Is your whole family shielding?

[ofwarren]

If you have a shielded person in your home, are you all staying in?
We have a shielded child and would struggle to keep to social distancing at home so we have all stayed home.
I can't imagine it would be easy to keep a distance, especially from a young child.

Yep, only way to do it really - apart from walking the dog which is easy to do where we are without coming into contact with anyone.

I agree. It must be so hard when one person is a key worker.

Yes. We are shielding my middle child who is a transplant patient.
We are all staying home (not been out for 4 weeks) except for walks in a field next to our house where we see no-one except an occasional dog walker 25m away.
There's no way on earth we could distance ourselves from her! She's 6!

Yes, I'm a shielded person so we are all shielding. No way I could keep separate from the kids and the dog while DH works from home! We are going into week 6 of being in isolation and coping quite well I think.

Yes. Partner transplant recipient. We walk the dog together daily. That's it. Going on 4 weeks. If we didn't we'd both be totally isolated for the 3 + months. I'm pregnant and it would be very lonely.

@fedupfrida
Similar situation here. My son is 5 and also a transplant patient.

Yes we are all shielding my husband. I've been lucky to be furloughed in one job and my other job are paying me in full. Feel very fortunate that we can do it..Still have to walk the dog and it is hard as the whole town are out and about waking/jogging/cycling can't seem to go anywhere without seeing people,.no matter what time of day.

Yes but we go out for walks as we live in the countryside. No contact with anyone else since 23rd March. Can't see how else to do it, but no idea what will happen when we need to go back to work etc.

We're shielding as a family too. Our shielded person is seven so it's not practical or kind to keep him away from the rest of us. Fortunately, friends are shopping for us, as we haven't been able to access supermarket delivery slots despite having 'the letter' and being pass holders for one of them (Tesco - we're not showing up on their list, possibly because the account is in my name rather than my child's. Sainsbury's say they've got us on their list but they don't actually have any slots available).

We are all shielding too as our teen DD is in the category. We are lucky to be able to do so atm but I’m worried as what will happen when work opens. Our DD has SEN too and there is now way we can keep separate from her.

Trying to! My partner needs shielding, but I have to go into hospital regularly for pregnancy stuff. It's a bloody nightmare as whenever I've been in I then have to distance myself from DP for a week (should really be two but then we'd never get to go anywhere near each other), no using the kitchen, separate bedrooms and bathrooms etc. Shielding all together is vastly preferable. I hope you all have family and friends who can shop for you etc? (Thankfully we do).

Oh is shielding I'm a key worker but said I dont want to be on the rota at work I cant work from home, we have 2 children at home 13 and 10. Oh is sleeping in the spare room and staying away from everyone, I've been going for a short walk almost everyday and taking 1 of the children with me, oh hasnt left the house since he was sent home 3 weeks ago.

My husband is shielding & trying to do it pretty strictly, mostly staying in one room, away from us, and using a separate bathroom. I'm still dog walking daily and the teens join me every so often, so I'm keeping my distance from husband at all times- no hugs for 4 1/2 weeks now! (he was in hospital for 10 days prior to lockdown). I'm v lucky to be working from home for the duration, and the children are old enough to be left to their own devices. The sun has been such a blessing as we've spent time (2m apart!) together in the garden in the last few days. We've also allowed ourselves the occasional 10minute shared evening meal at opposite ends of our 207cm table (yes, I measured it before he can home!). But it's pretty weird, and I have wondered whether we'll still enjoy or need each other's company once all this is over...

DH is a transplant patient and I’m an NHS nurse.

The guidance states that:

While the rest of your household are not required to adopt these protective shielding measures for themselves, we would expect them to do what they can to support you in shielding and to stringently follow guidance on social distancing

Minimise as much as possible the time other family members spend in shared spaces such as kitchens, bathrooms and sitting areas, and keep shared spaces well ventilated
Aim to keep 2 metres (3 steps) away from people you live with and encourage them to sleep in a different bed where possible. If you can, you should use a separate bathroom from the rest of the household. Make sure you use separate towels from the other people in your house, both for drying themselves after bathing or showering and for hand-hygiene purposes
If you do share a toilet and bathroom with others, it is important that they are cleaned after use every time (for example, wiping surfaces you have come into contact with). Another tip is to consider drawing up a rota for bathing, with you using the facilities first
^If you share a kitchen with others, avoid using it while they are present. If you can, you should take your meals back to your room to eat. If you have one, use a dishwasher to clean and dry the family’s used crockery and cutlery. If this is not possible, wash them using your usual washing up liquid and warm water and dry them thoroughly. If you are using your own utensils, remember to use a separate tea towel for drying these.
We understand that it will be difficult for some people to separate themselves from others at home. You should do your very best to follow this guidance and everyone in your household should regularly wash their hands, avoid touching their face, and clean frequently touched surfaces^
If the rest of your household stringently follow advice on social distancing and minimise the risk of spreading the virus within the home by following the advice above, there is no need for them to also shield alongside you

At the moment I’m still at home and he’s moved into the front room, on a futon. We haven’t been in the same room, except fleetingly since it all started.

I’m not entitled to paid leave (and I’m the sole wage earner) but can be put up in free accommodation. I’ll have to consider this when things kick off, it looks like it’s started so might pack a bag today

I'm on the shielding list, if there is such a thing and no, the whole family isn't doing it. It's not practical for that to happen.

for all of us going without hugs from our loved ones due to the bloody shielding. It's so hard

I am so we’re all shielding. We’re lucky that DH and I can work from home.

That must be so stressful QuaverQueen.

My dh is shielding. We are a family of six ( 2 adults, 4 teenagers). I go out to do the shopping , can't get a delivery slot and have bene trying for weeks now. One ds does the dog walks. We just have to minimise risk as much as we can.

Yep I'm the shielded one, and DP is my carer. She does all personal and home care for me, how exactly is she supposed to do that from 2m away?! 🙄😂

And the DCs can hardly go out anywhere on their own

I feel very lucky that we are all able to shield. We are shielding our 3 year old in the absence of a diagnosis. He's not officially being shielded but without a diagnosis we aren't sure. Better over cautious than not.

We’re all shielding but it’s only my husband that needs to really. He’s also a transplant recipient. It’s nice to hear of others! He can work from home and hasn’t left the house now for 4 weeks. I have been furloughed and we took the children out of school a week early. I do go to the supermarket once a week and the children and I go for walks in the fields/woods close by every so often.

We’re coping surprisingly well but I’m a bit concerned that this can’t continue indefinitely.

Our whole family is shielding. I'm the shielded person. There's no way I could be in the same house as my children dancing around them like they are toxic for twelve weeks, no hugs and kisses, no helping them if they get hurt, homeschooling them from two meters away. I don't think the rules were meant with families in mind, the Boris boxes certainly weren't.

If this goes on for years on end we'll have to do things radically differently. We have options but none of them are good.

We are a family of two teens and two adults. My dh is shielding and I'm still going out for shopping and prescriptions for us and also my parents/in laws. On line shopping and assistance has been too hit and miss so I have to go out but im very careful coming back in. In the house we try to keep distance but no spare rooms and a small house.

If this goes on for years on end we'll have to do things radically differently. We have options but none of them are good.

It won't go on for years. The country needs to start back up and people need to work and go about their business. I will be ASAP.