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Original poster

Chat for those who are shielding

956 replies

AuntieSocia1 · 22/04/2020 16:06

Apologies for the very unsnazzy title but as it suggests a place to chat for those who have to shield at the moment. A few of us have been talking on the the Shielding after lockdown thread in the coronavirus topic.

Thought I'd put this in chat as some days I'm guessing we'll want to chat about anything other than coronavirus!

I know all of our circumstances are quite different as well as the reason we need to shield but it's a pretty big thing to have in common. Despite my username I look forward to interacting with you and as my username suggests I might also slink off from time to time!

OP posts:
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Egghead68 · 07/05/2020 13:26

Not had any texts for weeks. Apart from supermarket slots not been offered any support apart from a food box I didn’t want . Had to make my own arrangements for rubbish and meds.

FuzzyPuffling · 07/05/2020 13:33

Exactly Egghead. Box of mostly cheap, not fresh food once a week and nothing else. How is that "we are all pulling together to cocoon the most vulnerable"? Fortunately I live in a village with some extremely helpful people in it - one's just fetched me a pint of milk so I can have a coffee. Phew!

I still vote for shielding households (and only them ) to have the freedom to go out one day a week. "Saturday For The Shielding" I am calling it. The rest of the world can stay at home while we get some exercise. Not too much to ask, is it?

Egghead68 · 07/05/2020 13:46

I like that idea @Fuzzypuffling!

OculusThrift · 07/05/2020 13:48

I received a box, it was full of dented tins and the fruit was near going off. I'm lucky I don't have to rely on them as have a weekly shopping slot, they're not very nourishing for those who do need them.

Katy, I had hear that people who are black or of ethnic minorities were more susceptible to the virus, this was a few weeks ago as well.

KatyMac · 07/05/2020 13:57

It has been proposed but this is proper research

It needs significantly more research and there are issues with more (BAME) people being more likely to work in more vulnerable jobs (dr/healthcare at one economic end and shop/carework at the other)

But it's concerning

Mortigua · 07/05/2020 14:03

Not me that’s shielding as such but we all are due to my DD being on the list.
Love the idea of shielding Saturday !
Have you all had a text today? I’ve seen via Facebook that some had a text today saying shield till 30th June ? It won’t affect what we do really just wondering why we’ve not had it. Got our first shielding text and letter very early on and others are just getting them now it seems - different ways of getting the info for the people who need to shield I guess .

kirstinm · 07/05/2020 14:33

Does anyone else kind of feel like there will come a time when we will possibly just have to take our chances? I mean shielding is all well and good in the short term but in the absence of a vaccine what will we do? In all honesty I am just not sure how good this all is for me. I'm immunosuppressed due to auto immune medication but I've always shaken off illnesses pretty well, I've never had any reason to think that I will be affected more severely than anyone else (although I know that it is possible), but shielding has made me feel so worried and I can already see that I will be very apprehensive about going back out into the world.

I also totally agree that there is a complete 'othering' of the shielded - I'm 28, full time student, work part time...busy, live normally. Not to discount people that are more obviously 'ill' but I hope some of you will relate to me. All just a bit rubbish!

Egghead68 · 07/05/2020 14:38

I also totally agree that there is a complete 'othering' of the shielded

Yes - I am/was (before catching covid) ostensibly very fit and well and few people knew I had a long-term condition. I feel that I have been forced to “come out” to acquaintances and colleagues.

Katinski · 07/05/2020 14:38

Well, today, I'm going Loco in LockdownGrin and I've got that Queen song 'I wanna break free - god knows, I wanna break free!' just might have been playing LOUD on a loop...
WinkGrinGrin
How long now before my 12 weeks is up? Seems like foreverSad

ClientQ · 07/05/2020 14:47

@MrsJBaptiste I have left the house
Once for the vet (no contact)
Twice for the doctors (empty, no contact)
Once for the pharmacy
Sounds worse than it is - the vet I didn't get out the car and the doctors/chemist is 300m from my home, I had a UTI and needed urgent antibiotics which they couldn't deliver

Next will be a blood test next week but it's at a clinic especially for people shielding so I will be alone

MrsJBaptiste · 07/05/2020 16:24

I'm immunosuppressed due to auto immune medication but I've always shaken off illnesses pretty well Me too and to be honest, I was quite surprised that I was in the shielding group when the texts came through as I feel so well and barely every pick up any illnesses. However I'm on two different immunosuppressants and so it's a no brainer really.

ClientQ You've actually made me feel less guilty about my boring trip to the doctors! I walked there and back, saw a few people but kept so far away and didn't touch anything (and washed my hands when I got home) but stressed the whole time I was out.

This is not like me. Bloody lockdown.

outnumberedwoman · 07/05/2020 17:09

I have been to the dentist 3 times. 2 of those visits resulted in extractions and once a dressing on the extraction site. We are all isolating and it is difficult with the kids. My youngest is being assessed for ASD and doesnt really understand what is going on but I know he is missing playgroup and seeing his grandparents etc. He might not be able to tell me but I know him so know what he is thinking. My older one is 6 and understands that we have to stay at home to stop us and others getting poorly but every so often he just wants out for a walk or just to see the world hasnt gone away (i am a bit like that myself at tines!!)

RE the texts etc I have not received one text. All I got was my letter which I had to ask GP for after being hospitalised with asthma a few weeks ago. The docs in a&e couldnt believe i had not received one. When I got out I called GP and it arrived in the post a few days later. I did manage to call tesco and sainsburys and tell them i was shielding and they allowed my account to have priority booking status. By the sounds of things i am not missing anything from not having received a food parcel! Grin

OrganTransplant123 · 07/05/2020 17:29

Yes - I am/was (before catching covid) ostensibly very fit and well and few people knew I had a long-term condition. I feel that I have been forced to “come out” to acquaintances and colleagues.

This 100%. I’ve got so many people who I need to tell that I’m shielding for whom it is going to be a surprise. I don’t want people to think I’m odd for not telling them before.

I don’t even know how to do it. Tell them now or wait till people suggest meeting up post lockdown??

kirstinm · 07/05/2020 17:39

@MrsJBaptiste I'm exactly the same. Just prior to COVID I shook off a really nasty bug much more quickly than several of my uni friends who are ostensibly much healthier than me - one of those people ended up in hospital pneumonia.

I've also had to out myself a bit health wise, had to tell various people that I didn't want to and will have to tell more. This will affect me quite a lot going forward. It's also affected me really badly mentally and I think will continue to do so. Also no idea what I will do if and when my partner has to go back to work. Are any of you guys in this position now? I get the impression that they don't really know what to do with us to be honest.

Katinski · 07/05/2020 19:03

Since that first letter I've heard nothing more. Shielding for 12 weeks,that's clear enough for me. My dread is that at the end of the 12 weeks they'll want to extend it.And, simply, I won't. I'll be gloved and masked up,but I'm going OUT.

BatSegundo · 07/05/2020 22:09

Thanks for the roll call @auntiesocia1 Never been on one before in my 10+ years on MN so I've achieved something in lockdown Grin

I had my letter a couple of weeks back but have been shielding since 1 week before lockdown. Had my first text today for some reason. Directing me to fill in the form on the government website (I already haveHmm). All seems a bit random.

I agree that we are being othered. It started with the 'underlying conditions' business that lets people write off a high number of people dying. But as is evident from this thread, many of us are young, living active lives and you wouldn't know we were ill in any way. (I am very obviously disabled, so not including me!)

Having said that, I'm not sure what can practically be done for us? It'd be nice to get a mention in the briefing, I suppose. I'm glad to hear that there's a special shielded bloods clinic - maybe more things like that? If I was rich, I'd buy some woods near my city and only grant access to the shielded! What else do people think would be useful?

UnholyStramash · 07/05/2020 22:10

For a shielding person it’s been an exciting 24 hours. No, I haven’t been out but somebody came to me! I had my 4-weekly blood test in my own living room.

UnholyStramash · 07/05/2020 22:17

@BatSegundo, I like your idea of buying a secluded wood for us. Smile I’m lucky that I live near the edge of a small town - though last time I tried to go out for a walk, my back was bad - very painful - and I had to come home almost as soon as I’d set off. I’m going to give it another try soon.

UnholyStramash · 07/05/2020 22:19

Have any of you in Scotland had a second/extension letter yet? I think it will come - even though we don’t want it I think there will be an extension of the shielding period. Sad

Megatron · 07/05/2020 22:30

I feel like I'm losing my mind a bit today. I so desperately want to go for a walk.

ClientQ · 07/05/2020 22:33

I had a nice morning in the garden, my neighbour sat out so we could have a chat (very far apart, maybe 10ft!)
Was good to see a human being

BatSegundo · 07/05/2020 22:37

A visitor @UnholyStramash how exciting! I'm supposed to have 4 weekly bloods, too. I missed April's and need to decide what I'm doing for May. My GP said they could send someone to me or I could go into the surgery which is apparently very quiet. I'm not sure about going in, TBH, but feel bad about someone having to come out to me because, I think, I don't think of myself as an invalid? Argh. I don't know! I seem to have lost all capacity for decision making. Someone tell me what to do!

OneNightTimeMenaceStrikesBack · 07/05/2020 23:57

thanks for the roll call!

Im really starting to lose my mind. Im so fed up. I live with two other people and tbh, im gettign so fed up of seeing no one else. the only other person i see is my CPN for my fornightly injection which i have to have otherwise i end up mentally very unwell. I love the people i live with, i truly do but god, id kill to see and speak to someone else face to face. I just want to know if the advice to shield is being extended or not, i feel like im in limbo right now waiting to find out

Redcherries · 08/05/2020 07:50

@BatSegundo let them send someone to you, none of us are choosing this life, use the support offered to make sure you’re looked after, it’s what it’s there for.

BatSegundo · 08/05/2020 08:13

Thank you @Redcherries I can stop dithering now Smile