Am I a vulnerable person from the supermarket's "special shopping hour" rule?

[frillyfarmer]

I'm an asthmatic, so classed in the Govt's "high risk" category. It's controlled with steroid inhaler and I consider myself to be a "mild" sufferer. I also have a 12 day old EBF baby who I would need to take to the shop with me due to the distance we live.

My original plan had been to do my shopping at 2/3am in a 24 hour store when baby was having one of her early morning wake ups, but apparently the supermarkets now aren't open 24hour?

I feel like a bit of a fraud impinging on the elderly's hour of shopping as I'm a 30year old otherwise fit and healthy adult. But at the same time I obviously need to bear in mind that I have a respiratory disease and I am vulnerable if I catch it.

Can I have some other opinions as to whether you think asthmatics fall into the vulnerable category of shopping?

Personally, I would be happy for anyone that comes under any of the vulnerable category to use this designated time.

You could be 80 and have no underlying health issues, or 20 with one or more conditions. To me, you are both just as vulnerable

I don't know about asthma but I am asplenic which is also listed as a vulnerable group but because I am otherwise young (ish) and heathy I have avoided those times.

However, different people's circumstances apply so I'm not saying you shouldn't go, just that I am not. IYSWIM

No, if everyone that has asthma turns up for the over 70's shopping hour it will be very busy. Also how would you persuade the person on the door that you should be let in?

Once we go into lockdown the supermarkets will be dead quiet as it'll be only one person allowed in (not couples or the whole family).

No. You state your asthma is well controlled and mild.

Having a young baby doesn’t give you a free pass. If you could manage to go to a supermarket in the middle of the night then you can shop at normal times surely.

I was wondering about this. I've got proof of my free flu jab status / chronic medical conditions, but tbh I'd be too embarrassed to rock up with the old aps. Many older people are frail e.g. osteoporotic, and the fewer people around them the better.

I don't think the supermarkets are working to the government's list.

They are letting the elderly in early as much for them to avoid the scrum, as to avoid infection.

Plenty of less frail older people are shopping at regular times.

I wouldn't. I'm a flu jab person too, but relatively able bodied. Many of my over 70s neighbours aren't the type to place an online order (they're actually mid 80s). I won't impinge on their shopping time when I can go other times or place an order myself.

I don't know. Also asthmatic.
Hoping to keep getting deliveries. But they may also prioritise elderly

The amount of clarity surrounding this doesn't really bode well for the future, should things last longer than a few days.

This is what happens when you let the marketing department create policies, rather than the grown ups.

@Unshriven It's not just the elderly It's all those who are vulnerable. I'm severely disabled so I'll be going

No. Think of it as for the kind of people who might need a blue badge. Elderly, frail, trouble walking, or other mobility issues. Surely we can give them an hours space.

Yes HavenDilemma , I'm not at all hard of reading, so I do understand that.

I hadn't realised that I needed to spell out every way in which people might be vulnerable. It seemed polite to suppose other people might be able to cope with that.

Think of it as for the kind of people who might need a blue badge.

Quite aside from the politics of getting a blue badge, not all disabled people need one. And re-reading your comment, I must pull you up on "kind of people" ... I'm sure you didn't mean to be othering. But you were.

The vulnerable list was officially defined 16th (Wednesday). See list plus source link below:

We are advising those who are at increased risk of severe illness from coronavirus (COVID-19) to be particularly stringent in following social distancing measures.
This group includes those who are:
• aged 70 or older (regardless of medical conditions)
• under 70 with an underlying health condition listed below (ie anyone instructed to get a flu jab as an adult each year on medical grounds):
• chronic (long-term) respiratory diseases, such as asthmaa, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)), emphysema or bronchitiss_
• chronic heart disease, such as heart failuree_
• chronic kidney diseasee_
• chronic liver disease, such as hepatitiss_
• chronic neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s diseasee, motor neurone diseasee, multiple sclerosis (MS)), a learning disability or cerebral palsy
• diabetess
• problems with your spleen – for example, sickle celll_ disease or if you have had your spleen removed
• a weakened immune system as the result of conditions such as HIV and AIDSS, or medicines such as steroid tabletss or chemotherapyy_
• being seriously overweight (a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or above)
• those who are pregnant
Note: there are some clinical conditions which put people at even higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19. If you are in this category, next week the NHS in England will directly contact you with advice the more stringent measures you should take in order to keep yourself and others safe. For now, you should rigorously follow the social distancing advice in full, outlined below.
People falling into this group are those who may be at particular risk due to complex health problems such as:
• people who have received an organ transplant and remain on ongoing immunosuppression medication
• people with cancer who are undergoing active chemotherapy or radiotherapy
• people with cancers of the blood or bone marrow such as leukaemia who are at any stage of treatment
• people with severe chest conditions such as cystic fibrosis or severe asthma (requiring hospital admissions or courses of steroid tablets)
• people with severe diseases of body systems, such as severe kidney disease (dialysis)

www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-social-distancing-and-for-vulnerable-people/guidance-on-social-distancing-for-everyone-in-the-uk-and-protecting-older-people-and-vulnerable-adults

I'm sure this is a dilemma for many people. I'm T1 diabetic and have asthma, live on my own in a new area with no friends or family to bring shopping in for me, and until now have relied on deliveries from supermarkets. Luckily, I had a delivery on Sunday and the dog, cat and I can manage for another week or so, but I have no idea how I'm going to deal with it after that. I haven't stockpiled, never imagined how thoroughly supermarket shelves would be stripped, or that suddenly there'd be no delivery slots for weeks on end.

I'm only 62, so don't feel I can barge into the over 70s hours, but I am trying to avoid coming into contact with other people. I know it's minor in the greater scheme of things, and that many many other people have is so much worse, of course, but even so, it's something that is worrying me.

I am wondering how they are going to police this too. The supermarkets are just sending emails asking other shoppers to respect the time period for vulnerable customers. Can’t see any of the stockpiles giving a shit to be honest.

The vulnerable list was officially defined 16th (Wednesday).

(snip list)

But in the absence of a single "I have this condition" card, how does that translate to getting priority online shopping ? Or indeed any online shopping ?

It's a bit harsh to say it's a waste of time. But it's a waste of time. And reassures exactly no one.

I may have to consider this in a couple of weeks, have a delivery tomorrow and we should be ok for a bit thanks to Brexit and my Brexit emergency goods (just two boxes of general stuff although I omitted loo roll) but I am vulnerable, DH trying to keep working mostly from home and DD here now FT too from school. I understand the logic of making it early - its cleaned and stocked - but its actually too early for many older folk due to bus passes and the like

The shops will likely expect people to self-identify as elderly or vulnerable. They won't want the potential pr nightmare of trying to turn people away.

However, it will make the whole exercise futile if the shops end up being just as busy as they usually are.

Asda says it also wants to let carers in early too. If they don't ask for proof, then really, what's the point - stockpilers will just say they're buying for their old nan and Uncle Albert.

There is no way the supermarkets will be able to police this, except if people look elderly or visually disabled; so am not sure how you will be allowed in to the supermarket?

Correction* people appear to be disabled not just visually disabled iFYSWIM.

I am one of the high risk people but don't think I'll be shopping during the designated time because all I've hear is "you don't look ill!" even from doctors. So even though I know I have valid reason to be there, people have dismissed me so much & never taken me seriously re my health I don't think I could go.

I’m pregnant and I went. I really couldn’t decide what was best but checked in advance if it was ok to go and was told yes.

We were out of many essentials as we didn’t panic buy over the last few weeks, many of which we couldn’t get. If I didn’t go then I would probably need to go in the day time with my two children, including my older child who has been round other children, making us more of a risk to others. I have otherwise been self isolating as well.

I am 33 and a half weeks now. 35 weeks plus (full term being 37 weeks and my children having both arrived early) I will be particularly cautious about going anywhere as if I get a cough or temperature in that two weeks I will be giving birth with people around me in protective gear!

I’ll add that i spoke to some lovely people while I was there, all of who seemed more concerned about me being pregnant then themselves!