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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I have just received a shielding letter (TODAY) andI am I’m a bit pissed off.

115 replies

RickiTarr · 23/02/2021 13:27

Presumably as a result of the CEV list doubling last week.

I got my invitation for the vaccination a couple of days ago, also presumably due to being reclassified.

Luckily I did my own amateur risk assessment last March and decided, because I have several mild to moderate health conditions, including asthma, and because I’m slightly overweight, to shield informally.

So I have been doing this since March 2020, only going out for medical appointments and exercise, WFH, all of that.

Now in mid Feb 2021 I finally get a letter saying “Actually yes we’ve worked out you’re CEV and not just CV, so shield until March 31st 2021.”

At first I was unmoved by this, but over the last couple of hours I’ve started thinking that they really should have been able to do this maths earlier.

Then it struck me that some people will have died because of this and this was all rather obvious.

AIBU to be a little bit pissed off with the government? (The letter is from the Department of Health & Social Care, and the NHS - both logos are at the top - but not from local NHS- this is governmental.)

OP posts:
Original poster
RickiTarr · 23/02/2021 18:04

Oh dear, everything suddenly got a bit testy and argumentative. Sad

OP posts:
Cadent · 23/02/2021 18:05

That’s literally what I’ve been doing for 11 months. You need to read the OP as well as the title. smile

I read it just fine. You need to re-read my post. Be responsible for your health rather than expect instructions.

Original poster
RickiTarr · 23/02/2021 18:08

@Awalkintime

It seems very random and different for different areas, I have uncontrolled asthma and severe allergies and take transplant medication for my immune system. I was initially told to shield, then told not to.

I was told on Friday my letter was in the post by my GP and then yesterday the practice manager said I do not qualify for the vaccine.

Based on what you and some PPs have said, I’m wondering if I’m grumbling about the wrong thing and maybe you’ve all been led a merry dance because of data issues or poor communication between surgeries and the wider NHS, or between NHS and the department.

It’s confusing.

OP posts:
Original poster
RickiTarr · 23/02/2021 18:12

Sorry @Cadent I’m not following you, but I agree in general terms it’s good if people are confident enough to make their own risk assessments, although I don’t think everyone will be.

OP posts:
PhilCornwall1 · 23/02/2021 18:15

Yes of course it’s not mandatory or house arrest, but “strongly advise” is pretty much telling me to, isn’t it?

If that's the way you want to interpret it, then yes.

Dimsummummy · 23/02/2021 18:17

@Cadent, lucky are the ones who can afford to ‘take responsibility’ for their own health though!
Such black and white ‘one size fits all’ thinking baffles me.
This letter opens doors to financial assistance that aren’t there without it....

Original poster
RickiTarr · 23/02/2021 18:20

This letter opens doors to financial assistance that aren’t there without it....

Yes, sorry forgot that bit. I’m really lucky I didn’t have to worry about that and could WFH.

OP posts:
Original poster
RickiTarr · 23/02/2021 18:28

DH has now got involved in puzzling it all out and has found the NHS info. There is more information about how they extended the list here:

digital.nhs.uk/coronavirus/risk-assessment/population

And here:

qcovid.org/

OP posts:
MsAwesomeDragon · 23/02/2021 18:43

Some of us would love to be able to "take responsibility for our own health", but without the shielding letter employers don't let you just stay at home for months on end. You can't shield if you have to go out to work. If you have a job you can do from home, that's great. If you need to physically be at work, you can't shield unless you have a letter your employer will accept, or unless you can afford to lose your job.

poppycat10 · 23/02/2021 18:50

I guess they were too lazy or disorganised to redraft the letter properly and all they actually needed to do was to say "we've decided that because of your health condition you should have the vaccine earlier than you otherwise would have had it, and so you are now in x category (I actually thought they were putting people in group 6, not 4, but anyway). I agree it's not helpful OP.

Bagamoyo1 · 23/02/2021 18:53

@SimonJT

I got mine a few days ago as well, I have type one diabetes, limited spleen function and a severe allergy.

Originally my consultant said I should be shielding, as I don’t need daily antibiotics my GP decided I didn’t need to shield.

I have been careful throughout, I’ve had covid and I have now had my first vaccine, so I won’t be changing my behaviour.

Shielding decisions are not made by GPs
MarieVanGoethem · 23/02/2021 18:54

You’re welcome @RickiTarr Smile

@Awalkintime, are you in England? If so & you meet the criteria I mentioned upthread I’d contact your surgery again & refer to the NHS England letter that went out on the 13th to assorted people/places including all GPs.

Information about who’ll be in Group 6 has been really poorly supplied to HCPs, but hopefully the letter (it also has info re: immunocompromised patients) will help.

MarieVanGoethem · 23/02/2021 18:59

@Bagamoyo1
GPs have been able to add people to [& remove people from] the shielding list since shielding started.

NarelleP77 · 23/02/2021 19:05

I know a couple of people who made the decision to still shield and neither are pissed off. I don't get why you are unless there was a work implication. You don't need the government to molly coddle you in every day decisions do you? It's just about taking responsibility for your own life.

minipie · 23/02/2021 19:09

I do understand your annoyance OP - and especially those who could have used a shielding letter to wfh.

On the other hand, there’s a bunch of us on some other threads who’ve had a CEV letter last week and it’s clearly massively overestimated the risk for most of us (past gestational diabetes is main trigger). GPs are now taking some of us off the list but it’s going to be a long boring process.

This is just one glitch we know of - can you imagine how many more there might have been if they’d rolled it out a few months back?

ButterfliesnWaterfalls · 23/02/2021 19:16

@minipie I had GD over 9 years ago. I've also had bronchitis and other health issues like appendix removal and gall bladder removal surgeries.

I'm not sure on what basis I have received the vaccine or the shielding letter Confused

Or if I should refuse the vaccine so someone else can get it who needs it more than I do. My health seems fine atm.

Bagamoyo1 · 23/02/2021 19:24

[quote MarieVanGoethem]@Bagamoyo1
GPs have been able to add people to [& remove people from] the shielding list since shielding started.[/quote]
Based on specific guidelines , from NHSE.

Original poster
RickiTarr · 23/02/2021 19:27

@NarelleP77

I know a couple of people who made the decision to still shield and neither are pissed off. I don't get why you are unless there was a work implication. You don't need the government to molly coddle you in every day decisions do you? It's just about taking responsibility for your own life.
As I said at the start, I’m fine, I work for myself so I’ve WFHed and avoided work I couldn’t do FH, and I have my jab booked and I’m all good.

I’m annoyed for people who didn’t shield or couldn’t shield because they didn’t get the letter sooner or those that couldn’t get ESA or furlough they were entitled to. I’m upset that some people got ill when that might have avoided. Maybe some even died.

I’m questioning if the methodology could have been refined somewhat earlier.

OP posts:
Original poster
RickiTarr · 23/02/2021 19:29

That’s interesting @minipie

It seems it’s much more complicated than I was guessing.

I’ll head over on @MarieVanGoethem ‘s link when I’ve eaten and see what has been going on.

OP posts:
Chloemol · 23/02/2021 19:36

My family member was the same, no letter until this time, but did their own assessment. It was when they contacted the Dr to ask about vaccine they were bumper up, had the vaccine and two weeks later the letter

I thought letters were generated by doctors surgeries

soanco68 · 23/02/2021 19:38

I felt just the same when I got one in this new batch. It won't change what I am doing as I was following the rules in it but I do feel miffed about if at this point.

MrFlibblesEyes · 23/02/2021 19:55

I received the shielding email last week and at first I was searching through expecting it to be a scam as I'm 34, a healthy weight and have absolutely no ongoing illnesses! After further investigation I think it must be because I had gestational diabetes with my son who was born in 2019 (which went away immediately after he was born) and this has apparently flagged some people up as higher risk. Bit late for me to shield as I've just recovered from covid this week! Luckily I was group 1 for the vaccine so I had it a month ago due to my job and am happy to report that my covid was quite mild. I wonder how bad I would have been if I'd not been immunised?

extentioncord · 23/02/2021 20:01

I think it's all about manipulating the figures. Let's keep more people are home shielding whilst opening things up and telling the country the numbers are ok. Meanwhile the shielders are basically in lockdown while Boris et al stand up and praise their efforts at getting things back to normal.

Jengnr · 23/02/2021 20:02

I got one yesterday. No idea why. I’ve had the vaccine but waiting for my GP to tell me what’s wrong with me.

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