How on earth am I supposed to self isolate?

[GammaRays]

Hi, I'm in a bit of a sticky situation and need some advice.

DS today got a high temperature out of nowhere. I called 111 and they've said I need to self isolate. However, I'm a single parent to DS, who's father is legally not allowed near us and for very good reason. My parents are both at risk and already self isolating, and the two friends I have who live nearby have both gone to stay with family far away. Every delivery slot of every supermarket is booked, and I cannot drive to do click and collect.

So, on Friday I'll be really running out of food. I don't know my neighbours (they all keep to themselves). What the hell am I meant to do? Even my local Facebook is saying they can't take any more requests for help as they're prioritising the elderly, which I completely understand, but in short, I'm screwed aren't I?

There’s lot of places now doing deliveries if you do some googling, not the usual places!

Where do you live?

@trinity0097 Can you give me some sites that are please? I'm struggling trying to find anything. I've tried Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrison's and Waitrose, and Milk and More.

South east, near Chelmsford.

Don't write off your neighbours just because you don't know them already - I don't know mine but I'd be happy to grab them a bit of shopping in these very weird circumstances.

Failing that you could also explain your circumstances to the Facebook group. Even though they're prioritising elderly people they might be able to slot you in, or point you in the direction of someone else who might be able to help.

Don’t search for big places, try your local shops that are now branching out, e.g. a local coffee shop by us is now selling produce and delivering. You local butcher, grocer etc....
Post in your local Facebook group that you need help and someone will have some local ideas or get stuff in for you.

Depending on your area Deliveroo does small supermarket deliveries - Co-Op, Londis, off licenses etc.

Have you checked Deliveroo? They’re delivering some groceries.

If no luck, ask your neighbours. It’ll feel awkward but it’s your only other option, unless you’ve got a community hub up and running.

How old is your son? If he’s at school are you on any Facebook/WhatsApp groups you can ask on for help? I would help out even if it was a parent I didn’t really know. If he’s not at school health visitor might have some ideas given your situation with limited support.

Hope your son gets well soon.

Local businesses near me are doing some boxes like the Morrisons ones at £30/35 with bread meat eggs cheese etc in, ther must be something like that near by. Try cafes Facebook pages , and those of local bakeries even pubs. Hope you manage to find something, there has to be some help out there for you

Absolutely ask your neighbours. They would have to be absolute cunts not to in the circumstances as the alternatives seem to be you and your child starve, or go out and potentially infect others.

Have a look on your Local Council website, here in Newcastle we have set up city life line run through the council where people can ask for help or register to offer help. It includes delivering essential food packages.

Our local market traders are doing veg and fruit boxes, the meat wholesaler is doing a lockdown box and amazon can supply a lot...

Amazon pantry sells a lot of ‘cupboard’ food that would see you through a couple of weeks.

Look on Facebook for your local covid 19 support group, they’ll have people willing to shop for you

There is a facebook group called Chelmsford community kindness

If you can’t get food delivered, you can go to a shop for supplies if self-isolating. Nobody is delivering in our area either. PHE England’s advice is as follows:

“If not possible, then you should do what you can to limit your social contact when you leave the house to get supplies”

(From www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection)

Do you use the Nextdoor app? The groups offering help on there are different to the ones offering help on Facebook

also Chelmsford COVID-19 Support Group

Local wholesalers are doing family sized fruit/veg or meat boxes. Bread, milk eggs often coming with them if you buy the main product.
I've yet to find pasta/flour/soap style stuff locally, but a box if fruit and veg, along with bread and milk from them has kept us going.
Local market traders, farm shops, independent butchers, greengrocers etc are all worth looking up on Facebook. As is "my area Covid support" style Facebook groups.

Good luck. We are climbing the walls at 12 days in. Cant wait to go for a walk on Tuesday -once I've stood in the 2 hr queue to get my 3 items I'm allowed from tesco, if Facebook is to be believed!!!!

Yep. Try NextDoor. Lots of people offering help on that forum, in my area. Alternatively how about contacting a local church? Both my local Anglican and Baptist churches are offering help to those isolating

A friend of mine mentioned earlier that because they're in isolation they managed to get a priority slot with Iceland, might be worth looking into?

Musclefood are good for meat, and have some other groceries - I got tomato soup and oatcakes in my delivery as well as some biscuits.

If you are in an area with farmshops, call them and see if they are delivering - all of ours locally are. Also pubs/restaurants are delivering food, inc heat at home.

Put a message on FB in a local group and say you are a single parent self isolating due to ds's symptoms, and ask for recommendations on delivery. Your nearest corner shop would be worth a ring - they might not advertise that they will deliver, but might well do it if asked directly

Just downloading the next door app now. @pudcat I will check them but as someone who hasn't used Facebook in years I've already had questions raised about if I really need help by a group on there.

And the one neighbour who I have the phone number of I've texted to ask but she's disabled with no carer just friends so I doubt I'll have much luck. I'm asking my mum if she can just drop stuff off on my doorstep but she doesn't want to risk it (understandably) and I mean, who would?

Try these people?

Keep an eye out on the Morrisons boxes. They've sold out for today now but when I checked a few hours ago they had some.

As others have said, get on facebook and have a look. In my area these companies are offering deliveries of food; taxi drivers, newsagents and corner shops, cafes and restaurants (food supplies, not just takeaway food), the PYO places on the outskirts of town, butchers, bakeries, international food shops, and the ‘no waste’ food shops (where you take your own tubs and fill them up’
There are no end of options around here to get a box of food to your doorstep, it’s really worth having a look.
My mum was struggling to get a supermarket delivery, so I range around. The newsagent and garden centre nearby both dropped off bags of food, and wouldn’t charge for delivery.