‘Not a huge ask’: Husband refuses Covid test to visit elderly mother-in-law

Taking a Covid-19 test before travelling to visit family is just one small thing you can do to keep your loved ones, particularly the elderly, safe, but one man has sparked an argument with his wife after refusing to get the test before a visit to his elderly and frail mother-in-law. The refusal has not only confused his wife, but also others on the internet who say he’s being unreasonable.

The frustrated woman took to the Granset forum on Monday, asking if she was being unreasonable asking her husband to take a Covid-19 test before visiting her “frail” mother. While the woman doesn’t specify where she is located, she does mention cases were on the rise in her area.

“I’ve been visiting my beloved, elderly and frail Mum, who lives 100 miles away from me, throughout the pandemic always on my own and as far as the rules allow,” the woman explained.

“She lives independently and alone. I plan to visit again very soon and my husband is adamant he wants to come with me this time. He doesn’t have much time for her so I’m not sure why. I want him and I to take a Covid test before visiting mum but he has point-blank refused, is angry with me for asking and won’t elaborate on his reasons.”

The woman continued to say that she wanted to take every possible precaution to keep her mother safe, and clarified that her mother and her husband were both fully vaccinated.

“Covid cases are rising steeply in my area and I have just had to isolate for 10 days,” she said. “I know you can never be 100 per cent safe but want to take every possible precaution. He and I and my Mum are all double-jabbed.

“AIBU (am I being unreasonable) to say ‘no test, no trip’?”

Those who commented on the post offering advice mostly sided with the woman, reassuring her she wasn’t being unreasonable.

“I can’t see why he won’t take the test given your mothers frailty, and your feelings on it,” one wrote, adding “If you are really worried say you are going on your own.”

“I don’t think you’re being unreasonable at all,” another reassured the woman. “We both took a home… test before we visited our daughter while she was pregnant. She hadn’t been vaccinated at the time but we’d had both. It reassured her and her partner.”

While another said they could see both sides, but agreed they’d be hesitant to get the test writing, “I can see both sides of this. If you’re both jabbed and have no symptoms, I wouldn’t be inclined to take a test either. But it’s not a huge ask to do one either. I’m not sure what the right answer is but I hope you work it out.”