Anyone in MODERATE risk group

[Zem74]

I’m early 30s, moderate risk due to meds for autoimmune condition, generally healthy with no other problems.

Anyone else in the same position...how careful are you being?

My 5 year old has been back at school for a couple of weeks, youngest not back at nursery. Husband WFH, all shopping delivered. But we’ve met friends with similar age children out (parks etc) recently as my children were really starting to suffer with not playing with other children. Am I taking too much risk with this? I feel fine with it at the time but I seem to feel anxious about it all after it’s happened as though I’ve made a mistake!

[Piggywaspushed]

I think I read 17m people are in the vulnerable category.

DH's GP has sub division within that of extremely high (shielded I presume), high, and moderate .

[Zem74]

Seems there are a lot of us in this limbo category that are just keen to get back to normal(ish) life, with a little extra worry thrown in!

[Aragog]

I originally got,all the shovelling information but checked with my go and rheumatologist. Both confirmed I was okay not to,shield, and I was in the second group. So,just stringent SD.

[Aragog]

I'm in the clinically vulnerable, or moderate risk, group. I take medication which reduces my immunity for an autoimmune inflammatory arthritis. I'm 47 and teach at an infant school.

I'm currently working from home, overseeing the home learning provision, which I've done since day 1. Most of our staff are now back in school full time. To be honest even if I wasn't in the vulnerable group I suspect I'd be doing he same, as my skills are best suited to this role right now. I go in once a week, for a couple of hours, to sort out some tech stuff, etc.

And although a qualified teacher I'm employed as a HLTA, and normally spend my time covering lessons for PPA and other staff absences, though specialising in teaching computing most of the timetable. So, if we still have bubbles come September I have no idea how that's going to work!

We are still being fairly careful at home. When dh has been into work or been to see clients he comes home and washes and often changes his clothes; when dd has been out to meet her friends or boyfriend, she does the same.

We've only seen friends and family outside, bar MIL and BIL. But that's only because mil lived with us for the first 12 weeks of lockdown as fil was very ill and sadly died at the start of all this, so we've seen bil due to that and also the funeral and burial of ashes. Mainly outside but not always if the weathers not been suitable. We've broken the 6 people rule to make it 7, as its been outside and was just our household and one other household, so risk of the extra one was minimal.

I have to admit I'm getting to the point where I just want to be back to normal. Part of me has these moments if thing it'll be fine and then another small part whispers, 'but what of if.' A decade ago I was really poorly,with pneumonia, before my health condition and medication. That took months to recover from so I worry it'd be even worse now.

[Piggywaspushed]

wannabe, your GP really should have contacted you by now : that is quite remiss. I'd give them a call.

[WannabeGilmoreGirl]

I'm in the medium group I think (haven't spoken to my doctor and haven't been sent a letter). Quite severe asthma, 3 autoimmune conditions and sinus problems.

I've been shopping and this week have spent some time with family but socially distanced in the garden.

Really worried about my dd returning to school next week.

[DidoLamenting]

Zem74 and freddiethegreat does Azathioprine work for Crohn's? I'm on Imraldi (adalimumab) and it's pretty useless.

[zobalina77]

I have a congenital heart disease. I work for a supermarket and they have kept me on full pay to stay at home but on the understanding I must do as the shielding are. I'm very grateful to them for this as the last couple of weeks I was at work were a nightmare and I was having lots of anxiety attacks. I'm due back on 6th July and I'm worried about how different it will be. I haven't been in a shop since March and have only been out of the house a couple of times.

[freddiethegreat]

@Zem74 my son (17) had the letters (Crohn’s, Azathioprine discontinued the week before lockdown after an emergency hospital admission for pancreatitis, so then the biologic he was taking had to be changed - he was reacting to it, hence the Azathioprine) in April, but flatly refused to adhere to it. He said outright he’d rather go out, get it and die than sit in the house when he might get it anyway. We won’t comment on what that did to my anxiety levels! Anyway, he’s off the shielding list now that the second biologic is considered established & he’s stable and he’s basically functioning in a bubble with one close friend & her family. He took one hell of a risk, but fingers crossed he may have got away with it.

[DidoLamenting]

mynameiscalypso apart from the 10 month old and my issue being Crohn's rather than arthritis, you could be me.

[DidoLamenting]

@DidoLamentingsimilar to me then, crohns and azathioprine!
Are you meeting people now?

Yes. I've been following the standard rules. I've also been in the office a few times throughout lockdown. I've been working from home but there was some stuff which was impossible to do without office access. Sometimes I've been the only person in, sometimes there have been a few others. We just kept our distance.

[Piggywaspushed]

That Spectator link is accidentally amusing as It is the very article the RCPCH is producing a statement on ( I quoted it above) !

The Spectator is massively biased in all this. It is, after all, Mrs Cummings' paper. I found a balanced article which looks at various bits of evidence :

www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-kids-inflammation-transmission-schools-2020-5?r=US&IR=T

I shall say no more on this as don't want to derail.

I understand all the anxiety about being in the moderate risk group. I feel it is a very overlooked group. Almost feeling our way in the dark.

[Samster45]

I’m in the moderate risk and nhs. I had PE’s a few year ago spontaneously and one was in an end artery so part of my lung died off. I’m on blood thinners for life.
I was redeployed away from patient facing roles at the height. I’m still not allowed back yet. My daughter is mixing at school and we are going shopping or out for walks. I still need to go to work even though I’m not in direct contact with patients but obviously I am still mixing with colleagues. My manager is wanting me back seeing patients but can’t put me back until the government says so, but I don’t understand how they can keep me hired doing a job they don’t need doing when my job is actually really needed, so I’m more worried about my job.

The problem is it’s here to stay and there’s no telling if a vaccine may work. It’s now circulating in lower numbers so probably the same risk for me as catching flu would be I expect in a bad flu season. I’m as careful as I can be and I followed all the rules during lockdown but now is the opportunity to get out and about safely before winter flu season kicks off and we are coping with flu and potentially a resurgence in Covid and I’m stuck in the house or in a more dangerous world again.

I’m going on the theory that on average in the U.K. there are 5 deaths per day in my age group from road traffic accidents. Looking at the data there are 2 deaths per day on average for my age group from Covid; so for my age, regardless of my risk status, I’m more than twice as likely to be hit by a car on the way to work than die from Covid.

[Deelish75]

www.spectator.co.uk/article/this-study-from-iceland-suggests-reopening-schools-is-safe

I believe this is one of the latest studies from Iceland. They found no evidence of children passing it on to their parents from test, track and trace. Also I believe there have been similar studies Taiwan and South Korea, and again they've found no evidence.

I'm not saying that children DON'T transmit just that there is no evidence found.

[mynameiscalypso]

I'm borderline - I avoided being on the shielding list by not making an appt before lockdown to start steroids. I take immunosuppressants for arthritis. Everything that I've read suggests that actually immunosuppressants may be helpful in severe cases of the virus. Although my immune system is all over the place as my arthritis isn't that well controlled at the moment, I'm not being particularly careful. I go to the supermarket, go out for walks/to the park, have taken taxis, had people in our flat to do work, been to socially distanced meet ups with family etc. I wash my hands when I come in from somewhere (and a million times a day as I have a 10 month old who is weaning) but that's the only precaution I take. I only wear a face covering when I have to.

[Piggywaspushed]

This from the RCPCH:

A statement about media reports, citing RCPCH, on the transmission of COVID-19 by children.
A number of media reports, citing RCPCH, have incorrectly suggested that children cannot transmit COVID-19. This is not the RCPCH position, nor is it based on evidence.
Our own research and evidence summary explicitly states that the evidence about children in transmitting the virus remains unclear, in particular given the number of asymptomatic cases

So, it is more that I am focusing on the incorrect assumption that they can't spread it, rather than saying they always do iyswim.

[Piggywaspushed]

No chipotle I haven't. Because children have bene in lockdown there is insufficient evidence. I don't want to start a bunfight on this thread ; just didn't want PP relying on a belief that children never do spread the virus. It is possible they don't but not probable.

[Piggywaspushed]

There's 100s of conflicting links.It has been discussed on lots of threads....

The main gist is there is insufficient evidence. Will see what I can find.

It is certainly true that most children do not suffer badly with it. This is not the same as spreading.

[Zem74]

@DidoLamenting similar to me then, crohns and azathioprine!
Are you meeting people now?
My 5 year old is desperate to see her friends, sees everyone else doing it and doesn’t understand why she can’t so we met up with friends and their children and they played outside yesterday. I just don’t know what’s the right or wrong thing to do anymore!

[ChipotleBlessing]

You’ve been doing some very selective reading if everything you’ve read has said under tens transmit the virus.

[Deelish75]

Everything I have read says they do.

Can you post some links as to what you have read please.

[Piggywaspushed]

My DH is a teacher and is a heart patient. I am surprised how low heart valve replacement patients come on the lists as his doctor told him in rather jolly fashion that eh would almost certainly become very ill should he catch it.

He has barely been out and nor have I. DS1 and DS2 are both at home with us (0one is normally away at uni and one is year 11). Am feeling rather anxious about how DH's condition will be viewed when return to school is broadened in September , especially if this is done by just herding everyone back in with no SD. I am also a teacher . He may get to continue to WFH for longer than me.

To a PP , I am sorry to break it to you but the jury is very much out on this :
The WHO have said there is no evidence that under 10s transmit the virus Everything I have read says they do.

[DidoLamenting]

I got sent all the shielding bumph around the middle of April as I'm on Imraldi for Crohn's Disease. By that time I'd already been in contact with a colleague who had had Covid and I hadn't been taking any special precautions beyond what was recommended for everyone. I ignored it.

I've been going out for exercise and shopping. I haven't been wearing a mask. I don't quarantine deliveries (never occurred to me that was even a thing until I saw it on MN) and I don't wash shopping.

[GoldenPoppy]

Quite severe asthmatic, just missed shielding list.
I've only been out 3 times since lockdown for short walks but I got scared so I came home.
All shopping is delivered and most is quarantined in the garage everything else is washed.
I have been into my garden a bit but only if my neighbours are not out.
My two cats have been kept inside throughout although they can come into the back garden if I am there.
DH has been to the corner shop a couple of times but we now sleep in separate rooms.
I am on the verge of resigning from my work as I am due to return in a month and have seen posts of colleagues not social distacing.
I'm usually really sociable and outgoing, I dont know what is happening to me.

[lesbihonest]

However with others - particularly my sister who lives in residential care - we would maintain that 2m distance, and will probably avoid cinemas, taxis, buses, shops, trains, doctors surgery etc for a very long time yet .