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.

And as for people shielding if they don’t need to I can believe it.

I have a friend who while he does have some health conditions he has nothing on that list. He has had no official letter, he doesn’t get priority Tesco delivery, the pharmacy won’t deliver his meds. I’m 100% sure I know his entire medical history because it’s pretty much all he talks about. Every test, every symptom, every medicine he takes. He’s decided that his condition should be on the list but just because it’s so rare it hasn’t been included. So he’s shielding.....apart from walks in the park.

He’s told his employer he’s shielded and they’ve taken his word for it. I can pretty much guarantee as soon as his employer says he needs to go,on SSP he will come back to work.

I do feel sorry for him, he’s doing it out of fear I guess.

I use health condition specific forums and Facebook pages. Some people who do not meet the criteria for shielding have taken it very personally. They’ve requested their GP to ensure they are noted formally. I’d say I’ve seen around 25-30 people (from one big Facebook group) who have requested to be included and had it done! I suspect a ruckus when the shielding list is eventually amended further.

There are people with certain disabilities who always used online shopping who can’t get slots but they’re not insisting they’re added to the list. I feel immensely for everyone who is struggling to get the basics.

Is there any reason to think that the people on this thread are those people who would like to be shielding though? The op was incredibly clear that they were speaking specifically about those who had been asked to shield.

Is there any reason to think that the people on this thread are those people who would like to be shielding though?

I dont think anyone is making that assumption? Only one poster on this thread has said they're shielding despite not being told to.

If you cancel the government food box you do not lose your priority supermarket slot.

JinglingHellsBells I was housebound before Covid 19, I was lucky if I got out once a month, I had my shopping & prescriptions delivered as I can't physically walk more than 20 metres. I'm on the highest rate of disability benefits, then come Covid 19 I'm suddenly expected to be well enough to do all my own shopping as i can't get a regular delivery slot. That is what the government haven't considered, there are people who don't qualify under the shielding rules who are just as vulnerable through other preexisting health conditions.

Those shielding will be doing so until a vaccine or cure is discovered.

Where is your source for this? That's quite a statement to make without any actual knowledge about it whatsoever. A vaccine or cure may never be found.

I'm shielding til mid June and haven't had another letter so I'm another one who would like to see a screenshot of one of these extension letters. I'm sure if 'loads' of your friends have received one it shouldn't be too difficult to get one of them to send you one OP?

Absolutely hallelujah to that. All this unfounded speculation does is increase anxiety in an already anxious time. When we receive our letters we will decide how we will manage our illness and risk as we always have.

My DH is on the shielding list we have two young DC who it would be impossible for his to stay away from. My employer has given me special leave, on full pay, so we can all shield together. I know at least 5 others in my company who are also doing this. I have very grateful for this and my loyalty to them will increase significantly as a result. Not sure how long this will continue tho. I suspect once schools go back, if shielding is extended, he will have to move half way across the country to live with his elderly parents

I got one of the shielding texts and letters at the very beginning. I hadn't even heard of them when I received the text (and I freaked out!).

I, too, am dubious about people's "new" shielding letters. Nothing in the press? No new information from anywhere except.... MNetters who "know" their neighbour has had one? Hmmmph.

I can imagine some CFs are desperate to get on the shielding list if they can sniff out being paid in full until (if) a vaccine is found. Then I expect they'll identify as anti-vaxxers so they can stay being paid forever.

@Nat6999

The whole increased funding into social care was for people in your difficult situation. There are many volunteers who are able to help. Please don’t struggle on alone.

@HavartitoMeetYou I am very confused as to why you name checked me to disagree with me, only to say exactly what I've been saying? But to make it look like I said otherwise???

I, too, am dubious about people's "new" shielding letters.

It sounds like they're not new, just either late or the follow up one which is badly worded.

I just think they should be allowed to decide for themselves. Lock down has been implemented in such a wishy washy way that you can. For a start, you can Staveley to trend to the vulnerable and inform, so you could go visit as a care giver. Secondly, the chances of you or your dad being stopped and find are very low. You just have to make that decision knowing the risks

I have a relative who has been typing up the letters. Apparently it's been revised to state at least the 30th June.

@irmafaylear I mentioned house arrest, did you read the full sentence, I certainly did not say it was being imposed on us, I said we were being ‘asked’ to effectively put ‘ourselves’ in house arrest. But thanks for calling me thick, really pleasant of you, I even took the time to make it clear we were being asked, not being forced.

I fully agree with your post at 18:24, I’ve first hand experience of someone doing exactly that, to the stage of calling an ambulance for a condition that’s been untreated for years and very very mild before that. I’d really really quite happily give up my place on the list.

I also believe these second letters are duplicates where 2 health services have issued letters to comply with their lists. The gov are saying shield at least until end of June, with updates to follow. The updates would be announced in my opinion, with letters following. I also think as the data is collected and more is understood the shielded list may well change.

Government box (which is very generous - but I've seen people moaning about this - and no, I can't stop it without losing my online supermarket delivery!) who do you shop with? That certainly isn't true of Tesco. In fact it starts that if you can get your own food ie online you should cancel your box

You can definitely cancel the government box and keep your supermarket priority. I checked this specifically with my local council.

Those shielding will be doing so until a vaccine or cure is discovered. well God luck convincing my DH's employer he can't go back to the office for 18 months at least due to DS. He'll lose his job, DS will lose his school place and I'll lose my mind

Exactly, Methtones. This is explained on another thread. It is the standard letter, just sent later.

It all has to be very generic. Like the advice to stay in and only open a window. They have to assume the worst-case scenario of accommodation, being on the 14th floor of a tower block, not take account of the fact that someone may live in a stately home with 200 acres of private land or, indeed, a 3-bed house with a bit of garden. They couldn't say "If you have a lovely private garden well-shielded from the neighbours you can sit in it." What a slap in the face for the poor schmuck sat in their studio flat with not even a balcony.

@HavartitoMeetYou

I mean, I agree that we need to combat the idea that shielders are elderly and sitting in a chair. But there are several posts in this thread implying that shielders can’t be disabled because they work and have active lives, when most disabled people do work and plenty of disabled people lead equally active lives

Absolutely no one has said the shielded can't be disabled or that disabled people don't work or have active lives.

You're just muddying the waters in trying to make it clear that shielded people, disabled or not, aren't just sitting in a corner waiting to die. They lead active lives, with families/jobs/social lives & 'just stay home then' (while we all go back to our 'normal' lives is not acceptable.

If a proper lockdown takes place fir ^a few weeks* (Not forever) we COULD get the R number down to a level that would make EVERYONE much safer

A few weeks to make everyone safer!
And even selfish people need to realise that yes,this means them & their kids too.

People with MH issues or children with SEN etc need more help if they're struggling to cope - definitely, but your average 'I'm bored' idiot just needs to stop being so bloody selfish.

Amelie, you said you “really did not understand” why some shielding people were frightened at the idea of the shielding period being further extended.

I explained that the reason my friends who are shielding are frightened by the possibility of extension is because they are really struggling financially, and that when you can’t afford food or to pay your rent, the “fear” or losing your home is much more pressing and immediate than the fear of contracting a virus.

I'm shielding (and fat) and I'm expecting but dreading another 12wks of isolation. I'd love to be back at work and these last few weeks have really affected my mental health and feel depression setting in.
Im very fortunate that I'm still being fully paid and couldn't afford to live of SSP. If they extend the 12wk shielding and my work stop paying me I'll have to stop shielding it. Plus my children returning to school mean we wouldn't be able to keep our house truly shielded anyway.
Threads like this are of no help to anyone and just ramp up the fear of those of us shielding and who want to return to some kind of normality.

Sorry, I wasn't aiming my "thick" comment at you, Redcherries.

Shielding is advice from the government, from your doctors - you are free to ignore it and go out. We need to get the country back on its feet, most of us are not likely to have bad symptoms so can safely work, those with shielding status are automatically entitled to support to enable them to stay at home whereas we don't get a penny. It's helping the vulnerable not discrimination

those with shielding status are automatically entitled to support to enable them to stay at home
Please provide a link for that piece of information.