I Don’t Have Covid.

[chrissa1]

I live by myself. I don’t have COVID. How can I transmit COvid to my family in Southampton when I go down there and visit them for Xmas?

It doesn’t make sense.

[Toorak]

Think about how you get there - avoid public transport

[Old_Geezer]

Perhaps they'll give it to you !
Did you get tested ?

[bednobs]

do you never go out? Get any deliveries?

[Buenchico]

You might not have symptoms of Covid-19 but that doesn't necessarily mean that you've not got it; many people who contract the disease are asymptomatic. Unless "I live by myself" means that you live a totally hermit-like existence, you might have caught Covid-19 in, say, a supermarket. (Even if you have everything delivered to you, there's a very small chance that you could pick up the virus from a surface on the packaging of your deliveries).

Further, the virus doesn't only move in one direction. Even if you couldn't transmit it to other members of your family, they might transmit it to you.

Anyway, I'm unaware of any travel restrictions which mean that you can't visit your family at Christmas. (There's a legal limit on how many households can meet up together, and there's advice to avoid using public transport where possible, but there's no specific travel ban).

[Chinajan]

What about them transmitting it to you?

[chrissa1]

I get my own food with hand sanitiser and wash my hands when I get home. I’m flying down with a mask on all the way and sanitiser whenever I touch anything. How can I be a risk?

[woofgang]

As Buenchico says, not sure why you are asking the question because no one is going to stop you going?

[Toorak]

Everyone has to make difficult decisions this year. My family live 450 miles away and I have decided that I don’t want to risk flying or spending hours on a train because of the potential risk to their health or mine.

[chrissa1]

I live in north Northumberland. We have very low infections. They won’t transmit it to me because they have all been shielding.

[chrissa1]

I hate this. I haven’t seen my twin granddaughters since, January.

[pastafreak]

I'm not sure what I'm doing yet. My daughter wants me with them...they'd drive up from London to collect me. But I'm worrying about what they've been exposed to..

[Buenchico]

A face mask provides very little protection at all from contracting Covid-19 from others. At the very most, it reduces the chances by around 20% (although 10% is a more commonly suggested figure). It does however reduce the chances of you passing it on to someone else by a somewhat larger percentage (but definitely nowhere near to 100%). A far better way to reduce the chances of transmission is by keeping at least 2 metres away from everyone else (which simply isn't possible on a potentially crowded plane).

However there's now increasing evidence from the WHO that the virus be passed on by aerosol transmission, rather solely thorough droplets. That means that it can 'hang in the air' for some time so if, say, you walk through a place which an infected person passed through some time ago, you're at risk of catching the disease. The fact that the infected person was wearing a mask will help to reduce that risk a bit and the fact that you're wearing one too will reduce it very slightly further but a risk will still be present.

[chrissa1]

Me too, pastafreak.

[Sqad]

I am sure from what you say you don't have Covid.. pretty sure.
You have not told us how you intend to get to Southampton and that could be where you pick up the virus.
When you are with your family anyone of them ,if infected could transmit the virus to you. That may not be a big deal for them, but could be a death sentence for you.
If you want to take that chance..then fine...go.
However,if you do become infected, on your return journey you may infect someone else who may die.
Bit selfish don't you think?
Don't go.

[jennyjoan]

Sqad - chrissa is flying down

[237SJ]

Just go. You live on your own don't you?

[Hopkirk]

Yes, just go.

[-SharonA-]

I wouldn't go. In fact I am not having any family round other than one son for Xmas. It is not worth the risk if you are in the vulnerable group.
I know you feel like your missing out, but there are other xmases.

[ladybirder]

Pasta who's going to look after Tubby if you go away?
Chrissa, make if for Easter when hopefully you and they will have been vaccinated.

[bednobs]

"I wouldn't go. In fact I am not having any family round other than one son for Xmas."
So you are having family round then!