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Self isolation in a motorhome


chas

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Any one over 70yrs contemplating getting away in the motorhome to self isolate, providing you have no signs of the virus well before you go.A suitable site would have to be found which was not busy, I have mine in mind.
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If your using sites will they stay open or eventually not be "Allowed" to stay open? I think there were reports from Spain of sites closing or at least not letting in new visitors. I would be surprised if CL's close though. Thats where I would head. Some quiet deserted CL site in the middle of nowhere, nobody else on it hopefully.

 

 

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A motorhome in an isolated location offers a way to self-isolate and for some people, for example those who live with younger family who still need to go to work etc, it might be the best bet - providing you will have easy access to water and disposal of toilet contents etc and will not need to share a toilet block.

 

The downside is that a motorhome, even a big one, no place to be self-isolated for four months (which is what is being mooted) or to become seriously ill if you get the infection any way - when you may not be able to rely, when you do get ill, on an ambulance and a bed in hospital. And would you be able to get deliveries of food etc in your isolated location?

 

Older people moving in with other older relatives or friends is an option worth considering, to share resources and support each other - providing you can get on with them. Four months is a long time.

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The idea of isolating for 4 months in one place would drive most folk crazy, so the idea of using your home on wheels for say 2weeks with all precautions allowed for seems to me to be feasible in this country.

Of course if the government decides to stop sites opening then this idea is finished.

I would not contemplate wild camping, too stressful and possibly dangerous imo.

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We are certainly contemplating breaking the monotony of being house bound as the summer slips by, of using some 5 van sites of either club, and any interesting rally offerings.

Just not use any facilitie we can avoid and using our "Marigolds", any more usual meet and greet routines with friends will need to be shelved, but that's not too difficult and has started.

 

The whole concept of being house bound for 4 months if not more through the summer could take me out, let alone the virus.

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Following most of what has been said today it would appear that 'self isolating' does not necessarily mean locking yourself in the house and not going out or accepting visitors.

 

A better term, for those who have no symptoms, seems to be social distancing which has been clarified as going out of the house for exercise or taking the dog(s) for a walk but not coming into close contact with other people. A distance of around 6' is recommended and no personal contact such as hand shake, embracing or kissing to greet someone. Common sense precautions would mean not visiting restaurants, cinemas or other places where large groups congregate.

 

We certainly intend, at the moment, to continue getting out in the motorhome but not using site facilities and washing hands frequently where you can't avoid touching things such as bin lids etc. We had already decided not to take a planned trip to Amsterdam and Bruges - not necessarily because of any higher risk but because if we were to fall ill we would rather be here and, as has happened, we wouldn't want to be stranded.

 

It's going to be different, harder but life still needs to continue.

 

David

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david lloyd - 2020-03-16 7:12 PM

 

We certainly intend, at the moment, to continue getting out in the motorhome but not using site facilities and washing hands frequently where you can't avoid touching things such as bin lids etc.

 

Interested to know how you believe that to be essential travel, as we have all been advised not to make non-essential journeys?

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jumpstart - 2020-03-16 9:08 PM

 

I’m off to a CL in Cornwall tomorrow , all pretty essential. Don’t think I will be getting within 1 m of anybody during the journey. So what’s the problem.

 

How on earth can anyone consider that essential.

 

For anyone who has not done so already, the Imperial College modelling report makes very interesting, if somewhat gloomy reading. Cut out all NON-ESSENTIAL travel now, together with the social distancing measures recommended by the government yesterday, and this country stands a chance that the number of hospital beds required within the next few months MIGHT JUST remain within NHS surge capacity, but will likely not exceed the available capacity by more than 8 fold.

 

If we all carry on as we are, you really don't want to know the answer. It is not a matter of whether you consider yourself to be fit and well and intending to minimise contact with others. It is about cutting or slowing routes of asymptomatic transmission between different areas of population.

 

And latest statistics from Italy show that younger people are increasingly suffering serious complications from the virus. If you are between 60 and 65, the chance of you requiring a hospital bed is one in every 6 people infected, more if you are older.

 

Isn't it time to put some social responsibility above personal gratification? Sadly I do realise from over 40 years working in the public sector that a lot of British people are not very good at that. But the increasingly gloomy outcome of this situation is in all of our hands, and the current situation modelling looks like we are in this for the long haul, hoping that a vaccine will eventually be available and that the virus does not seasonally mutate to the extent that any virus is effectively useless.

 

Sorry for a bit of blunt reality, but it seems that a lot of people don't really get this at all.

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I agree 100%, we're in Spain at the moment and it looks like it could be for a lot longer than we planned but if we manage to survive then it will all be worh it, I still think the folk in the UK are not taking this seriously enough, and why on earth are the schools still open in the UK? crazy

 

jumpstart - 2020-03-16 9:08 PM

 

I’m off to a CL in Cornwall tomorrow , all pretty essential. Don’t think I will be getting within 1 m of anybody during the journey. So what’s the problem.

 

How on earth can anyone consider that essential.

 

For anyone who has not done so already, the Imperial College modelling report makes very interesting, if somewhat gloomy reading. Cut out all NON-ESSENTIAL travel now, together with the social distancing measures recommended by the government yesterday, and this country stands a chance that the number of hospital beds required within the next few months MIGHT JUST remain within NHS surge capacity, but will likely not exceed the available capacity by more than 8 fold.

 

If we all carry on as we are, you really don't want to know the answer. It is not a matter of whether you consider yourself to be fit and well and intending to minimise contact with others. It is about cutting or slowing routes of asymptomatic transmission between different areas of population.

 

And latest statistics from Italy show that younger people are increasingly suffering serious complications from the virus. If you are between 60 and 65, the chance of you requiring a hospital bed is one in every 6 people infected, more if you are older.

 

Isn't it time to put some social responsibility above personal gratification? Sadly I do realise from over 40 years working in the public sector that a lot of British people are not very good at that. But the increasingly gloomy outcome of this situation is in all of our hands, and the current situation modelling looks like we are in this for the long haul, hoping that a vaccine will eventually be available and that the virus does not seasonally mutate to the extent that any virus is effectively useless.

 

Sorry for a bit of blunt reality, but it seems that a lot of people don't really get this at all.

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teccer1234 - 2020-03-17 9:45 AM

 

I agree 100%, we're in Spain at the moment and it looks like it could be for a lot longer than we planned but if we manage to survive then it will all be worh it, I still think the folk in the UK are not taking this seriously enough, and why on earth are the schools still open in the UK? crazy

 

jumpstart - 2020-03-16 9:08 PM

 

I’m off to a CL in Cornwall tomorrow , all pretty essential. Don’t think I will be getting within 1 m of anybody during the journey. So what’s the problem.

 

How on earth can anyone consider that essential.

 

For anyone who has not done so already, the Imperial College modelling report makes very interesting, if somewhat gloomy reading. Cut out all NON-ESSENTIAL travel now, together with the social distancing measures recommended by the government yesterday, and this country stands a chance that the number of hospital beds required within the next few months MIGHT JUST remain within NHS surge capacity, but will likely not exceed the available capacity by more than 8 fold.

 

If we all carry on as we are, you really don't want to know the answer. It is not a matter of whether you consider yourself to be fit and well and intending to minimise contact with others. It is about cutting or slowing routes of asymptomatic transmission between different areas of population.

 

And latest statistics from Italy show that younger people are increasingly suffering serious complications from the virus. If you are between 60 and 65, the chance of you requiring a hospital bed is one in every 6 people infected, more if you are older.

 

Isn't it time to put some social responsibility above personal gratification? Sadly I do realise from over 40 years working in the public sector that a lot of British people are not very good at that. But the increasingly gloomy outcome of this situation is in all of our hands, and the current situation modelling looks like we are in this for the long haul, hoping that a vaccine will eventually be available and that the virus does not seasonally mutate to the extent that any virus is effectively useless.

 

Sorry for a bit of blunt reality, but it seems that a lot of people don't really get this at all.

 

Well said !

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Deneb - 2020-03-17 9:38 AM

Isn't it time to put some social responsibility above personal gratification? Sadly I do realise from over 40 years working in the public sector that a lot of British people are not very good at that. But the increasingly gloomy outcome of this situation is in all of our hands, and the current situation modelling looks like we are in this for the long haul, hoping that a vaccine will eventually be available and that the virus does not seasonally mutate to the extent that any virus is effectively useless.

 

Sorry, the last sentence of this paragraph should of course have said "and that the virus does not seasonally mutate to the extent that any vaccine is effectively useless".

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Deneb - 2020-03-17 9:38 AM

 

jumpstart - 2020-03-16 9:08 PM

 

I’m off to a CL in Cornwall tomorrow , all pretty essential. Don’t think I will be getting within 1 m of anybody during the journey. So what’s the problem.

 

How on earth can anyone consider that essential.

 

For anyone who has not done so already, the Imperial College modelling report makes very interesting, if somewhat gloomy reading. Cut out all NON-ESSENTIAL travel now, together with the social distancing measures recommended by the government yesterday, and this country stands a chance that the number of hospital beds required within the next few months MIGHT JUST remain within NHS surge capacity, but will likely not exceed the available capacity by more than 8 fold.

 

If we all carry on as we are, you really don't want to know the answer. It is not a matter of whether you consider yourself to be fit and well and intending to minimise contact with others. It is about cutting or slowing routes of asymptomatic transmission between different areas of population.

 

And latest statistics from Italy show that younger people are increasingly suffering serious complications from the virus. If you are between 60 and 65, the chance of you requiring a hospital bed is one in every 6 people infected, more if you are older.

 

Isn't it time to put some social responsibility above personal gratification? Sadly I do realise from over 40 years working in the public sector that a lot of British people are not very good at that. But the increasingly gloomy outcome of this situation is in all of our hands, and the current situation modelling looks like we are in this for the long haul, hoping that a vaccine will eventually be available and that the virus does not seasonally mutate to the extent that any virus is effectively useless.

 

Sorry for a bit of blunt reality, but it seems that a lot of people don't really get this at all.

 

I don’t disagree with most of what you’re said however what is wrong with a journey where you don’t meet anyone, arrive on a site and not meet anyone, walk in the country and not meet anyone. Compared to drive to work meeting people,drive to the supermarket meeting people and where the advise is avoid contact.

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david lloyd - 2020-03-17 1:43 PM

 

As far as I know the latest advice is do not undertake non essential FOREIGN journeys......

 

I'm pretty sure that Yorkshire is still in mainland UK.

 

David

 

The advice given yesterday was to avoid ALL non-essential journeys, including work related travel which could be avoided, visiting relatives or anything that is not essential.

 

The separate advice issued today by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is to avoid all non-essential foreign travel.

 

It seems that some people are having difficulty with the concept of asymptomatic transmission. It means that you might be feeling perfectly well and unaware that you are carrying the virus, that someone you meet might be similarly indisposed, that you pick up the virus on your hands or personal property whilst refuelling, handling cash, using water taps, opening gates etc. and transfer it to a different area even if you remain uninfected.

 

It may seem a very low risk, but scientists believe it to be one of the main drivers of infection spread between communities.

 

Note that washing hands and using soap does not offer any guarantees against acquiring or spreading the virus, but it is one of the best mitigations available. It does not guarantee that if you wash your hands in Yorkshire you will be perfectly safe from carrying the virus to Cornwall, or indeed acquiring it, even if you remain asymptomatic yourself.

 

I am the first to admit that I am not an expert in any of this, but I heed the knowledge and advice of my wife who has had over 40 years of nursing experience including barrier nursing and infection control.

 

I heard a doctor in Italy pleading with us to heed this information earlier today, before it is too late for us.

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Last night on the BBC news it was made clear that, "People should avoid non-essential travel, and work from home if they can." I'd love to know why motorhoming is essential travel so I can carry on but for now, I've returned home as my site booking ended.

 

Deneb - saw your post after I posted. Blame the kettle because the water boiled and I had to make the tea halfway through drafting my post.

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david lloyd - 2020-03-17 1:43 PM

As far as I know the latest advice is do not undertake non essential FOREIGN journeys......

I'm pretty sure that Yorkshire is still in mainland UK.

David

I'm sorry David, but that is a very selectively, "fine", reading of where we are. The main reason that Italy and France are now under draconian "lockdown" laws, is precisely because people did not respond responsibly to the appeals to common sense that went before.

 

The virus does not spread itself, it is spread solely to people, solely by people. Each person who becomes infected, has been infected by, and will infect, someone else. There aren't any malevolent sprites flitting around infecting us while we sleep!

 

No-one is yet certain, allowing for the differences between individuals, how long after infection the symptoms become apparent, and no-one is certain whether one is infectious before the symptoms appear.

 

The Covid-19 virus is more infectious than SARS, MERS, or 'flu, so is very easily passed on. It is estimated that each infected person manages to infect between two and three others before the full symptoms appear.

 

That is why it is spreading so quickly, and is why (belatedly IMO) the government is now calling time short of introducing emergency legislation to legally define what we may now do.

 

Either we have sufficient common sense to react sensibly, or we don't. Unfortunately, when it comes to common sense (without particular inference against anyone on here), some people have to have it inserted into their thinking with the aid of a sledge hammer! Those who think the present stark guidance might cramp their style if they comply, should perhaps pause to think about the consequences if they don't. The sledge hammer will be the next step.

 

Sorry, it seems between interruptions others beat me to it! :-D

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Then it would appear the only way to stop the spread of infection is to isolate everyone. Never mind essential journeys. Just shut everything down.

 

Or, maybe a more common sense approach, as I mention in my post #8 above, is to treat the advice of 'self isolation' as meaning 'social distancing'.

 

As someone with over 25 years experience in the front line emergency ambulance service I am acutely aware of the ramifications of infection control but, without a complete isolation of everyone from everyone, it cannot be contained. Why are the schools in the UK not closed? Asked one poster. Maybe it's because the government don't want to risk all the elderly grandparents catching the virus whilst looking after their grandchildren. Two of our children work in mental health and cannot walk away from their post to look after their children unless someone steps into their place to take care of the mentally ill in the community or the secure mental health unit where they work.

 

The comments above are absolutely valid but I don't believe for one moment that any one of the measures announced or in force will stop the spread of this disease in its entirety. My wife and I have no desire to put ourselves, our families or anyone else at further risk but I believe by taking responsible action in avoiding social contact we are doing our part to make it so.

 

David

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Brian Kirby - 2020-03-17 2:41 PM

Sorry, it seems between interruptions others beat me to it! :-D

 

No need to apologise Brian, I couldn't have put it better myself.

 

It has been my experience over many working years that large sections of the British public prioritise their perceived right to do what they like whenever they like over any responsibility to either society as a whole or other individuals.

 

Unfortunately nature is not selective, otherwise those would be the first people to be denied hospital admissions when the NHS will almost certainly have to start making very unpalatable decisions in the very near future, but as with the result of fatal collisions it is my experience that the innocent often come off worse.

 

And they won't just be coronavirus decisions. As in other countries where non-Covid-19 related deaths resulting from pressure on medical systems have yet to be quantified, it may come to the point where emergency care and medical interventions for other critical illnesses and injuries may not be available for some time.

 

Am I the only one here who saw the video from a young Italian man in lockdown last week, with his elderly parents and sister who had died from an epileptic fit 24 hours earlier. She was still in their apartment and they had not been able to get any assistance from the emergency services or anyone else during the intervening period.

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