To think it is utterly crazy that shielders can now meet up with people?

[Biglittlethings]

At midnight last night the Government slipped out a frankly bizarre new alteration to the rules in that shielders, who have been told on the one hand to expect that they will need to shield beyond 30 June, will from tomorrow be able to not only leave the house, but meet up with others from different households.

"From Monday, the 2.2 million people who’ve been shielding can go outside for first time. This will be with either members of their household, or, if they live alone, to meet one other person."

Further information will follow in today's press conference.

Am I the only one to think this is absolutely ridiculous, and not at all in the interests of "the science?"

"effectively mean the end of employment leeway and support though."

Yeah it really doesn't, unless you have seen somewhere that it does??
If not, stop frightening people.

It might mean that if you can do your job in a park whilst socially distanced from one other person I guess.

'Shielders' were never under house arrest. It was advisory. They were always free to use their own common sense and risk assessment. Nothing has changed in those respects.

Exactly, Baby.

Thing is there's shielding and shielding.

Some of the original shielding categories have turned out not to be as big a risk as others now we know more about the virus. While other risk factors are bigger.

Some shielders as per a PP are actually going out more than non-shielders as they are still going to hospital appointments - or having people in their homes such as carers, nurses etc.

And the likelihood we will ever get to level 1 is what exactly? Can people live their lives shielding forever?

Every shielded patient I have is making their own decisions and has been for a good while.

My DM is in the vulnerable category. Would have been shielding last year but has come off some meds. Rang her last week and found she'd gone to the beach FFS. She decided her mental health couldn't take being locked up anymore so she persuaded her neighbour to take her out. On the other hand she isn't crying anymore so who I am I to judge?

I’m vulnerable rather than shielding, but I definitely felt safer going for a short walk weeks ago when everyone was trying to distance and people were out for short periods to get a bit of sunlight/fresh air/exercise. Now it’s become essentially a free for all round here, big groups, no distancing unless you are the one to hide in the stingers or walk in the road where before everyone would try their best to move over and you’d only see a couple of others. There’s been a daily game of volleyball near us with at least 20 people and they drive there and set up the net and take over the field. I only feel OK if I’m on the road on my bike but the roads are getting full of idiots again who have forgotten how to drive in the last 8 weeks.

We locked down on like 100 daily deaths and now we are releasing it at well over double that. It doesn’t make sense to me.

The numbers have been falling steadily, despite a gradual loosening of the lockdown, there’s been no second waves in other countries and no-one is forcing the shielded to go out.

I’m also sick to my back teeth of the Mumsnet “it’s a chooooooice brigade”.

But that's the truth. You're not under house arrest .

I was surprised to get a letter telling me I was supposed to be shielding category. By the time I got the letter , well past mid April, it seemed pointless as I'd just been obeying normal social distancing rules and had worked next to someone who had Covid 19. I haven't been shielding and don't intend to.

Tbh I'm surprised I was put in that category at all. I know someone who has far more serious risk categories than me who has never received anything about shielding.

I’m also sick to my back teeth of the Mumsnet “it’s a chooooooice brigade”.

What would you prefer? No chance of decision making for some

It’s a choice, no one has to go for a walk.

Did anyone see the feature on bbc yesterday of a man living alone in a 1 bed flat, he needs to walk to keep the use of his legs, he’s regimen his dog as he can’t walk it.

There are people who need to get outside, safely, before they decline hugely physically and mentally. I hope he can now have his dog back home so he’s not so bloody lonely.

If you don’t feel ready or safe, don’t go, but some people will want to and that’s their choice.

I for one will be going to a quiet area where I can stand in an open space and breath, but I’m lucky to have access to areas like that, if I lived in the middle of a city I don’t think I would go out.

@ballsdeep
You do know Wales has gone even further than England when it comes to relaxing restrictions on those shielding?

But that's up to them. It's all advice, people are advised to shield, not forced to. And nobody's now going to force them out to meet people if they don't want to.

People make their own decisions which is as it should be.

@StatisticalSense
Sorry, I meant in general

Johnson’s getting desperate his “move on” message about Dominic Scummings isn’t working, so he needs a bright new topic to get your attention!

Johnson and Cummings want to save the Exchequer some money by reducing the numbers claiming pensions and disability benefits. Covid19 does the job very nicely indeed.

I would say, in support of a pp, whilst I do think taking a walk is a choice, shielding itself is advisory but constantly being told it’s our choice is bloody frustrating. Technically it is a choice but what sort of choice is it, if I go down to the beach tomorrow and catch it, my choice, then I do die I’ve made a choice to do that, to deprive my kids of their mum when I was warned I was high risk. It’s a choice but it’s a fucking awful one.

But if they take the decision to start going out again, why should they get their food govt food parcels delivered for free? We both just missed out on the 'shielded' group in the first place and have had to go to the supermarket. If shielded groups want to go out, they should be in the same position as anyone else.

They are “extremely vulnerable” and at greater risk than the rest of the population. A 10 minute walk should not forfeit their protected slots etc. Your attitude reeks of jealousy that you ‘missed out’ on shielding

Choice is a tricky word to apply when a lot of shieldies have been told by their medical team not to go out please because they will die if they become infected.

Same for parents shielding children. An adult can to some extent "choose" to face possible exposure but a parent can't readily contradict medical advice and a child is not able to calculate that risk.

We are also “allowed” to meet in groups of six on Monday - in England

The shielded?

It may help to watch a part of this video leture from Prof Chris Whitty

at part 12.51 onwards he explain the actual risk of death to even the most vulnerable.... once I saw this it really did help me gain some persepective on it all

www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/covid-19

I hope it helps some, shielders having a socially distanced walk and meeting at a distance with a friend isn't 'crazy' at all.

@scarbados - what a nasty comment, there's no need to be jealous of illness. Going to the supermarket is more risky and it makes sense to provide the boxes where they're wanted for those who are most vulnerable. You always could have asked for help shopping from your local covid group, or contact a range of shops / farms etc to organise deliveries of whatever you need. Apart from the initial 2 weeks it was always possible to arrange something.

It's saying they can go for a walk with a member of their household, as long as they are extra careful in social distancing and don't touch anything, what unacceptable risk are you seeing there? If someone has been stuck inside alone for 10 weeks they can meet with one other person, at a distance. Again, do you see that as an unacceptable risk?

It's bizarre. I feel like it's going back to life just before lockdown happened. Let people do what they want, get the deaths up, scare the shit out of people and then they'll comply when we need another mini lockdown again :(

Really it's up to shielders to be smart though. Just because government says you can go out if you like, doesn't put you at any less chance of death. Please please be wise people.

Maybe it's all part of an elaborate game to get us to evaluate our own risk and act accordingly. No one is telling shielders they have to go out. But if I were one of them, I might be worried about whether this indicated that current support levels might not last.

It does all seem bonkers and contradictory.

And I am definitely not one of the "stay the fuck home forever people are DYING" school of thought

were pretty sure we'll have an ICU bed for you if you do catch COVID19

"But just don't expect us to have the mental health services to treat your PTSD afterwards."

@pacmanitee the further apart are the better. Being next to someone from 10 seconds at 1 metre is possibly as safe as spending hours with someone at 2 metres. There's still a chance of droplets hitting. What the new rules have also made me realise is how damn hard it is to stick at 2 metres. When people start having a bit to drink at these backyard bbqs, well let's just say it's going to hit the fan isn't it.