The shielded are being told to stay home for another twelve weeks after the initial twelve weeks....AIBU to think this is going to increase the gap between disabled and non disabled?

[AlternativePerspective]

I know several on the shielded list who have now received additional letters from the government telling them that they are required to shield for an additional twelve weeks after the first twelve week shielding period expires.So that leaves the vulnerable shielding until September at the earliest,and I can only imagine this will increase as time goes on.

Now,in principle I can see why this is the advice,after all with no vaccine or proven treatment yet the vulnerable are still going to be at the greatest risk, but while when everyone was in lockdown everyone had to be taken into account re work etc,once lockdown starts to ease, employers are rightly going to be expecting people to go back to work,and realistically how is that going to affect someone who is shielded for the foreseeable future? Are employers, who are already looking at lost revenue, going to take that into account?

And people like me who are currently looking for work, does that mean I have to stay unemployed for the foreseeable as well?

I’ve seen a lot of posts on here from people saying that the shielded are selfish if they go out because they know they’re at greater risk so if they choose to go out then they’d be taking up a valuable bed if they get sick.

I can only foresee that this is going to make the divide between the disabled and the non disabled in this country bigger than it already is.

Personally, I want the government to provide a better safety net to people who can't work temporarily due to shielding

I want some personal assurance that my children's school place will be secure for them to return to once community levels are low and trace, track and isolate is established. Ideally, I'd like not to be left in an educational limbo when other children go back - homeschooling was never a lifestyle choice for us.

Other people who are shielding will need other types of support. Perhaps if people were to ask what would be useful, instead of assuming we want the moon on a stick, we could actually have a conversation.

What do you want? The whole world to stay in and get paid in full for ever?

FUCK SAKE these are NIT the only two options.

A harder lock down for a few weeks to get the R number right down, TTI working, and be further along in providing better treatment etc
That's what I want. Not a big ask.

We have already bashed the economy another few weeks is going to make jack all difference to the overall economy but it would make a huge difference to the number killed & the transmission rate

@FourTeaFallOut definitely. I don't have children and am shielding alone. What I need is to either be able to WFH or kept on furlough. I'm assured my job is safe but I'm all a bit in limbo as to how long shielding will go on for

@FourTeaFallOut

Other people who are shielding will need other types of support. Perhaps if people were to ask what would be useful, instead of assuming we want the moon on a stick, we could actually have a conversation

Exactly!

I've read many of your posts & rarely disagree!! 🌷

@HavartitoMeetYou

I have also said in many posts that anyone struggling with their MH needs as much soppier as possible to cope/adjust lockdown

Take care 🌷

So what would be useful?

Full pay for as long as it takes for shielder and other members of household? Because it's no good paying me and not dh.

Dcs at home for the foreseeable? I have an A Level/university children. I don't think they'd want to hunker down for years on end.

Shielding status to be knocked on the head? Was it a good thing that some of us were advised that we were more at risk? Would ignorance have been bliss?

@Nat6999 But your local council is providing support. If they have not leaflet-dropped to you, then you need to call them. Look online at your local authority website OR go to a Facebook support group for your town.

There are loads of volunteers available as well as neighbours and many pharmacies deliver prescriptions for anyone housebound.

My mother is not in the shielded group but she is in her mid 90s- a lot older than your Mum.

I live too far away to support her in person.

She has been contacted by her council offering people to shop for her, get medication, flll in forms, or whatever is needed.

Your local council will be doing the same.

Phone them if you want support.

I think perhaps the OP likes throwing topics out there on AIBU . She's not come back.

Have the comments here helped you at all @AlternativePerspective

I said YABU because being disabled doesn,t necessarily mean you should shield and those that do need to are not necessarily disabled.

My mum got a message today telling her an extra 2 weeks not 12 it was originally middle of June now its till end of June.

Full pay for as long as it takes for shielder and other members of household? Because it's no good paying me and not dh.

Why?

@Sharpandshineyteeth I'm so sorry

Thanks AmelieTaylor. I'm all thumbs when I type angry, I'm pleased some of it is decodable

I have an A Level/university children. I don't think they'd want to hunker down for years on end.

I said I would like to see school positions secured until there was low community transmission and when tti is established, do you really think that will take years? Do you see that having a batch of teenagers might offer more options than those with young children? Do you think this proposal is unreasonable simply because you would choose not to benefit from it @IrmaFayLear?

FourTeaFallOut

I agree with you. A safety net from the government can be different things for different people.

As I said upthread, I'm advocating for employers to be obliged to furlough shielding staff who cannot work from home. This is because I've been working with several people who are risking their health going to work when they should be shielding.

I would recommend anyone who is concerned about the government response writes to their MP. This is a situation that has highlighted a range of different challenges and many decision makers won't be aware of people's circumstances and how they might fall through the gaps.

I'm in two minds about writing to my MP. Also somewhat confused as to whether it is my MP or MSP I should write to.

We won't be able to pay wages of nurses, teachers, any state benefits including disability benefits nor fund the NHS if we continue to pay furlough and we continue to pay people who aren't working. These are the stark choices for the country. They are horrible choices.

Xenia, no on is proposing furlough is paid for everyone. Not all those shielding work and many can work from home.

Whether or not there are further letters - and I believe there could be - for anyone in the OP's position it's no great help to tell them "you can choose not to shield". She's protecting her precious baby who's already been very ill.

What would you do?

@Methtones if you want to raise issues with the furlough scheme, you should write to your MP as it's not devolved.

You could also write to your MSP to ask if the Scottish government could provide financial support to shielding individuals via other means.

I think people are going to have to decide what level of risk they are prepared to tolerate, and that goes for everyone, not just the shielded. Obviously the risk for those shielding is greater, but ultimately it is a personal choice whether you are prepared to stop living a normal life for what is essentially a lockdown due to a lack of ppe/established test and tracing functions.

I know what I would do.

At some point people will have to decide which prejudice to choose. The shielding group are a) either so large that we couldn't possible furlough the ones who are currently working without risking the well-being of the nation's doctors and nurses or b) so incredibly small that it's not worth worrying about them when thinking about the well being of the entire nation. Make your mind up.

I don’t see an issue honestly. You’re at a higher risk of death so it makes sense for you to stay home for an additional 12 weeks to protect your life. Whereas others who aren’t vulnerable shouldn’t continue to place their lives on hold for 12 weeks just to not “bridge a gap” between them and the shielding group

Thanks KillerofMen! I've been a bit confused!

Mnthrowaway20202 RTFT hen.

Not all those shielding work and many can work from home

And some of those in the shielding group who can't work from home don't have any problem with going back to work asap.