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.

I'll most likely lose my job due to this.

Does anyone have any actual links to government or health websites that state this is true as google is not bringing anything up.

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.

Good for them, but don't lump us all together with people who are willing to take the risk.

MonkeyJunk nothing is confirmed. Hang in there.

I wish the government would at least acknowledge us instead of ticking the "covered" box because they dont have to deal with us till the end of June.

Oh right, thank you @Methtones I thought the OP said people were getting letters, yet surely there would have been confirmation before any letter were sent out. Wish people wouldn't post things without providing evidence when it has such an impact on people's lives.

The last I was told (officially) was the end of June, this is on the health website for my condition too.

Does anyone have any actual links to government or health websites that state this is true as google is not bringing anything up.
No because it’s not true, people have received multiple letters from different t sources with different dates on the letter. Lazily they all say from the date of this letter. Common sense should tell people you don’t restart the clock!

It's just more "a friend of a friend" stuff. I suspect it will be extended but theres no confirmation yet.

Yes it’s officially June 30th so far for everyone.

Source for that Aldi? My letter says 12 weeks from date in the letter.

Thank you, it's been incredibly tough for me and honestly I cannot afford to lose my job (like many, many others), this would have certainly tipped them over the edge.

@OculusThrift That's what my letter said too, but then I had an update text saying June 30th and that is what is on the health condition website too (Asthma UK).

If lockdown lifted I won't be rushing back out into the crowds. There will be a second wave ( probably several waves) and I shall continue to stay in as much as possible and continue social distancing till a vaccine is available because I really don't want Covid as I know it will kill me. Apart from shopping and going out for several walks with dog life isn't much different for me in lockdown. I have a meagre income so very rarely go out pubbing, cinema, eating out, takeaways and shows etc anyway as I can't afford it.

OculusThrift NHS England has updated the guidance. It's on the .gov site as 30 june.

@OculusThrift yes they all say that that’s my point they didn’t change the number of weeks to correspond with late letters.

Good for them, but don't lump us all together with people who are willing to take the risk

Don't have a clue how you understood my comment to say I was 'lumping' anyone together but suit yourself. What other people do, or don't do with their lives couldn't interest me less these days.

I had just finished cancer treatment first week of March. I also have distonia and use calipers so am physically disabled. ( Use scooter to take dog out). I never received my letter and my doctor is still chasing mine up. I should be one of the 150,000 but because I don't have letter I don't get free food parcels or extra help. I haven't really bothered about it as I don't go out only once a week for shopping and in mornings with dog. A lot of letters were sent to wrong people and a lot like me never got one. We should have all been on full lockdown instead of this half lockdown. We would have had less deaths and been easing lockdown by now. But the government has always put economics before life a d will continue to do so.

@Sostenueto Your GP can write the letter and add you to the list, then you can go online and register for what you need on the government website.

@Sostenueto why don’t you join us on this thread
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/3888059-chat-for-those-who-are-shielding

I don’t see an issue honestly.

Oh well that's alright then @Mnthrowaway20202, as long as you don't see an issue. Maybe read the thread ...

I've not received anything stating the suggested 30 June, bloody frustrating. Wonder if I should speak to work then and see if I need to go through occ health before they'll allow me to return.

Shielding people aren’t all “disabled”.
I have a relative shielding who is early twenties, has a full time job and children.
It’s not going to be easy for her to shield with her children for his length of time.
And I’m very worried that after this employers are going to discriminate against people with health issues.

My teen Dd has coeliac disease and is convinced she should be shielded. I don’t think she should.

Originally the nhs website said something about anyone With an autoimmune disease who’s entitled to an annual flu jab.....which she is. But then that was dropped. She hasn’t had a letter. However on her coeliac fb support groups quite a number of people have had the letter who say they have no other condition apart from being coeliac.

She won’t believe me. I keep telling her to ring the GP and talk to them. She hasn’t left the house since mid March, won’t even go in the garden.

I received this text the other day:

"NHS Coronavirus Service: You have been identified as someone who may be at high risk of severe illness if you catch Coronavirus. You should get a letter from the NHS to confirm this. The government are advising you shield at home until 30 June unless told otherwise by a healthcare professional.

Support is available if you need help getting food and basic care. Please complete this short form to tell us whether you need it: www.gov.uk/coronavirus-extremely-vulnerable. You'll be asked for your NHS number which you can find on any letter the NHS has sent you or on a prescription.

If you cannot sign up on the website, call us on 0800 028 8327.

The NHS is still here for you. You will get the care you need, but it is more likely to be via phone or online.

We will send you more messages with information."

This is an automated message. Please do not reply, other than to STOP receiving texts from us"

The letter the GP sent me said 12 weeks from the date of the letter which is the 3rd week of July.

I've had more texts yesterday and just now reinforcing the shielding message. It will be interesting to see what bojo says tonight and if anything changes for us shielded ones.

@MonkeyJunk the latest information I have read is that the shielded group will be shielding until the 30th June when this will be reviewed again and I work in a GP Surgery so read this information whilst working from home last week. Letters are going to be sent out saying this according to the information I have read.

@JacobReesMogadishu
I think you should speak to your daughter about getting some help with her anxiety if it is affecting her everyday life.

For what it's worth I have coeliac disease and I'm not particularly worried. Everything I've read indicates no increased risk if you're following a strict GF diet. I imagine there would be an increased risk if you were not following the diet because of inflammation and malabsorption of nutrients making you more susceptible, but I haven't read anything that confirms that.

JacobReesMogadishu those people are considered "vulnerable" now, not extremely vulnerable so dont have to shield.

If someone with an autoimmune condition is on medication it can affect their immune system hence the need to shield.