Thread 3 shielding chat

[AuntieSocia1]

I hope this unimaginative thread title doesn't put off all the amazing posters from this group!

As we transition into this new phase things could get interesting....

Waves to lurkers

We're supposed to be going on holiday (England) on the 11th July, the caravan park are saying they'll be open on the 6th and unless I can provide proof of my shielding they won't let us move it to next year, of course all i have at the moment is the original letter from April and the text from May saying until June 30th... I'm tempted to just say fuck it let's go on holiday (seeing as how as far as I can tell everything is planning to be open as normal by then!) I'm immunosurpressed with added asthma, High blood pressure and various others as well as being a fat moo!

Thanks for new thread.

Had a letter from my consultant today saying they've been trying to call me for my phone appt but that it didn't work 🙄 annoying as I know the number is correct as they've had trouble phoning before - so I also gave them DPs number. Now I have to try to ring them back, which is nigh on impossible

Anywho, thanks for the new thread :)

Thanks for new thread

I’m shielding. Chronic kidney disease and on biological drug for psoriasis which effects my immune system.

Very worried about what will be happening post 30 June. My boss has been on the phone - I’m expected back on 1 July :(

I tweeted the CMO this evening asking for an update and saying it’s not fair that all the other nations have updated their advice and we know nothing.

Incensed listening to culture secretary rabbiting on last night’s briefing. I just want to know what I am doing x

Hi all. Thanks for the new thread. I agree the lack of clear direction makes it hard to plan work, school and nursery etc as well as our house move - we pulled out of the sale in March as lockdown was on the cards but our flat is just too small now

We won’t be told what’s going on past June 30th now till Monday June 22nd at the earliest. A whole 8 days notice whether we’ll be going back into work etc.

Ffs it's great to know we're less important than bloody football!

I keep losing the threads! It seems likely england will extend (then end?) shielding like scotland etc. So I can't imagine anyone is going back to work on the 30th of June.

I've been thinking about trying to speak to my oncologist (I'm a long time out of treatment but all my current health issues relate back to cancer so she has the best over view)

I hit day +3653 post stem cell transplant last week - it's not a thing but it feels like an achievement. It was weird to spend it in isolation - couldnt have foreseen this 10 years ago. Still not convinced I'm not under a general anaesthetic in 2010, about to wake up...

For children the Royal College of Paediatrics has released this guideline. It’s not government policy but it’s pulling back on who they’re really worried about and advocating more case by case discussions. We’re lucky with DS that he’s continued to have monthly video appointments throughout and his condition falls into category B. His consultant has said on balance it’s reasonable for me to go to work and DS to nursery at the end of July despite shielding letter from Welsh government until 16th August.

www.rcpch.ac.uk/resources/covid-19-shielding-guidance-children-young-people?

Written for clinicians but just in case it’s useful.

I think some people will be bumped off the shielded list on Sunday/Monday and others kept on. My consultant wrote a letter this week that said "will have to continue to shield" which sort of implies that there is some variance coming up

The announcement that all children are expected to be back in September has irritated me.

How is it that they can announce that with confidence, and yet not say anything about what is happening at the end of June?

My dc is shielding due to severe asthma, which is always much worse after going back to school in September due to all of the viruses doing the rounds at school. And that's in a "normal" year. This news terrifies me.

The approach to children shielding might be extended to adults

The paediatric paper was linked to another thread (part 2 of this one?)

Basically it divided the shielded into two categories
a) those whose condition means they must continue to shield
b) everyone else, to be reviewed by GP to decide if it should continue or reassign to the ‘flu jab’ vulnerabke category

Case specific, but one rule of thumb was that those whose care was managed entirely by GP would most likely fall into category B

It’s worth checking the more detailed papers about exactly which condition went where, as the executive summary doesn’t mention every one that is on the shield list (mine, for example, which I did find in the haem/onc paper and which remains A, even though not explicitly mentioned in headline paper

Sorry, ignore most of what I wrote - I should have scrolled back further before leaping into print - it is of course the paper which has also been linked by PeigiSu

time!

Morning all.

I suspect that I’ll be in the deshielded group, I’m feeling incredibly conflicted. I don’t want to be shielded but after 3 months of having fear thrown at me I don’t feel safe.

I’m shielded for splenectomy, also have Crohn’s disease which is in remission and untreated (other than the associated arthritis which is stubborn). My risk is secondary infection leading to organ failure, the recent reports on the link to Covid19 being a blood issue concern me as the spleen is the blood filter, plus we are at higher risk of blood clots which also seem to be a reported factor.

It’s all very confusing and I have no confidence in the letters going by the last performance we saw 😂. I got mine in May!

What’s everyone up to today?

That is worrying, Redcherries. It sounds to me as if you should be kept on the list due to the blood issues, but I've no idea how they are going to categorise now. I have severe lung disease (not ashtma) so no real clue about whether I'll be kept on or not, anyone have any knowledge about the future shielding list?

The lack of communication really is shocking.

Redcherries you summarise that perfectly. I too think I’ll be ‘deshielded’ and although I don’t want to shield, I’m terrified. I have no confidence in the letters arriving imminently, but I also have no confidence in the utter drivel that is being spouted by Boris and co. I feel like I’m a pawn in a very elaborate game.
Not got much planned today. I find the weekends the hardest. At least in the week I’ve got work to do. I might make a chocolate cake. Then eat it.

I wonder how much the bloke from yesterday’s briefing is kick himself, he said far more in very few words than hancocks swerving techniques, just thrown more confusion at us.

I do believe the delays are because they are making a more comprehensive change than the other nations, but they need to tell us that, tell us what they are doing and their reasoning, not just leave us all confused and scared.

I’m going to have a garden day, there’s Prosecco in the fridge calling my name 😳. I think I’ll pretend to be in Italy. It’s my 40th this week, I was meant to be flying to Singapore in first class (reward flights, rare as hens teeth, couldn’t believe our luck when we got them 😩) on Tuesday then on to Bali island hopping for two weeks. So I might declare this an annual leave week (I’m furloughed but as a director of a company I still have to do the end of year accounts, vat and books, my most hated part of my job and due in July and August 😡) I’ll let the Mr have Father’s Day then it’s all going to be about me 😂

Chocolate cake sounds good! Are we close by? 😁

I suspect mine might be kept on the list. Rare disease, increased chance of infection, can't fight infection (risk of neutropenic sepsis if I get pneumonia) and it's a blood disorder
I also have a lovely kidney infection again they want me to have bloods done. How does anyone working FT cope with a chronic condition?! I tried to get bloods, you have to book at the minute and they do weekdays that end at 3.30pm and.. that's it
Had to tell the doctor sorry, I can't have them done

Morning!

By iVampire's very clearly explained rule of thumb (we need people like you acting as government waffle interpreters), I would definitely fall into category A. I can't say I've missed immunotherapy, but I am worried about my massive spleen getting ever more massive.

I can understand anyone feeling conflicted about being left on/taken off the list. It comes down to trust, really, doesn't it? If I felt that the government were acting in our best interests, and truly had vulnerable people at the centre of their policy-making, I would be much more inclined to follow their advice. Trouble is, I don't believe that.

Anyway, to answer Redcherries , today I am doing my online shop (for which I'm grovellingly, snivellingly grateful, obvs), gardening, and playing silly games on my iPad. Letting the kids play computer games aaaaaalllll day.

I'm planning to get up at 4:30 tomorrow to watch the footage of the sunrise over Stonehenge tomorrow. Anyone else?

It’s my best friends birthday tomorrow and she’s invited me to watch the sunrise. Hopefully I’ll be awake!

Thanks @iVampire, I've seen that paper already and it isn't much help unfortunately. Dc is shielding due to severe asthma, which is category B, and there is no guidance attached.

@Redcherries - happy birthday for this week! I'm so sorry to hear about your cancelled trip as it sounds amazing. Do you think you'll be able to re-book once things are back to "normal"?

@MilesJuppIsMyBitch - you are absolutely spot on about the issue of trust. The Dominic Cummings issue broke it for me, and leaking that we could go out for a walk on Twitter instead of at a briefing with a scientist or two was the final nail in the coffin. Ugh.

It's shielding day 100 for the Teen today, so we're having a lazy TV day and may bake a cake to mark the occasion

Hi all, I'm still lurking too. Was really hoping for news this week too, although I never got the memo that sheilding was supposed to continue until the end of June (were you guys sent a letter?) so it "ended" on 15 June for me. But next week I'm starting chemo again so it'll be more like the end of June before I can really go "out" anyway. I have been going out for walks with my baby since they said we could and may have broken a few rules as I have been meeting up with a NCT friend and her baby for socially distanced walkd. Fortunately most people in my area seem to be still taking SD seriously so everyone crosses the road/walks in the road etc if they see another person (particularly with a buggy) uphead.

I fully expect to still be on the list given I'm currently doing chemo but plan to ask on Monday how long I'm expected to stay on it after I finish in Sept as it says "on active chemo" ... Hmm. I'm not due back at work until then anyway but it'd still be good to know for planning purposes, as even if I'm off sheilding I can't imagine they'll be too happy with me commiting into central London every day, although I doubt my work will be open by then.

I also emailed my MP (Lib Dem) to ask what was going on and pointed out that I've been shocked at all of the assumptions that we are all old, on the way out anyway and don't have a life to get back to like the rest of the world. Will see what she has to say.

Hope you're all having as good a weekend as possible.

although I never got the memo that sheilding was supposed to continue until the end of June (were you guys sent a letter?)

No letter or text for me - just saw it in the press.