Chat for those who are shielding

[AuntieSocia1]

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!

Ta Guys... it means so much to have people who really get it... trying to be upbeat for my teens has taken its toll and today’s news has just finished my reserves off.. but I’m going to have a hot shower now and go and watch some random crap and tomorrow will be better..
Thankyou all for understanding.. I wish you all a peaceful night

Take care @potentialmadcatlady. I hope tomorrow is better

Out of interest, does anyone know if the “personal letters from Boris Johnson sent out to every household” months ago weren’t sent to people shielding? I didn’t ever get one and I wondered if that was why.

We got a letter from Boris. Of course, we had to quarantine it.

I got a letter from Boris.

I’ve just realised that all NHS texts have stopped, nothing since 11th May here!

Perhaps we’ll hear more on Thursday? > hopeful

I had a Boris letter, about a week after the shielding one. Haven't had any texts from the NHS though, possibly because I'm in Wales.

I’m glad it was just me that didn’t get the letter and it wasn’t discrimination against us!

I haven’t had any texts since 3 April. I also haven’t had any notification it’s been extended to 30 June (my original end-date was 15 June).

It = shielding

I only started getting the NHS texts from the 7th May and then I had them daily up until the 11th May, nothing since.

I’m sure, hopeful, that a team of government advisors are meeting daily wondering what to do with us and I’m hoping we’ll hear about what that plan is soon.

Surely they can’t just tell us after 12 weeks that it’s ok now, you can carry on as normal, well as normal as it’s going to get? That’ll be the same advice even for those who haven’t been told to shield for 12 weeks? Or, they might just suggest we go to the ‘stay alert’ phase, rather than the next one they’re going to roll out.

im fed up of feeling in limbo about it. At this point i no longer care if it gets extended, i just want to know either way, you know? Im used to spending long periods of time housebound so it isnt really new for me but the limbo is awful, the not knowing is driving me slowly up the wall

I doubt that anyone is thinking much about what to do with us. They are focused on starting up the economy.

Jenny Harries and others have said that shielding is likely to be extended beyond 30th June and also said we may need to shield for “many months”. They also said they will be looking again at who needs to be in the shielding category.

It's the limbo of or me too, if we're to stay in for the foreseeable then fine but give us regular updates, even if those updates are nothing new. Tell us how and if they plan to financially support us when we can't work from home, make our children priority for video lessons somehow.

I need to tell my team to fill my position, she'll hold it for me but it's not fair to ask my colleagues to pick up my work for a long time with no idea of when I'll be back plus then I at least have the option of claiming CA for DS to cover some of the loss of earnings.

I need to have a solid case to say to the council, WE NEED TO MOVE NOW if this is going on for the rest of the year, My DS needs regular quite intensive work outs, for physio. That needs to be sorted. We can't live not knowing. It's really not fair.

Yes surely they should let us know by the 1st June at the latest to enable our employers to organise suitable cover? They can’t just let us know the week before the 30th?

I wouldn’t put it past them.

Just hit home that I’m being left behind with no idea when it will end

This 1000%

We are shielding DS since a week before lockdown. They didn't even decide officially we should be shielding DS until a week ago.

Doesnt really matter when the govenment officially release us. If cases are still high were going to still be in lockdown. Was discussing with D's school options for DS home schooling from September, whether hed be better with a proper online schooling if provision becomes completely patchy because everyone else is back by them. Totally left behind.

as if she was a poisonous snake in my house

@IntoTheUnknown89 I can so relate to this. Morrison's driver drop the food at the door and was still standing there right in front of the door when we opened it. I felt the instinctive urge to hiss.

I'm not quite sure how i go back to regular socialising after this even when it's safe to do so. Not the same person anymore

@Hazelnutlatteplease I feel the same. I have no idea how I will function as a "normal" person after this!

@Hazelnutlatteplease I think we will struggle to be out in the world again. I keep telling people that when they describe the queues and empty shelves it’s like they are talking about being in holiday to A place I’ve never been and I can’t quite Imagine what it’s like

I think that the list of who should shield will be dramatically reduced.

I also think the advice will be like it is to those who are undergoing chemotherapy: be very careful to avoid places where you may pick up a bug. Eg avoid crowded shops, public transport, cinemas, planes, etc. Family members have to be careful about infecting you if they feel dodgy, and people should not visit the vulnerable if they are ill.

But - these will be advisories, not an order. It is impossible to shield forever. Surely someone in the house even if it's not the shielder themselves will need to go to the dentist, or go to school, out to work etc etc.

I know I will find it hard to be out in the world again although who knows when that will be? We were talking about going for a walk to get a take away Starbucks now it's open again here but while I would like to I just don't know if it's worth the worry afterwards.

This worry will be a big part of it going forward for me. I think that's all very well about the advice potentially changing (and it probably will) but even if that's the case the fear and anxiety will still be there - making it hard to do anything at all, for some of us? And many already live with someone who is still going out?

It's very difficult. I swing between thinking I will take my chances and thinking I will be inside forever.

I've just had someone inbox me on Twitter to tell me how lucky I am be have other countries have had it worse with a stricter lockdown for everyone and I should stop complaining. 😡😡

Can you block them?

I have, I don't have it in me to argue.

Hi everyone, been reading along quietly.

TitsalinaBumSquash well done for blocking the twat. Very tempting to reply I should think.

I don't understand why we're not even really being referred to in these briefings. I mean, I have a vote. I pay tax. I contribute to society.

And even without all of these things, I matter.

Feeling so very, very angry.

Has anyone started to think sod it, and been going out?

I've done a couple of quiet runs early in the morning and been out in the car while DH goes into the shops. I can see me doing a few more things I shouldn't be doing (sitting in friend's gardens, etc.) if this continues for months ...

I am getting to that point (especially as I have most probably already had covid). I’m waiting on antigen and antibody test results. If I’m not currently infectious and, especially if I have antibodies, I am considering a once weekly early morning walk round the park (would have been a run but I have lost all my fitness due to Covid),

I'm getting to that point, if it was me shielding for myself I'd have been out weeks ago, since it's DS and his illness is respiratory based then it makes me pause.