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

So sorry you are missing your wonderful trip @Redcherries. Enjoy your Prosecco.

Thank you for the new thread! I struggled to keep up with the last one but I'll try to do better this time.

We're shielding ds, who is category b in the link above, so I'm expecting that we'll be deshielded too. Like @Redcherries and a few others, I have decidedly mixed feelings about it all. Mostly this is purely selfish though, as I've realised that I'm even more of an introvert than I previously thought! I miss getting out and doing things, but I'm enjoying having far fewer social demands. I expect to be very much the odd one out there though!

Morning all, hope you are all managing to have a decent Saturday.

I've no idea if I'll be dropped from shielding, I think I may well be as I'm only on biologics/DMARDS for Rheumatoid Arthritis (although fat with HBP). The thought of being back at work in the middle of a busy supermarket scares the shit out of me but I think I need to spend the next week getting my head around it :(

Thanks @WinstonWolfand @Egghead68 it was a bit of a battle as they were reward flights and four people on two bookings but we’ve managed to rebook for April. Not got round to the Prosecco yet because I have made it out of bed. I worked all week though so I’m letting myself off 😂

There’s a wild life park 10 minutes up the road from me that have started to do evening sessions with limited numbers and no children, they have a beer garden too, I’m seriously considering booking for Thursday, the day after the big 40 as a treat and a first step back into the world. Is it much different to a walk? It’s all outside and I thought Thursday likely to be quieter than the Friday and Saturday slots as the majority of people are now back at work.

You lot with all your cakes! My dd just made me a cheese toastie and tea 😊

im utterly confused abotu whats happening or not happening and tbh, its making me really low. i dont know if i even care if i have to shield anymore, i just want to know either way whether i continue my life or it stays on hold

thank you for the new thread as well

@Redcherries That trip sound incredible! Fingers crossed for April. And also welcome (almost) to your 40s! It’s been my favourite decade so far (with the exception of the last 3 months obvs).

@OneNightTimeMenaceStrikesBack yes I’ve got a bit of that today too. Kind of switching from total terror one minute to ‘I don’t care anymore’ the next. However, and I hadn’t thought of it from this perspective before, my eldest just turned up for an end of the driveway chat (he’s all grown up and lives nearby). When I told him I thought I would be culled from the list (culled - oh the irony!) he said ‘but you can’t go out mum, the virus is still around and we need you’. Broke my heart a bit. But made me think that this isn’t just about me. The decisions I make affect so many people.

Well. Amongst all that deep thought, I have made the chocolate cake and I will enjoy it later with a gin in the garden. Small pleasures.

How’s everyone’s days gone? Been a nice afternoon here, pottered about and spent some time with dd sharing Prosecco.

We have decided to definitely do the wild life park as the first step of easing out of shielding if I get deshielded this week, dd very excited by the idea.

I got a few comments on here today for virtue signalling when I pointed out that 2 weeks isolating prior to an operation with warning wasn’t anything near what we’ve done to protect the nhs 🤔 virtue signalling or not 2 weeks would be a bloody breeze, but of course this is for our own good so we should suck it up. 2 weeks is not that hard.

Film and sofa now 😊

Hope everyone has had a good day.

What a lovely trip to look forward to @Redcherries

Good news is my manager said the school is not expecting me in this summer term! So no matter what the shielding news, or lack of, I know what I am doing. To be fair they need some staff at home to manage the children at home - lots of online marking and lesson planning for me rather than teaching!

I think having a new category would be helpful - between shielding (ECV) and Vulnerable. To take a lot of people out of ECV and put them with V seems strange, because the conditions are a higher risk than the moderate risk of the V category even if not need to shield in summer months. Hopefully that would help to keep those who are taken out of shielding in June, if that is going to happen, to keep working from home where possible.

Well that is my hope anyway! If I am put in V and expected to be in a school with all children back in September ( corridors do not allow for SD nor does the size of a classroom!) then I will have to think seriously about it. At least I can drive to work. There are a few of us shielding as a Sec school, but significantly more in the V category, so they will need the V category back in work for September.

Had no risk assessment at all, however and think they are too busy with the constantly changing plans so I will keep busy with work I have to do. In fact it is Friday night and my fun is some necessary IT work and sorting files out and uploading ready for Mon - yay!! Am so pleased not to have been furloughed, as feel useful in some way still working.

Managed two short walks from my house in a week. Not gone to any nice areas where it is busy - just from my house.

plus we are at higher risk of blood clots which also seem to be a reported factor.

I've had PEs in the past and have been told its not a risk factor (I cant have the pill etc) because it's not the same type of blood clots. I'm not medical, so I cant explain it any better than that!

@Egghead68

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.

It's on all the official shielding guidance online too. Shielding hasnt "ended" for anyone yet unless their condition has changed.

Although some people (not me) got texts telling them to stop shielding?

And Asthma UK changed the shielding criteria they list so it looks like lots of severe asthmatics no longer need to shield?

It’s very confusing...

Asthma uk have been reckless in this whole thing. They've done nothing but cause confusion, start to finish.

@Methtones I’ll bring that up with the dr, if I get deshielded this week I’m going to discuss all of my concerns so I have as much of an understanding as possible, I loath not having a plan and research 😳

I only know it’s june 30th from being online too @Egghead68. Great for those not using the internet to the level we do. I’ve noticed on local news outlets etc in comments sections how confused people are. Dates all over the show, over 70s with no underlying illness thinking they’re not able to go out. Frustrating and worrying.

I had a text telling me to shield until 30th June it came around the same time as the get someone to take your bins out text.
It's all very erratic

Hello just read this thread though not the others . Late to the party because I have just been shielded , got my letter today. Odd for people to be talking about de- shielding TBH . I have a rare disease and it's the complications that have triggered it . Should have been from the start really since no change in my health .

I was aware of the 30th June from seeing something on the news and was sort of keeping it as that anyway but found it odd that they didn't contact me given the amount of correspondence I got right at the start. The last "helpful" text I had was on 29 March when they told me that I was in the same boat as millions of others, to share my experience on social media and to do some puzzles to pass the time. Haven't had anything (text, letter or phone call) since, nor have I had a food box. Feel quite hard done by, hehe. And I've been putting out my own bins!! :)

For the people who are in this position, plans for father's day? I got my baby to do a hand print card for his dad but that's as far as we got, not that we really do much anyway in my family.

@Egghead68 I agree, it's all very confusing. I've just been doing what I feel is right/best and that's all you can do.

I hope all of you working in schools get answers soon, I used to be a teacher but now work in a uni (professional services rather than academic) so fortunately am able to work from home with relative ease. It's all just so messy with everything related to children and education. They've definitely been forgotten too.

@Redcherries your trip sounds lovely, hope you are able to go soon!

Morning all!
Just watched Matt Hancock on Marr telling the nation that they will be announcing relaxations in the lockdown next week. Not a single mention about us. Gah! Wish I hadn’t seen it now. Just fuels my anger.
Fathers Day here will be a WhatsApp video chat with my dad, a homemade card for my DH from my youngest (he’s drawn his dad which is quite sweet) a couple of silly little things I ordered from Amazon and his favourite for dinner - surf and turf.
Hopefully the sun will keep shining and we can spend some time in the garden.
@Redcherries I am excited on your behalf about your trip on Thursday. Will need all the details so I can live vicariously through you : )

When I was perusing all of the papers last night, the Daily Mail in one of their "only x deaths today" articles mentioned that next week we are to be told that it's OK for us to go into shops.

It was only in the sub heading, and not elaborated on in the article at all, and I didn't see anything similar on BBC or Guardian (tend to check all three).

However, with Hancock now spouting off about how they will be updating the 2m rule and changing lockdown rules for all next week, I do wonder if there may be some truth in it?

I wouldn't feel at all safe going into a shop now. Regardless of the Covid statistics, being away from the world for more than 3 months has messed with my head. I'll be taking things very slowly.

Can I join please? I’m shielding as DS1 has asthma. I have a 2 year old and a 5 month old and am a single mum so I’m struggling quite a bit

@Methtones

plus we are at higher risk of blood clots which also seem to be a reported factor.

I've had PEs in the past and have been told its not a risk factor (I cant have the pill etc) because it's not the same type of blood clots. I'm not medical, so I cant explain it any better than that!

Not sure I believe this - my (massive) PEs were caused by my UC flare ...which is inflammatory in nature. Will investigate further as I am really not keen to go through that again

plus3 let me know if you find anything out. I've done some reading but nothing that says solidly either way. I'm not losing any sleep over it personally, but can see why it's a worry.

Will do

Hello xmummy. You are very welcome here.