Table 2 Facilitators and barriers to the uptake of accommodation for isolation – results of the content analysis of survey text

 To protect others in my household/if someone at home was high risk

Includes both actual and hypothetical comments about having someone at high risk at home.

If it was a case of protecting my wife, I would probably leave like a shot if it was to her advantage.

25

 To control the virus

Includes broader social sense of doing the right thing.

I would be motivated by the compulsion to save others.

5

 To avoid using shared areas

To avoid needing to use shared rooms in the home

I live in a big enough house to keep apart, but only one bathroom, so because of shared shower facility might go elsewhere

1

 Can self-isolate where I am

Includes having enough space to self-isolate at home, or living alone

We live in the countryside and we are able to self-isolate

28

 Not wanting to be apart from family

Unwilling to be away from family

I doubt if we could manage apart from each other we are so interdependent on each other.

10

 Caring for others

Having caring responsibilities at home, including children, spouse, parent or pets. Excludes comments where alternative caring options were considered (see below).

Someone who is dependant on me. I would not be able to support them in any way if I were somewhere else.

4

 Concerns about implications of isolation for mental well-being and relationships

Worried about negative impact on mental well-being, including loneliness and boredom, or missing family members

Self-isolating can be lonely without contact with other people but doing it in your own home is more comforting with your own things around you

4

 Upheaval of moving when ill/want to be in own home when ill

Preference for being at home when feeling ill

Would be better for others to be removed and leave sick person in familiar surroundings

4

 Perceived risk from others in the building

Concerned about risk of catching the virus from others in self-isolation accommodation

Definitely would not accept accommodation situated in a building designated for multi occupancy or in an area with higher numbers of fatalities or cases.

2

 Unfeasible for unspecified reasons

Self-isolation elsewhere is perceived as unfeasible but no reason is given as to why

There are no circumstances in which I could feasibly self-isolate away from home.

3

 Location of accommodation

Location of accommodation, focused on proximity to home to allow the person both to receive and provide care to those still at home.

it would need to be relatively close by so that, should my son need care, I could return home as I would not want him to be on his own if he became ill and we have no other support nearby.

22

 Facilities available/suitability of accommodation

Includes requirements for accommodation e.g. comfort, outside space.

Would depend on the quality of the facility - I would not like it to be Spartan, uncomfortable, with poor Wi-Fi, nowhere near a good hospital

11

 Support provided for those left at home

Includes considerations about what support would be provided for children, spouses or parents they care for

It would depend on whether someone else who was not ill would be available to look after my son

9

 Medical care available at accommodation

Consideration of medical care available and who could look after them, either due to Covid-19 or due to other health conditions.

I would isolate elsewhere especially if a close watch in a nursing capacity was available for me and other isolation participants

7

 Access to Wi-Fi

Needing Wi-Fi for staying in touch with people, or running business

I would want to be able to use my PC, phone and tablet.

6

 Hygiene and cleanliness of accommodation

Concerned about germs in the self-isolation accommodation

I am more confident in the cleaning regime I have at my own home than trusting it to someone else. I would not be comfortable living anywhere that I hadn’t cleaned myself to my own high standards.

5

 Special dietary needs being met/access to food

Unsure about how and what food would be provided

I would also want vegetarian food, or ability to get vegetarian (ideally vegan) food.

4

 Taking my pet with me

Wanting to take a pet into self-isolation accommodation

Whether I could take my dog with me

1

 How much fun it would be

Considering how much fun it would be

Where it was, what facilities were available, whether I’d be able to get food, and how much fun it would be.

1

 Whether I have confirmed Covid-19 or just possible exposure

Considering how necessary it is to self-isolate depending on whether a confirmed diagnosis of the virus has been given.

If I had been given a positive CV19 test result and was being asked to isolate remotely to protect my family, I would do so. I would not, however, go into precautionary remote self-isolation in a setting where CV19 was known to be present in other residents simply on the basis of suspected contact with a CV19 carrier.

1