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Original poster

Shielding After The Lockdown

176 replies

Didkdt · 16/04/2020 15:19

As people go back to work and the children to school I suspect our shielding status will remain for quite some time.
I'm just not sure how it will work. I was feeling so twitchy with DH at work and the children at school whether they'd bring it home
Also at some point I want my life back. I want to go back to work.
I've always been careful to avoid people's germs before knowing a cold or chest infection could hospitalize me, it's just now hospital might not be able to fix me

I just wondered if people wanted to chat through how shielding will work when life starts it's new normal and we're stuck shielding.

OP posts:
springsummer22 · 17/04/2020 15:15

I have always just ignored guidance suggesting one part of a household can shield. Unless you are in a very large house with separate facilities and no young children it is impractical. We just all shield and expect to continue to do if lockdown ends. However in my opinion there is no point worrying about it in the long term as there are far too many unknowns.

ZiggeryZaggy · 17/04/2020 15:16

Sorry @Hearhoovesthinkzebras, I might the Equality Act - it depends how it is interpreted

Hearhoovesthinkzebras · 17/04/2020 15:16

I'm wondering if we are all now eligible for PIP? I mean we can't do anything that requires us to go outside can we due to a health condition so where does that leave us?

Hearhoovesthinkzebras · 17/04/2020 15:17

@ZiggeryZaggy

No, i.used the wrong term as well. I thought it looked wrong but I couldn't figure out why. Brain is ceasing up, I think

ZiggeryZaggy · 17/04/2020 15:19

I think there will be a requirement under the Equality Act to provide the option of home working, and I would be surprised if redundancy would be allowed as an option when the government has put a scheme in place to protect workers from this during Coronavirus - my guess is that the scheme may be extended for shielded employees who still have to isolate after the main lockdown has finished. That is a guess though!

Tonemeth · 17/04/2020 15:20

I'm wondering if we are all now eligible for PIP? I mean we can't do anything that requires us to go outside can we due to a health condition so where does that leave us?

It depends how long it goes on - it's got to abve affected you for 6 months I think from memory. Plus you would only get mobility points because it doesnt affect your ability to eat, drink or wash yourself etc.

So unless they change the guidelines, its unlikely I should think.

Tonemeth · 17/04/2020 15:22

Sorry its 3 months it must have affected you for and it must be expected to affect you for at least another 9 months. So I cant see it applying if you have no other disability/conditions that affect you day to day.

RaspberryMctriple · 17/04/2020 15:25

I am worried about this in the long run too. I have bronchiectasis and a rare lung condition and recieved a letter from my consultant this morning advising that I shield for 12 weeks. I have two children, one at school, I work but am currently WFH with not much to do but with a very supportive employer. My husband is working, he can't work from home and can't be furloughed. We are being as careful as we can but it's impossible to keep the kids away from him and me and also once the schools reopen am I really going to have to keep the children home? My 5 year old will end up way behind his peers and he's desperately sad that he's not with his friends as it is. I just can't see how it will work. I'm exhausted and scared and I can't really see a way out of this other than just getting back to normal and hoping for the best.

ClientQ · 17/04/2020 15:27

I've not been able to WFH due to IT issues but work have said they are identifying me as a home worker for as long as possible

Hearhoovesthinkzebras · 17/04/2020 15:30

I think there will be a requirement under the Equality Act to provide the option of home working,

Hopefully they will be required to offer home working where possible but for a lot of us - I work in a supermarket- that's just not an option. I don't see me having a job after June, unless I accept the risk and go back.

PhilCornwall1 · 17/04/2020 15:34

Part of my role is travel as I do consultancy work. I guess one of the options in my organisation would be to redeploy me to another role without travel, but I'm sure there would be a hefty financial impact.

First I would lose my car, which means at some point I would need to replace it and stomach the costs of maintaining and insuring it. Most, if not all of the roles that are solely office/home based would be a departure from my chosen profession, that I have invested 30 years of my professional life to and would come with a massive pay cut.

It's just not something that is at all viable.

Tonemeth · 17/04/2020 15:38

But it might be short term phil. And surely it's better than SSP or no job at all?

PhilCornwall1 · 17/04/2020 16:02

@Tonemeth not for me no, I've invested too much into my career to take a backwards step now and if you think about it also take a financial hit in my pension. It's a no brainier for me really and I expect many others as well.

maggiso · 17/04/2020 16:41

I’ve just been added to the shielding list, but so far only have a generic email from the GP without my name on it. I’m sure this will not be enough for HR.
Did you all get personalised letters or just the generic text?

I am still working from home - but would normally be in a patient facing ( nhs) role. So I hope for the moment I will go on getting paid (I only I only work half time due to poor health and caring commitments so am used to half time pay)

I can’t fully shield myself as I am also a carer for my young adult son ( learning disability) who lives with us and is very touchy freely and has no idea about social distancing, despite trying to get this across!

FourTeaFallOut · 17/04/2020 16:44

My text came through a few days after shielding was announced but the letter didn't come till almost a fortnight later.

Tonemeth · 17/04/2020 16:56

Furlough scheme extended till June now.

Phil - I guess if what you mean is you're going to continue working and take the risk if getting it. For me, I've worked hard towards my career too, but I'd still rather lose my job and progress than become very ill/end up with long lasting lung damage/die. I'm looking at selling my car back as its ppp and if shielding does go on, I'm not going to need it.

Theodoreb · 17/04/2020 18:49

Hi I'm 32 shielding owing to respiratory illness
I also have bipolar and schizophrenia so don't work struggle through and manage to pay mortgage on sick and pip money.

Have 3 dc with sn DS has adhd Dd has ASD and DD2 has suspected epilepsy.

Biggest worry is I don't want them to go back to school as I'm a single mum dad is useless and I don't want to leave them without a mum as they really need me.

maggiso · 17/04/2020 18:58

Thanks four tea, was your text generic without your name on it ?

FourTeaFallOut · 17/04/2020 19:07

Yes it was just a generic text from the NHS coronavirus service and was followed by a number of other texts from the same number that detailed more advice. The letter was addressed directly me (as you would assume it would but I've included that detail in case you are worried that this might be another dropped ball in the coronavirus shitstorm)

Original poster
Didkdt · 17/04/2020 20:32

@ClientQ I know what you mean about simple things suddenly feel like running the gauntlet I use deliveries to minimize risk and over analyse the drivers ability to pass on infection
I am going to need a blood test soon.

OP posts:
Tonemeth · 19/04/2020 12:57

How we all feeling about the supposed fake news today? Only banging on about over 70s (many of whom are not shiekding) with no mention of the extremely vulnerable that I can see...

Original poster
Didkdt · 19/04/2020 15:52

I'm hoping there will be a vaccine by the autumn will the elderly stay locked up for a year I don't know
I'm starting to wonder how we'll manage the phases return but it was always going to happen

OP posts:
Tonemeth · 19/04/2020 19:02

I cant see the majority of over 70s staying in - I think many will.make the choice to take their chances.

LoveBeingAMum555 · 19/04/2020 19:54

DS is 21, has just finished chemotherapy for Lymphoma and also has Crohn's disease. No idea at the moment if he is clear of the cancer. He has been off sick for nearly 6 months anyway and his employers have been great but I worry about the long term effects of this on his mental health. He is lucky that he doesn't have a mortgage to pay or a family to support I suppose but he has lost all his independence. As a family we are all shielding, I can work from home but not sure if I can do this long term. The uncertainty is hard.

Egghead68 · 19/04/2020 20:22

Just realised/seen that they are talking about us all having to shield until a vaccine is found, even if this takes over a year.

How on earth would we be supposed to do this? What about dentist and medical appointments? Our mental health? Our finances?

I’ve already got Covid-19 (contracted before I started shielding). Will it apply to people in my situation or will we be exempt?

Potential nightmare.