A question for other at-risk people

[janeskettle]

Do you feel like there's adequate planning for how you will survive once the economy opens up again?

I see a big push to re-open, but no-one I speak to seems to know what happens to at-risk people in this scenario, other than 'they have to stay at home'.

Which...OK...but for how long and on what money? Will workplaces have to continue to allow us to work from home? Will there be a vulnerable person benefit? Or will it just be survival of the fittest?

I feel at the moment it's a bit like we're an inconvenient cohort to have to consider, and it's find a way to stay home till (IF) there's a vaccine, or take your chances along with the lower risk population.

Curious to know if others in our situation have more of a sense of what will happen to us as a cohort in the coming weeks/months, given that the push to open up is on.

I am worried about what will happen when my dc need to go back to school. I am not in the shielding group, but I am at raised risk due to auto immune stuff.

Agree with SirVix that there is likely to be more done to protect and support the shielded than the much larger vulnerable class but for the shielded it could very restrictive

Do either of you think there will be any plan to help the shielded stay sheltered for long periods of time? Financially? Mental health wise?

I am not in the UK, but pretty sure I'd not be shielded, just at risk. I'm working from home atm, but unsure if there would be any protection for me if my workplace was open, but unsafe for me, other than to not work.

I feel like there's not much thought given to these concerns, in the enthusiasm to 'get back to normal' and worry that there is a class of people who will become invisible and neglected.

No idea!!

I’m in the shielded group and in order not to have to stay 3 steps away from everyone in my house ( 1.5yr old and husband) at all times and sleep in another room they also haven’t left the house and we get everything dropped at the door.
No idea what will happen when husband is told to go back to work unless he moves out.

I think by 1.5 years they should have a vaccine for it.

@RainbowFlowers 1.5 years is a long way off for people that aren’t allowed to leave the house.

I don’t see how many schools will be able to reopen without the vulnerable group-we had a large number of teachers in that category-we couldn’t safely staff until they came back.

I'm so worried about this. I'm a teacher and all this talk in the media of schools opening in a few weeks is causing me a great deal of anxiety. Mainly because I'm worried about my job-pretty sure stating I'm not coming in won't fly. But also, I have 2 dc that in theory would need to go back. I feel all of us should be isolating away.

There is so many unknowns at the moment and I suppose we need to take it one step at a time. But yes, OP, I am worried. I'm a single parent and don't have another income to fall back on.

there is likely to be more done to protect and support the shielded than the much larger vulnerable class but for the shielded it could very restrictive
I think this is spot on.
I'm in the shielded group due to ongoing antibody treatment and immunosuppressive drugs. I suspect my group will be advised to stay at home until there is a vaccine - potentially a year to 18 months unless there is a major breakthrough in finding effective treatment.
Those who are vulnerable but not to the extreme will be expected to resume normal life.
I'm not sure how many teachers are in the highest risk group?

I'm not sure how many teachers are in the highest risk group?

No, probably very few.

We could safely open at the end of the 12 weeks of the government says it’s fine for the larger vulnerable group. I suspect that’s what will happen.

I’m in the shield group, and I do not know how we would manage once DD’s school reopens.

Same situation here
As we can't socially distance from a 5 year old, our whole family has stayed home and are just getting deliveries.
I'm not sending the kids back to school until it's safe but we have a 17 year old who is in college and will have to move out in September if he is to continue there I expect.

I'm a little confused by the 12 week thing. It won't be safer for anyone in the at risk. The 12 week timeline is to flatten the curve to not overwhelm the NHS. We suddenly won't be safer!
I'm not sure I'm willing to risk my life to teach quite frankly. I keep reading there is a bit of a correlation between my particular condition and severity of covid.

I think the Shielded group will get help (as they should!!) with continued rights to work from home or a specific benefit (hopefully along the furlough rate) plus deliveries etc. Obviously that's not going to help with situations such as squiffys.

However, I think those of us who are 'just' At Risk will be left to flounder.

I am diabetic, I have high blood pressure, I'm overweight and I work with a child in an international boarding school.

I'm currently furloughed, but if the school
Opens I'll be expected to work - possibly before then from her (UK) home - with other people coming & going (into London in PT)

I don't think I'll qualify for any help & that aside, if I don't do my job someone else will have to, so I think I would either need to do it or resign. I live alone, so no one else to help financially.

I am trying to spend some time thinking about what I can do for a job instead as I really don't think I'll be ready to take the risk level that will be required of me to do my job.

I'll be sad because I love my job, but I like being alive that bit more!

It depends on wether they aim to flatten the number of cases or squash to very low level...

squashed to a very low level with strict other controls around testing and tracing and the risk becomes I think (logical brain engaged) trivial

Working on a flattening, with some hopes of getting herd immunity and the risk for the vulnerable is to me ( as vulnerable) probably somewhat higher than I would like . Also I think that is a very unstable approach, with increased probability of needing more lockdowns . Like trying to balance on a steep slope.

However, I think those of us who are 'just' At Risk will be left to flounder.

Yes, I think you’re right here. There are too many in that group in my school for us to function without them so that is probably what will have to ‘give’ for some sort of normality to start again.

I am shielded and at the minute can keep dc shielded with me I am very frightened about schools opening, I'm a single mum so can't take them to and from school however I think school are going to say they will collect and drop dc of as don't think they will want them to stay home with me. Very frightened.

I'm terrified about this. I'm higher risk but not on 'the list'. I will end up having to go back in when schools open fully. If I catch it, I am likely to be seriously ill as every illness floors me, including colds that seem mild to my colleagues when they catch it. I catch everything extremely easily.

I also have family members who are shielding so I won't be able to see them until after they've had a vaccine (12-18 months).

I think guidance will be to get on with it with social distancing (unless shielding) which just isn't possible in schools. I honestly think I could die from this or end up in ICU but the government will think that's ok as long as it's at the right time for the NHS.

@Theodoreb but surely that defeats you shielding having your dc coming and going from the house???

I’m on the shielded list too. Single parent so when schools reopen I’m back to doing the school run for 2 primary school age children. I would have to still be allowed to work from home. Also my daughter lives with me who is a nursery nurse so she would have to go to work also (nursery shut and furloughed at present). I could shield until a vaccine but no point if my 3 children are back to normal life bringing it home to me. The whole house has been fully isolating since schools shut.

I am vulnerable with a shielded child. I have another child at school and OH who works in education, so once everything re-opens we don't know what we'll do to keep me and the youngest safe

They think they may get a treatment before a vaccine. Was on the news earlier.

@Squiffy01 I know exactly that's why I'm so frightened of schools opening.

There is always the possibility that numbers can be reduced low enough that contact tracing would be an option and only people who are positive or been in contact with a positive person would isolate. If that were the case as a vulnerable person I think I would feel ok going out and back to work then. The government would have to massively increase testing though

Ciwirocks - they've proven that they are incapable of testing. It's been in the UK for roughly 2 months and we are so far behind most countries in terms of testing it's an absolute joke. If my life relies on an increase in testing then I'm screwed.