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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

If Old and Vulnerable are prioritised...

234 replies

NotVulnerableStillHungry · 31/03/2020 08:47

...what the fuck is everyone else supposed to do?

Ocado - prioritising elderly and vulnerable
Waitrose - prioritising elderly and vulnerable
Sainsburys - prioritising elderly and vulnerable
Iceland - prioritising elderly and vulnerable
Morrisons - can't tell as 19014 in the queue trying to get in.

Prioritising the elderly and vulnerable is great, obviously, but it doesn't actually work if you don't have capacity to serve anyone else. Because then it's not prioritising! It's saying "We will not serve you if you are not elderly or vulnerable".

And surprise, surprise, people who aren't vulnerable still need to eat.

So I cannot get anything from any supermarket either delivered or to collect (and I've expanded my search area to 8 miles from my house, nothing). And my local co-op is stripped bare of literally everything except milk, chocolate biscuits and aunt Bessie's frozen yorkshire puds. What good is that, to anyone?

OP posts:
Endofmytether2020 · 31/03/2020 18:27

@Chillicheese123 Your friend will have probably been told that, with their type one diabetes, they are not significantly more at risk of contracting coronavirus. People with HBA1Cs over 8.5% or DKA in the past year are being put into the "shielding" group as that the cut off for being extremely vulnerable. However, anyone who has type one diabetes is more at risk from any virus - essentially it may raise blood glucose very significantly and uncontrollably and ketone will develop, which can be fatal. Unfortunately no-one with type one diabetes knows how CV19 will affect them until they get it, but they are certainly within the wider vulnerable group who were advised to be stringent about social distancing before the lock down came in. It's really hard to treat type one diabetes during illness and the way type one diabetes is managed in acute settings is not always optimal anyway, let alone during this crisis. It's not a mild issue, they are vulnerable even if their HBA1C doesn't put them in the extremely vulnerable/shielding group.

Idontmattertoher · 01/04/2020 11:34

I wrote here on MN asking for support as I am very vulnerable, already housebound without assistance and my 3 essential personal assistants were all off sick, no replacement available. I hadn't eaten for around a week (I can't cook, due to my conditions, and ran out of food I could eat cold). I passed out once as I was so wobbly. I was able to order online BUT everything I added to my trolley was disappearing before I could check out so even those of us classed as vulnerable AND having a slot were not getting deliveries. Thankfully, due to being extremely vulnerable, I get government assistance now, but this took a while to set up.

Before I was as poorly I would have gone 6 mile round trip walk for good for my child and any vulnerable neighbours - despite them not affording me the same level of compassion - so perhaps, could you make your supermarket trip count for more, and ask an elderly and/or vulnerable person if they need a few essentials?

I hope things get easier for you as soon as possible

Macncheeseballs · 01/04/2020 11:40

Corner shops?

sleepingpup · 01/04/2020 11:44

Before CV Supermarket deliveries were about 6 - 13% of their businesses. That is a drop in the ocean of what is needed now.

They don't suddenly have more capacity. And with illness they could have less.

I don't know how many times I read on here before this hit big time " oh i'll just get a delivery ".

I don't think deliveries can be the answer. If you not elderly and vulnerable ( and god knows how they are getting slots anyway !) you have to try other ways. Round here local shops are delivering.

Good luck OP.

FuzzyPuffling · 01/04/2020 14:17

We got a Borisbox! (Food parcel) Tinned tomatoes...hurrah!

user1471468296 · 01/04/2020 14:30

Tesco release slots at midnight. No good for the immediate need, but you can at least sort one for 3 weeks away

CatkinToadflax · 01/04/2020 15:51

We got a Borisbox! (Food parcel) Tinned tomatoes...hurrah!

So did we! Bargain! Smile

FuzzyPuffling · 01/04/2020 15:53

catkin hurrah! Lots of lovely fresh pears and oranges in ours.

CatkinToadflax · 01/04/2020 17:13

fuzzy yes ours too! It turns out there are advantages to being fully isolated for 3 months! 🍐 🍊 🍞 🥛 🥣

FuzzyPuffling · 01/04/2020 17:21

And shower gel. I wasn't expecting that!

Ledkr · 01/04/2020 19:07

How do you get a Boris box please? Ds is a transplant patient so shielding and he's not even had a letter yet

myboysmum · 01/04/2020 19:21

I am on the "shielding" list and I can't get a delivery slot. Luckily I have a lovely sister and BIL who have got my shopping for me and left it on my doorstep. OP if you are are able to, please go and do your shopping yourself and leave the delivery slots for the people that need them.

MarionberryJam · 01/04/2020 20:12

@Idontmattertoher
It hurts my heart that you had to go through that. I worry for others in the same or similar position. I am so very happy that you got it sorted out, and are getting what you need now. Good for you for reaching out -- and good for those helping you. I hope things keep getting better and easier going forward.
For you Flowers

slouchingtowardswaitrose · 01/04/2020 20:15

Don’t worry, we’ll all be dead at the end of it since the young and healthy people will get the respirators when the medical care rationing comes in. There will be plenty of delivery slots again.

CherryPavlova · 01/04/2020 20:21

Plenty of local deliveries if you research. Some deliver nationally. Most places can get veg boxes or meat boxes. Plenty of delis deliver across London. Many places have milk delivery. Not as cheap as Tesco but plenty of places offering online options.

www.melburyandappleton.co.uk/

www.thefishsociety.co.uk/

www.formanandfield.com/

cobandco.co.uk/

sharpham.com/shop/cheese/

olivehater · 01/04/2020 20:21

Personally I think it’s the elderly and vulnerable that should be refused entry. Why do they think by having priority slots they won’t get covid. They need to be at home. Get online delivery priority, family and volunteers to deliver. Otherwise what is the point off shutting schools etc.

DFAMA · 01/04/2020 20:23

Yanbu, I'm a single parent and have been self isolating for the last 10 days and I can't get a slot - I have a tesco delivery saver which counts for nothing apparently. I understand why elderly and vulnerable people are given priority and agree that they should but if theres nothing for people like me some people will end up going out shopping despite having symptoms and the virus will keep spreading that way.

SuperMeerkat · 01/04/2020 20:26

I agree @NotVulnerableStillHungry Not everyone who isn’t elderly or vulnerable has a car and can get easily to a supermarket. They could get stuck without food.

LuxLuxLux84 · 01/04/2020 20:32

I think it’s viral the slots are only for the elderly and vulnerable but I think anyone who is registered disabled ( including autism and learning difficulties) should be included on that list.

LuxLuxLux84 · 01/04/2020 20:32

Vital.

scaryreading · 01/04/2020 20:35

Even click and collect would be great. Perhaps the supermarkets need to expand these and deliveries now.

PotholeParadise · 01/04/2020 21:25

OP, if you're in London, check whether you can get delivery from the Co-op.

If Old and Vulnerable are prioritised...
BubblesBuddy · 02/04/2020 12:10

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

SleepyNightOwl · 02/04/2020 13:12

Ledkr There is a link on the government information site. Unless you’re in Northern Ireland then you don’t get it at all.

PotholeParadise · 02/04/2020 13:46

BubblesBuddy I'm not surprised you're being 'flamed'.

Your post is a complete over-reaction. At the end of deliveries, the van is going to have at least a crate's worth of substitutions rejected. I don't see what a chocolate bar more or less does to the situation.

Shopper didn't want it so it went back to the store for someone who does want it to buy.