So Confused: Type1 Diabetic and Shielding

[SpiderPlant1]

Can anyone help? I am so confused as to what I am allowed to do.
Have had texts from NHS saying I should stay in until 30th June. Also texts and phone calls from my council and from a government office asking about my needs and if I needed any assistance which I was very grateful for. I have been out food shopping as a necessity but have washed hands and social distanced etc etc. My lovely hairdresser has said that she is starting up again on 4th July and I've booked an appointment with her on 8th July but I'm really not sure if I'm allowed to do this. She works from home so I could sit in her garden with a mask on and only go into her house for hair washing. What would you do? Am torn!!!! - (and desperate for a hair cut) :) :(

@ToothFairyNemesis

But why did you need to get meds and food ? Did you not register with the government as you should have been given priority online shopping and the chemist or volunteers will deliver your meds.

Ha! Thats a funny joke!

My boyfriends housemate has CF, my boyfriend had to move out as he risked bringing it home. It took almost seven weeks for him to receive a food box from the government and he never managed to be considered a priority customer for online shopping.

If we weren’t shopping for him his choices would be

1. Go shopping
2. Only buy takeaway food for delivery (this would be too expensive longterm and use his creons up very quickly).

Type 1 diabetic partner here, 50's, well controlled

Not shielding but being very very careful after the messages from his care team and reading the latest death analysis

Wouldn't go for a haircut , but if he was 30 years younger ( and well controlled) it might be different

If you had a shielding letter, it does sound like your diabetes is not well controlled,

type 1 diabetics with a
Background reading hba1c over I think 8.5 ( possibly a little lower) were sent shielding letters

I'm Type 1, HBA1C excellent as recently had a baby so it had to be. I am not shielding but have been careful, more for my baby than for my Type 1. Its my understanding that if your HBA1C is high, that you'll be part of the shielding group, which you are. If shielding, no I wouldn't risk being that close to someone outside of my household and I certainly wouldn't go into their house. It's up to you to risk assess for yourself but if you're meant to be shielding, I'd consider that you are vulnerable and if a haircut is worth potentially being hospitalised. Your hairdresser if working from home will be allowing others into her house to wash hair presumably, and possibly has others living with her who also may work. You could be exposing yourself quite a lot by going there.

I’ve been getting food deliveries and mostly only going to the pharmacy although recently been to the garden centre as lockdown has started lifting but my hba1c is good.

I’m working very hard on control and am taking my daily exercise to improve this. Am meeting up with my first friend on Saturday and I have a hair appt for July.

Basically, I’m trying to keep myself as healthy as possible and then follow guidelines as to what is allowed.

The Diabetes U.K. website has all the information you need .
A person with diabetes needs to consider all the following ;
Age
Most recent HbA1c, and also if there has been a big change in this in the last year
Other conditions, ie co morbidities such as BMI and BP
Prescience or absence of complications
Type of diabetes
General fitness and general health

Read what Diabetes U.K. has to say as they have excellent information

The thing is that you need to assess your own risk, with the GPs advice if necessary, or your diabetes team. The guidelines can’t guarantee you won’t catch COVID, they are just guidelines, and everyone, even very healthy people are doing their own risk assessment everyday. For example, I don’t take my kids to the park when it looks busy.
My mum decided to shield, although she didn’t get a letter, because she is taking certain medications. She has also decided that she won’t be going out for a while yet, even when the guidelines change. Everyone is in a different situation, so even other type 1s can’t really give you advice that will be tailored to you.

husband type 2 with smorgasbord of other conditions - all well controlled under normal circumstances BUT coronavirus means being careful & although not shielded he is extra vulnerable - basic principle don't mix - things are changing but no one knows how or when yet & the restrictions with distance could throw a serious fly in the ointment - I suspect that IF/WHEN distance are narrowed to 1 metre you may find shielding is extended but with new rules or ideas - in short god knows
OP I would hold up on the hairdresser for a little while

Partner of type 1 here. Hes in his 50's with eye complications. No sheilding letter.but advised by his diabetic team he's high risk is working from home as a teacher. ( no teacher bashing please he's been doing 12 hrs days) . He's only just starting going out for walks following 2 hospital appts that were urgent for sight issues. His hair is not a priority and we've cancelled our holidays to Spain due to risks. If you're in the sheilding group there are other factors at play and I wouldn't risk it. Whose seeing you anyway?
.

You were never “not allowed to go out”. Shielding was advice, not a government order. You were advised to stay at home. But you are not a prisoner. You’ve always been “allowed” to go out. It just wasn’t recommended.

Speak to your GP - a lot of letters were sent out at the very beginning, there is a chance that you got one and you didn't need one.

Your GP will know if you need to shield.

You might also find the Coronavirus map helpful in seeing how many cases there are in your area:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51768274

Bear in mind that if you live next door to a hospital or a care home your area death rate might be higher than you were expecting - I freaked myself out looking at my mum's postcode thinking she was in a v low risk area then found out her region covered 3 massive care homes.

You're allowed to do anything anyone else is. The shielding advice is not law.