COVID-19 updates and discussion
in Health ·
Rachel Allen55 said:Self-isolation is voluntary. House arrest is a different story entirely. Nobody can force you to stay stuck in your house unless you have an actual court order in black and white saying you have to. Guidelines are one thing, but legal rights are another. They're just fear-mongering at this point.
I checked with my lawyer here in the States and he confirmed it. Unless there's a direct order from a judge, you aren't under house arrest for 14 days or whatever. He said the isolation guidelines are basically just advice, and the choice is yours.
As for those fines they're talking about $2.75... he says it's just a scare tactic. It's like the government trying to slap you with a fine $2.75 just because you didn't run to a doctor after sneezing once. Such a law simply doesn't exist. Just like there's no penalty for ignoring self-isolation.
Quarantine is a whole different beast where the state actually has to set the conditions.
Legally speaking, he says if they tell you to self-isolate, it's like me telling you that you have to do 10 pushups before breakfast every day. You decide for yourself.
Quarantine is separate, but there have to be clear indications, not just speculation. Meaning, the US would have to prove you were actually exposed to the virus even if you aren't showing symptoms yet.
He also mentioned: things like a curfew can be interpreted as a top-down mandate, and that's where you could face sanctions for being out in public. He added that quarantine—meaning being isolated in a facility provided by the state—only happens when there's solid evidence you'll definitely develop the illness or pose a health risk to others. If that doesn't happen within the designated timeframe, the person has the right to sue for lost wages, time, and whatever else.
If my lawyer is lying to me, then I'm lying to all of you.
Get a new lawyer.