Shielding - not allowed outside?

[SleepingStandingUp]

Can someone explain the science / logic please, not the rules?

Why can't you sit in your own garden? Why can't you go for a walk where no one else is?

I went to pharmacy today and an older lady was explaining how she should shield but she said she needs her walks.

Shielded kids have been told they can go in the garden.

You can do what you like shielding is a bunch of guidelines with some protection if you follow them.
Leaving your home invariably increases your risk of coming into contact with the virus. The letter doesn't say don't go in the garden but it does suggest that if you are living with others you self isolate and or practice social distancing

You can go into your own garden or sit by an open window/door.

You should not however leave your home for anything other than essential medical appointments (which cannot be done by telephone or domiciliary visit)

It says you can use any private space (ie garden) if you’re 2m from neighbours.

You can go in the garden or private outdoor space!

Re exercise, the advice I heard an expert giving on the radio last week said ideally exercise at home but everyone has to make a individual judgement on how detrimental not going out at all would be vs risk.

I thought they could use their garden

What if you don’t have a garden?

You can use the garden as long as it's a private space and you can stay 2 metres from neighbours.

What if you don’t have a garden?

Sit by an open window.

People are adults and able to make their own choices though. The shielding group are advised to stay at home for their own protection. They are free to decide they’d rather just observe the general social distancing guidelines if they’d prefer to.

You can use the garden I though? If you don’t have one then you don’t have one. Open a window and sit by it? It says not to go out and I imagine that’s because it can be hard to keep 2m away from people. It is round here the streets are quite narrow so you would need to walk in the road.

Thanks, sorry I wasting about gardens. We haven't had a letter but gp is advising we should have for 4yo.

6 ft fence either side of admittedly small garden but neighbours NEVER use their (thus unfairly larger) garden and he side is vacant. We've also gone to the field twice a week but literally see no one / odd person on other side of road or field. No gates etc.

Just wondering what we've been doing wrong really.

He's been gone since the Wednesday before they closed, just me going for shopping / meds and washing hands once back / cleaning shopping

You can go into your own garden providing you keep your 2 metre distance from others.

In theory, I suppose you could go for a walk if you could guarantee that you wouldn't come into contact with anyone else.
Unless you live in Glencoe, how could you be sure of that.?

They are not RULES - they are GUIDELINES.

The Government document on shielding clearly says, words to the effect that the advice is there for the benefit of keeping the shielder safe but it is up to the individual to decide if they will follow them all, some or none at all - hence @kingis' elderly lady in the pharmacy.

I don't understand your last sentence of your 14.46 post OP.

If you're trying to shield a 4 year old, unless you could stay 2 metres away from him/her, you shouldn't be going out shopping or collecting meds.
You would need to get these delivered.

Well he's 4 and on o2 so he can't get free of me and I can physically move him away from other people. The field is two streets away and we've been there once when someoen else was, used the other entrance and basically had half a field each. Unless we got there and two families were congregated around the gates and refused to move, then I'm certain nwe could keep 6ft away but obv I'm trying to not kill him.

I’m not sure why you would take the risk with your child tbh. I got the letter for dd and wouldn’t have risked taking her out. It’s up to you though, it’s not a law just advice.

We’re shielding our son also. We’ve had a carer collect shopping and prescriptions and leave on our door step. Only time any of us have been out is me for cancer treatment.

We sit in our garden away from the neighbours fences.

You are free to not follow guidance. As a family you make a judgement call.

IMHO, your walk in the field is less risky than your trip to the shop and pharmacy.
Could you arrange delivery of these?
Do you go shopping with him? - if not, who looks after him when you shop?

Ds has had a letter but he is still going out for walks His condition is not on the shielding list and although he is at a higher risk than NT children I think for him the mental health issues created by shielding are far more likely to cause severe problems.

I’m not sure why you would take the risk with your child tbh. well he wasn't shielded, so we were just keeping him away from people. Now I'm wondering if what we've done has been really dangerous or if the risk is low enough to not be an issue.

your walk in the field is less risky than your trip to the shop and pharmacy.
My kids need their medication, ofpharmacy has no delivery staff. They all need feeding and the twins go through formula by the ton. 3 kids in nappies. Can't get a delivery slot. Dad officially shielding, Mom unofficially. Sister thought she had it so they've been isolating.

Hello everyone, we're just nipping on here to say that the thread has been reported by folk concerned that some of the information shared here may not be accurate.

We understand that these are confusing and anxious times for all of us and, unhelpfully, there’s a lot of fake news circulating on social media about Coronavirus. While we’re not in a position to verify every claim posted on the boards, we do urge everyone to keep in mind that not everything you read on the internet will be based on factual information. (We also know that Mumsnetters are very good at debunking the nonsense!)

As always, please do report anything that you’re concerned.

You can find the most up to date information about COVID-19 on Public Health England and the NHS website.
Here's the Government guidance on staying at home and away from others

And here's the guidance on what you can and can't do.

Thanks all and stay safe.

And God no to him coming shopping. DH stays home with the 3 kids whilst I go shopping because I do a more thorough shop so we need to go less if I go. He's been to the field 5? times in 5/6 weeks, that's it

As a household we are shielding due to partner. However his need to shield is temporary due to some recent treatment. He is otherwise very fit and healthy.

We have made the decision to do walks as live quite rurally. Probably wouldn't do them daily if we lived in a town or somewhere busy!

We don't go shopping or anywhere except this- food is delivered.

We also made this decision for ensuring mental wellbeing and physically keeping well. Risk taken is minimal due to where we live x

Like a few pp have said, the shielding guidelines are just that- it's up to you to decide what level of risk you will take. My Dad is very high risk and officially shielding. He's discussed at some length with his GP what he should do (since it's fairly certain that if he got covid 19 it would kill him). He's been told that he should not leave the house at all other than to go in his private garden (provided he stays at least 2m from the fences). He's also been told that my mum (the only other person in the household) should either stay at least 2m from him and use separate bathroom etc or stick to the same restrictions as him. They've been advised definitely not to go for a walk even when it's very quiet- in theory they could come into contact with a surface that has been infected, or someone could be around unexpectedly and come too close (say, a jogger etc).
Since they are officially shielding they have priority access to supermarket delivery slots etc and a local organisation delivers their medication (I live too far away to do it for them).
I think the issue is it's practically impossible to entirely eliminate risk.

It sounds like perhaps you should ask your GP whether your child should be in the official shielding list and how to access the additional support they get. Failing that, see if there are local organisations/community groups offering help (I am part of a local group offering to help those at higher risk with shopping etc).