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Original poster

A nice man from the NHS just phoned me...

80 replies

Pebble21uk · 28/04/2020 12:39

... and told me to shield!!

He said I might not have received a letter yet (I haven't) but that I will very shortly and I should be shielding!
I'm asthmatic, but I thought I was in the 'vulnerable' catagory when looking at the criteria released by asthma.org a few weeks ago, rather than shielding catagory. I'm on Fostair 100/6 twice a day and have had one course of steroids in the last 12 months. Also use salbutemol as needed.

Fortunately I haven't been out of the house for 6 weeks now anyway! We are lucky we have a large garden and have been sticking to that (and no children to consider)... has anyone else been told this after several weeks lockdown??

OP posts:
opticaldelusion · 28/04/2020 13:43

One of my relatives was told to shield - he absolutely doesn't need to. Another wasn't advised to and he does need to.

If you don't want to, don't. Don't necessarily take anyone's word for it either.

Ponoka7 · 28/04/2020 13:45

I also got my letter late. I was due a hospital appointment and i needed meds via the hospital. My specialist Nurse phoned me to sort this out. Sje told me that for me, it's guidance, ideally I should shield, but she didn't now consider me at particular risk of dying if i contracted this. She said that I was at no more risk than her. So I think it depends on various factors.

I can't shield, i provide childcare for my DD. I travel on public transport. My other DD took over for a few weeks, but from this week it will occasionally be me again.

I know a few people who aren't shielding because it's a matter of good mental health.

Cheeryandmerry · 28/04/2020 13:47

We received text, letter and phone call in that order. The lady who called was lovely but completely unable to answer any questions!

EveryFlightBeginsWithAFall · 28/04/2020 13:48

My mum had a phone call last week. Shed been shielding anyway as my grandad lives with her. They sent a free box of food and she can now get priority slots at Tesco so she's happy

opticaldelusion · 28/04/2020 13:48

I dont have a spleen which I knew made me vulnerable but I didnt realise it put my in the shielding category

That's because it doesn't. Q5 at the link below refers to those who have no spleen.

www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2020/03/20200402-FAQs-Patients-vFINAL.pdf

Topseyt · 28/04/2020 13:53

I received a text yesterday morning saying that as I am offered a flu jab each year due to a health condition I am more at risk and should ask family, friends or local community groups to deliver food and support.

I suppose this means I should be shielding? But I wasn't told to back at the beginning of lockdown and I can't help feeling that if that is the case I should have been told then. Instead, I have been going to the supermarket every week and walking the dog once a day for my exercise. I observe social distancing and we live fairly rurally so when going out for a walk it is usual to see very few people. Sometimes nobody.

I should pay attention to it, I suppose. I don't know. We are around 6 weeks into lockdown (or is it 6 years, feels like it). Do I start shielding now or do I just carry on as I am? I am tempted towards the latter, but at the moment I can't decide. I'm afraid it comes at a time when I have hit a wall mentally on a lot of fronts and for reasons I don't particularly want to elaborate on at the moment.

cantory · 28/04/2020 13:54

@opticaldelusion Given the call she had from the nurse at her surgery about a DNR, I suspect there is more going on.
If your medical professional is telling you to shield do what they say. They know you best.

lockdownstress · 28/04/2020 13:54

I'm on Fostair 100/6 twice a day and have had one course of steroids in the last 12 months

you don't need to shield on the basis of that info. shielding is for those who had 4+ courses of oral steroids from July - Dec 2019, or are on a biological drug like omalizumab, or maybe other indicators of severity like previous ITU admission. not for the average person on Fostair with the occasional exacerbation.

Becca19962014 · 28/04/2020 13:55

cantory there's no deliveries where I am from shops. I need to go get medication every day, again can't be delivered and the "volunteer" service includes people who have assaulted me in the past (they were found innocent). I can't risk them knowing where I live.

I've no family. No friends and my medical care has now been completely abandoned.

Not every part of the U.K. has deliveries (food or meds) and not everyone with a full DBS is safe.

StrawberryJam200 · 28/04/2020 14:03

@Topseyt that sounds like it means you're in the vulnerable group not the shielding group then - look at the NHS website for details.

RossPoldarksWife · 28/04/2020 14:08

Optical delusion.
My daughter has no spleen and has had a letter and calls from our GP & her consultant. She definitely has to shield.
Having no spleen compromises your immune system

LilacTree1 · 28/04/2020 14:09

Topseyt That's worrying.

I get a flu jab every year, have asthma, and haven't heard anything. If I did I would simply ignore it. It's guidance, not a law. I need work so if I get any I will be right there, on public transport.

There are asthmatics working on the frontline at the moment.

I would just ignore it. This whole process is designed to keep the "vulnerable" from clogging up NHS beds. You can do your own personal risk assessment and stick to that.

I have a "shielding" family member who was really horrified by the tone of letters and messages etc. He's not shielding because a) he doesn't want to and b) his career would be in the toilet and c) he was never expecting to live this long anyway - he's nearly 50.

it's your choice.

doodleygirl · 28/04/2020 14:10

cantory absolutely nothing else going on, my spleen was removed 21 years ago because I developed ITP and standard medical intervention did not work. I have been on antibiotics since then and have had no issues whatsoever. I am very fit and healthy.
ing.

opticaldelusion thank you for the link but I have seen it and did question the nurse about the validity of the letter but was told the guidelines had been updated and that people who have undergone splenectomy were being told to shield. I think on this occasion I will follow the medical advice.

Tupperwarelid · 28/04/2020 14:10

My mum received a call this morning about my Dad. He has Parkinson’s and had brain surgery (unrelated to his Parkinson’s) earlier this year. Apparently he should be shielding but he never had a letter. He has only been gong out for a walk round the block though, I think staying in doors cause him more mental health issues than staying in. I already notice a difference in him when I talk to him on the phone as he can’t go to his regular groups and meet his friends .

cantory · 28/04/2020 14:12

@Becca19962014 Totally understand why you are getting your own medication. Surprised you live somewhere with no supermarket deliveries.

ClientQ · 28/04/2020 14:12

I can't remember which thread but they posted a link and yes the spleen advice had been updated to shield

drspouse · 28/04/2020 14:14

Oh god.
I'm in this exact same group - same inhaler, same history of oral steroids, same Salbutamol inhaler.
I have not been shielding (we were avoiding crowded places and standing back at school pickup from the week before schools closed, and we've been fully complying with social distancing) and I have two primary aged DCs and the older one has SEN and has just been given a place at his tiny specialist school 2 days a week for his and our mental health.
My job also requires me (normally) to be in a busy place most days (I'm keeping things ticking over at home but we have busy times when it may not be practical and I may need to ask for reduced hours/long term sick).

doodleygirl · 28/04/2020 14:17

ClinetQ thanks for the link, I hadnt seen it.

AldiAisleOfCrap · 28/04/2020 14:18

I can't shield, i provide childcare for my DD. I travel on public transport.
No grandparents should be providing childcare. Does your dd know you are supposed to be shielding.

drspouse · 28/04/2020 14:19

@Topseyt we thought we were both in the vulnerable, not extremely vulnerable, group.

drspouse · 28/04/2020 14:22

No grandparents should be providing childcare.
Grandparents under 70 who are not vulnerable and who are regular childcare can happily provide childcare for key workers. Just as childminders/schools/nurseries can.

LilacTree1 · 28/04/2020 14:25

jeez, there are doctors and nurses over 70. Do these "grandparents shouldn't do childcare" want to remove them from their jobs?

justasking111 · 28/04/2020 14:27

On seretide twice a day, never needed hospital or had a problem, they seem to be going down the list now to less vulnerable patients perhaps.

mamasiz · 28/04/2020 14:29

Nothing useful to add really - just a fellow asthmatic reading this thread and thinking god, asthma is such a pain in the arse. Hope everyone is keeping well. I’ve found the asthma uk website to be reassuring during this time.

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