Shielded people - are you going out at all

[WotnoPasta]

DH is shielded. He’s prone to swelling in his feet from inactivity. WFH has exasperated this. It’s very very quiet where we live so I think he could walk around the block, cross the road if he sees a person. He’s very nervous understandably about being out at all, however he’s unlikely to see anyone. He’s doing lots around the house and in the garden but it’s not the same as a sustained walk. I think it’s worth doing (and he’s often up very early and could do it then) but he is scared.
What are other shielded people doing? My friend is shielded but lives somewhere very busy so won’t go out at all.

Maybe ask doc for a prescription for some compression hosiery for his ankles, should help with the fluid retention OP

Is it possible set up his workstation on a raised surface eg kitchen counter so that he stands up while he works from home, if he's using a laptop he could alternate standing and sitting. I've been thinking about doing that myself so that I'm not sitting for the majority of the day. Especially as I find sitting on a dining chair cuts off my circulation more than sitting on an office chair.

I don't think he should risk it.

Workouts in front of the tv? Tailored to what he can do? There are plenty of ways to keep active in a confined space.

I've done a fuckton of transatlantic flights marching up and down the aisle at regular intervals because I'm neurotic about getting a clot as a diabetic.

Need to take my own advice and start doing proper home workouts now tomorrow

My dad is shielded - he is in a very rural area and goes out for a walk once a day. He has been told not to touch anything eg gates. And doesn’t go near anyone else. I am paranoid about this virus and he has a stroke so I high risk. But I cannot see a problem in this.

And by the way he is a big walker and I think that the risk he is taking is small compared to the mental health benefits of going out. He doesn’t touch anything or go near anyone.

I’ve not been out in 3 1/2 weeks other than into my garden on the two days it hasn’t rained or been cold.

He is not supposed to leave your property at all except for essential medical appointments.

My Dad is shielded. It's frustrating for them, but necessary at the moment. Don't lean on your DH to go out for walks.

I think you just need to use your common sense and make a decision based on your circumstances. I’m shielded but have been going on a walk or cycle every day. In the last 3 weeks I have seen one person from afar. When it was sunny yesterday it was very tempting to go out but I stayed in the garden and went at 8pm when everyone else had gone in! I live rurally which makes it easier. If I lived somewhere where I was likely to bump into someone I wouldn’t go out at all so only you can make that decision.

I am meant to be shielded but as I didn't find this out until yesterday I had been visiting the supermarket and going for walks each day. I was working outside the home up until about two weeks ago, in contact with hundreds of members of the public!

Now I know, I will stop with the supermarket but carry on with my walk as I am able to do this without coming into contact with people.

I know shielded means he shouldn't go out before I get flamed but you have said that this issue has affected his health enormously before so I'm not sure that potentially swapping one health issue for another is ideal.

If you live in a rural area I would say, using common sense, he could go for a walk at a very quiet time as he is unlikely to see anyone. If you live somewhere more populated it may not be worth the risk in this case. Alternatively if you do decide not to and space and finances allow would a running machine he could walk on be sufficient?

So on other threads perfectly healthy people are being flamed for going out for a walk, but 'shielded' people are being encouraged to!
If you are ill enough to be off work and 'shielding' yes stay indoors -or don't blame others if you get ill.

I have a family member who is shielding and goes for a daily walk. They go in the evening when it’s quiet and walk around a local field. I expressed concern but apparently their gp confirmed it was ok in their circumstances, to the nature of their illness (rare lung condition) fresh air and exercise are vital to avoiding a trip to hospital.

Surely he can go out early, make sure he cleans his hands if he touches anything. This could go on months, you have to get air and light. Ignore the hairy handed ones on here winding people up and playing in their fears. No one I've walked past has coughed in my face and most people move to the side taking it very extremely more than 2m. Like you said you can move away, can you go together ?

No, I’m not going out at all.

I go use my garden, as the shielding advice says you can - from the govt shielding support text service:

“Spending time with the windows open to let in fresh air, sit and look out at the world where you can, or get out into the garden or sit on your doorstep if you can”

As a symptom is worsening, he should contact his specialist team and see if they have any advice beyond the generic ‘find ways to move more’ advice

This is particularly important if swelling is relevant to his medical condition

They might also be able to tailor the ‘shield’ advice to your location. The central advice covers everyone, every degree of severity of the co-morbidity, everywhere.

OP he needs to exercise at home daily.

There are YouTube videos from a load of different people from dancers to fitness instructors that you can do in a small space inside.

They do work. As after an op years ago I did them for two months to get back to normal exercise.

I'm also shielding btw.

OP there were no cases in my area this time last week that I knew of or relate yes in statistics. Now I know 8 who are ventilated in hospital, 5 who are very ill in hospital- all confirmed. Also another 15 very unwell people at home.

These include health care professionals, local supermarket workers, owners of petrol station, delivery driver, post lady and 4 people under 30.

Please be careful.

OP I’m not going out at all out of fear but the temptation has been there when I’ve been well to take a walk when it’s been very quiet. It’s so easy when ableds come onto threads preaching at those of us shielding (I prefer the phrase extreme isolation as it describes it truthfully rather than the nicety of shielding) about how we’ve to stay in. I’m not convinced their intentions are entirely honourable maybe because they want to keep the ventilators for themselves..? it’s so easy when you can just up and take your daily exercise as a walk or can walk your dogs without having to consider the logistics of movement, the judgement of your neighbours or mumsnet keyboard hammerers. Higher up thread I’d responded no and I stick to that but the posts have made me think since then and the faux concern for those shielding bothers me. Sick and Disabled people have been demonised for decades now, worse so in the past ten years than the decade before so we’re last on the list of people’s concerns, they’ve shown that time and time again. I’d be happier if people were able to admit to still not caring about sick and disabled and were merely responding out of their own self interest but no doubt outrage at even saying so will be strong.