Originally Posted by
Optimistic Nick
I don't think he is suggesting he knows more than the people advising the Welsh government. I think he's confused because that expert advice seems to contradict the expert advice given to the UK government. Wales is part of Britain, hence the question.
I think you have to accept that if you don't carry the virus, you cannot spread it. And these aren't lateral flow tests he's taking- these are proper tests at a number of points which (assuming prove negative) provide sufficient comfort to the UK government that you do not have the virus and are not contageous. So if you can prove to the satisfaction of the UK Govt (who will take their own expert advice) that you don't have it, then why is that proof not acceptable in Wales? I think that is all he's asking here. There are five answers to that spring to mind:
1) Wales has better scientists who are right;
2) Both sets of of scientists agree on the scale of the risk but there are scientific factors that justify a more cautious approach in Wales;
3) crap admin - inability of executive powers to agree a common approach even though there is no good reason not to;
4) philospophy, and Wales placing greater emphasis on preserving life even though scientifically there is no difference in risk/likelihood of death or serious illness (that is not meant to be a slur on either party)
5) politics, and a desire to do something different to the tit with a mop for a haircut (that is a deliberate slur on both)
My money is on a mixture of 3, 4 and 5. It's not like England is just checking your temperature at Arrivals and allowing you in as long as it doesn't show a fever. We aren't talking about some moron mask-dodging anti-vaxxer here - this is someone willingly undergoing thorough testing and days in quarantine.
I agree with the concerns about why travel at all? One needs to have a very good answer to that question before going to the airport. After all you (presumably) don't know you haven't got it before you leave. But then we don't know the OP's circumstances - this might not just be a holiday/family reunion. And I do agree that as we are all in it together, you dp have to follow the rules no matter how daft they may seem to be (and sometimes actually are), because otherwise the whole thing falls apart.
But once he is here and has taken the steps necessary to satisfy UK Govt that he can leave quarantine - unless you routinely shell out for tests of this standard, twice, every time you leave the house... not really sure you have the moral high ground as regards his intention to drive a car from England to Wales.