Go to the supermarket or take an online slot?

[coffeeforone]

Which is better for those who are not vulnerable, assuming online slots are (sparingly) available?

a) Take the slot you can get as per the 'stay at home' / 'get delivered' gov advice?

b) leave the slot for those that absolutely shouldn't / cannot go out and and queue at the supermarket, adding to the people in one place at once. My supermarket is limiting numbers but still there are a fair amount of people inside with queues etc, and it's not always possible to keep the 2m distance in every isle.

I keep thinking about this and can't work out what to do for the best. We are a household of 4 including a 3.5 year old and a baby. But of course only me or DH would go to supermarket alone maybe once or twice a week.

I had an Iceland slot delivered yesterday as the slot I had booked with ASDA before the lockdown was cancelled.
I have another ASDA one booked for next Wednesday (again, booked just before the lockdown).
Should I cancel it & let it go to someone else? Possibly. BUT I'm a single parent to 3 kids 8 and under. One has SN's. I don't drive & don't have a supermarket near that doesn't involve 2 buses there & 2 buses back. I have no one I can leave them with. Even getting milk & bread is proving difficult. I'm keeping the slot.

I am not vulnerable but I am at home with two children and a husband who is treating virus patients (or rather, putting them on ventilators in ICU 😢) - I have managed to get an Ocado slot next week and I'm going to use it because (a) I don't want to accidentally transmit anything to others and (b) I can get shopping for my vulnerable parents (I will drive it over and drop it in their doorstep).

If you take it, then you are one less person going out. If you buy sensibly, ie not bulk buying just for the sake of it, you can delay the next time you will need to go out. These are all good things. Ignore the holier than thou brigade and take the slot. There are so many people on here who seem to delight in making other people feel guilty (and I know there are lots of vulnerable people as well before anyone starts)

We have been going to the supermarket fortnightly. 30w pregnant, asthmatic. My housemate has MS. My husband is the one to do the shopping!

I think you should go yourself, if you are healthy and none of you are particularly vulnerable. All the emails I've received from Tesco specifically request that healthy and non-vulnerable individuals do their shopping in-store and leave delivery slots free for the vulnerable, shielded, and self-isolating.

Round here some of the supermarkets are offering last minute slots over the next couple of days every week so I’m assuming they’ve been offered to vulnerable etc and still available. If I see one I’ll book it as the less people in the shops the better.

Go to the supermarket. We went last night after giving up our delivery slot today. I needed to get my prescription from the pharmacy there anyway. Tesco were doing really well at managing shoppers and social distancing. They had wipes for the trolley and I wore a mask.

Thanks all! I was torn but reading the responses the majority we should go to the supermarket, so will do that! Now to negotiate who between DH and I gets to escape and do our next shop!

I take a slot every week. No guilt.

My parents can't get a deliver after next week. They are both elderly, he is disabled and she is on the at risk list and had a text from her GP but no letter, so can't go on the government list.

Does anyone know what time tesco release their slots? They live 300 miles away and I can't get to them to help.

We are all trying all day and night to get them one.

Thanks

My mum has called me in tears a couple of times and I feel really helpless.

@Daisiest I was told Tesco release theirs at midnight but I don't know if that's true. I have witnessed Iceland releasing theirs at 11-11:30am ish & then again about 1-1:30pm ish if Iceland is any good.

Daisiest - have they tried Sainsbury's. There’s a number they can ring to be put on a priority list - the number to call is 0800 328 1700 and is available Monday to Sunday 8am - 11pm.

Or Morrison’s or Asda.

Morrison’s also have food packages. www.morrisons.com/food-boxes/

Might be worth trying more than just Tesco.

she is on the at risk list and had a text from her GP but no letter, so can't go on the government list.

She can register here, or you can register her if that is easier:

www.gov.uk/coronavirus-extremely-vulnerable

It's awful isn't it? I've had a similar situation with my mum. She is now at last on the vulnerable list for deliveries but it has been an incredibly distressing and frightening few weeks for her, and yes, the feeling of helplessness is awful.

I very much doubt that all the delivery slots are actually taken by vulnerable people tbh. I now 3 over the next few weeks definitely aren’t (not me).
I used to have a delivery every week on a Sunday. Like hens teeth round here.

Thank you so much everyone. I'll get onto it he suggestions straight away.

I'm jealous of anyone who's got one tbh, there's nothing available at any of the supermarkets where I live. Some are offering click and collect but there's none of those available when I look - no use to those of us without cars anyway but I thought I'd have a look.

If you aren't in the shielding group and you're able bodied then go to the bloody shop and leave the very scarce resource for those who actually need it.

Take the slot. If you don't, there's no guarantee it would go to someone on the vulnerable list.
We're thankfully not on the vulnerable list but DH has high BP and DS is autistic and has ADHD. I have no qualms about booking online slots.

No you can’t guarantee that the slot will go to a vulnerable person but if a non-vulnerable person DOES take it, it definitely won’t go to someone who really needs it. I can’t say I’m surprised at the responses on here but they do make depressing reading

I'm deemed vulnerable OP, have plenty of slots that I can choose from fortunately but the supermarkets have flagged me as such so if you're not flagged and are just going online and seeing an available space I would take it.

I'm physically disabled and can't stand up long enough in the long queues to get in to the supermarket. Standing still is more difficult than actually moving while pushing a trolley. I can't go at times for the vulnerable, because I'm not, and I'm a key worker. I'm still going in to work every day.

I can't get an online delivery slot but have managed to get a click and collect. A fair compromise but it's not until next week and will have been a 3 week wait.

Take the slot. If you don't, there's no guarantee it would go to someone on the vulnerable list.

But if she does take it, she can guarantee it won't go to someone on the vulnerable list.

If you don't need the online delivery, don't take it.

Plenty of delivery options here from smaller local shops, but with limited priductsi. I managed to get a Tesco delivery slot for this coming week a couple weeks ago. I doubt a vulnerable person would get that spot if I cancelled it.
I also went to Tesco the other day. About 100 people queuing but it moved quickly and most things (pasta and flour the notable exceptions) were in stock.
It can be confusing- with some sources saying avoid going to the supermarket if you can and others saying if you are healthy to go. So I'm doing a mix. There are no delivery slots from the main supermarkets for the next three weeks so I will go out again.

There are some who are supposed to be shielding who are not yet on the list. Also it doesn't cover the full range of people who really need a slot - e.g. those who may be fit and well themself but who live with someone who is supposed to shield

Gov.uk advice for people living with someone who is extremely vulnerable and is being shielded is that they do not need to socially isolate but should minimise time spent out of the home.

As I’m a frontline NHS worker I haven’t been in the same room as DH for an age.

When registering as extremely vulnerable following receipt of the letter DH was advised to get family members to shop for him wherever possible.

I registered him just in case I get ill, after going to the supermarket today I can see the appeal of a delivery but advice is for fit and healthy people to go in person where possible.