the scene of a society where this could spread so rapidly. I lived in Spain years ago and while we think we're sociable (and of course we really are), the Mediterranean nations are in a different league altogether.

Where we might go to the pub with our mates and to some extent our families, get-togethers in Italy and Spain are a full family affair. So while we might be in the pub with a few of our buddies, an entire Spanish family will be out with the kids, parents, grandparents and friends for an entire evening, well into the night with how late they eat, etc.

Then of course they are a very tactile society, embracing and hugging and kissing on the cheek is all automatic for them.

RiseAbove4

Witchie wrote: »

I hear you loud and clear. I am in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, have asthma and been self-isolating for over a week now.

My mother wants me to come home. I fear that airports are the last place I should be right now and that am safer here, my best friend is an A&E sister in a London hospital and she is telling me to stay.

My options are running low and according to the embassy here, will become even harder for me to travel from next week. Oh and my tourist visa expires in May...

Am so conflicted and stressed I am barely sleeping. If I lived in the UK, I would be home in a flash as I don't trust how they are dealing with the situation at all.

Hi Witchie

It doesn’t make sense that the Embassy is telling you that you can’t re-enter Ireland or leave Malaysia

No country - that I know of - is blocking their own coming home or tourists from leaving. Some are advising against leaving the country (like America) but no one has made it law yet, at least none that I’ve seen.

Unless some scary emergency legislation is coming that will allow the above to be legal. And in these unprecedented times nothing would surprise me.

The hospitals in Malaysia have a great reputation. Many wealthy Balinese travel to Malaysia for their healthcare. So that’s a positive (although your travel insurance won’t cover Covid)

You’ll definitely have to self isolate for 14 days when you get back but that’s a given everywhere

TimeToShine

I left London during the week, I will WFH from my parents house until this is over. London in a flatshare without gyms/pubs/cafés/social distancing would be a nightmare imo. If you have your own place it is a little more manageable but think hard about it and factor in your mental health, this will go on for months.

Witchie

RiseAbove4 wrote: »

Hi Witchie

It doesn’t make sense that the Embassy is telling you that you can’t re-enter Ireland or leave Malaysia

No country - that I know of - is blocking their own coming home or tourists from leaving. Some are advising against leaving the country (like America) but no one has made it law yet, at least none that I’ve seen.

Unless some scary emergency legislation is coming that will allow the above to be legal. And in these unprecedented times nothing would surprise me.

The hospitals in Malaysia have a great reputation. Many wealthy Balinese travel to Malaysia for their healthcare. So that’s a positive (although your travel insurance won’t cover Covid)

You’ll definitely have to self isolate for 14 days when you get back but that’s a given everywhere

The Embassy is not saying that at all! You misinterpreted. They are saying my flight options will diminish. Already one route, through Qatar is gone.

One of the main reasons I want to stay here is because of the hospitals. I have used them before and know the quality of care. I am registered with a respiratory specialist here at one of the best hospitals and am going to get in touch with his office on Monday and ask for a letter recommending I don't travel so can sort my visa problems.

My biggest worry is overstaying my visa.

kowloonkev

Certainly one of the biggest factors in the quick spread of this is cowards fleeing all over the place trying to avoid it. Many people left China in January and February, some of them exporting the disease. Now the same type of cowards are running back to China from Europe, many of them bringing it back again.

You can really discover peoples' true character in a situation like this, and know those who would throw their friends under a bus to save themselves, and give up secret info under interrogation.

c68zapdsm5i1ru

I've deliberately moved in with my mother while this is going on as she's elderly, has cancer and would be very depressed and lonely if she had to stay inside on her own all day.

I'm working from home, doing no face to face socialising, and only going out for necessary shopping and solo walks.

c68zapdsm5i1ru

If it wasn't so serious it would amuse me, but there were some people last week doing the big I Am ' oh I'm still going on my holiday to Spain, no one's going to tell me, rebel that I am' kind of stuff.

Now they're all scurrying back as fast as they can, suitcases barely unpacked.

Idiots.

Runaways

Wondered about this too. My other half is over in Cambodia and sposed to be flying home next week but should he change flights cos it looks like they’re firming up to go full lockdown. I’d say we’ll find out in the next 7 days as the numbers infected inevitably rises. Remembering we’re ten days behind finding out where we are given the 3-5 days infection and 2-3 for test results.

RTÉ had this also from the DFA

https://twitter.com/rtenews/status/1241071339173302275?s=21

gyppo

Sorry for the thread hijack here, but would really appreciate advice.

BiL travelling back from australia on monday has asked me to pick him up from airport. I would be in the car with him for 2 hours.
He will be self-isolating as per HSE advice when he returns home.

Where does that leave me? Do I need to take the same steps as well.
Up to now Ive been very stringent in keeping contact with people to a minimum.
Sharing a confined space with someone fresh from a 26hr longhaul flight is worrying me.

I help out in the care of my elderly parents, so worried to be honest....

Runaways

gyppo wrote: »

Sorry for the thread hijack here, but would really appreciate advice.

BiL travelling back from australia on monday has asked me to pick him up from airport. I would be in the car with him for 2 hours.
He will be self-isolating as per HSE advice when he returns home.

Where does that leave me? Do I need to take the same steps as well.
Up to now Ive been very stringent in keeping contact with people to a minimum.
Sharing a confined space with someone fresh from a 26hr longhaul flight is worrying me.

I help out in the care of my elderly parents, so worried to be honest....

Get some masks stick him in the back seat and windows open all the way I’d say you’ll be fine.

bee06

gyppo wrote: »

Sorry for the thread hijack here, but would really appreciate advice.

BiL travelling back from australia on monday has asked me to pick him up from airport. I would be in the car with him for 2 hours.
He will be self-isolating as per HSE advice when he returns home.

Where does that leave me? Do I need to take the same steps as well.
Up to now Ive been very stringent in keeping contact with people to a minimum.
Sharing a confined space with someone fresh from a 26hr longhaul flight is worrying me.

I help out in the care of my elderly parents, so worried to be honest....

I’d be telling the BIL to feck off and make other arrangements. If you do it then stay away from your parents. Not worth the risk.

Edited to add: from what I can see they don’t seem to be taking it as seriously in Australia at the moment so maybe he is just ignorant of the efforts people are going to here to contain the spread?

Fr_Dougal

gyppo wrote: »

Sorry for the thread hijack here, but would really appreciate advice.

BiL travelling back from australia on monday has asked me to pick him up from airport. I would be in the car with him for 2 hours.
He will be self-isolating as per HSE advice when he returns home.

Where does that leave me? Do I need to take the same steps as well.
Up to now Ive been very stringent in keeping contact with people to a minimum.
Sharing a confined space with someone fresh from a 26hr longhaul flight is worrying me.

I help out in the care of my elderly parents, so worried to be honest....

If you spend two hours in a car with him you should avoid your parents for 14 days.

kowloonkev

gyppo wrote: »

Sorry for the thread hijack here, but would really appreciate advice.

BiL travelling back from australia on monday has asked me to pick him up from airport. I would be in the car with him for 2 hours.
He will be self-isolating as per HSE advice when he returns home.

Where does that leave me? Do I need to take the same steps as well.
Up to now Ive been very stringent in keeping contact with people to a minimum.
Sharing a confined space with someone fresh from a 26hr longhaul flight is worrying me.

I help out in the care of my elderly parents, so worried to be honest....

do not do it. if he wants to selfishly travel around the world I'm sure he can take a bus from the airport. the absolute nerve of some people.

Tell him hire a car.

lainey_d_123

TimeToShine wrote: »

I left London during the week, I will WFH from my parents house until this is over. London in a flatshare without gyms/pubs/cafés/social distancing would be a nightmare imo. If you have your own place it is a little more manageable but think hard about it and factor in your mental health, this will go on for months.

You'd better hope you're not carrying the virus, then.

Quite a selfish decision on your part, in all honesty. Anyone who has lived in London over the past few weeks has a pretty high chance of carrying it.

beggars_bush

BiL?

Hire a van and put him in the back of it...