Shielding to ease next week/end Aug 1

[PatriciaHolm]

This afternoons briefing from Matt Hancock - "From Monday 6 July people who are shielding will be able to spend time outdoors in a group of up to six people including those outside of their household, while maintaining physical distancing. Those who are shielding and live alone or are single parents with children will also be able to create a ‘support bubble’ with one other household of any size. "

Then as of Aug 1, scheme largely coming to an end; people can go back to work if Covid-safe, and help will be limited to local authority/voluntary support.

Pretty much as announced in NI earlier, I think. Not entirely surprising.

By the way @ToothFairyNemesis, did you know we can see your full name on your letter? Just letting you know in case you'd like to have it edited out.

@ToothFairyNemesis thank you.

@TabbyMumz, no not all children will be taken out of shielding. They have narrowed list down. Doctors and specialists are the only ones able to add or take anyone off shielding list - not the gov.

*@ToothFairyNemesis just tagging again hoping you pick up on what morethanasong spotted.

Pretty sure they said there should be no need for shield anymore, although I guess there could be some really ill children on cancer treatment etc that wont be going to school anyway.

Sorry that should have read no need for children to shield anymore

That's a bit different to declaring that the cleaner could have been working all along. The new advice for children is very recent and, as you say, it's not true for all children.

@morethanasong @WwMILd thank you! I have reported my post.

I predict lots of doctors sick notes on the horizon for stress, anxiety, depression ...

So do I, but even that's not going to work in the longer term
There'll come a point where if folk are neither able nor willing to return to work they'll be managed out on sickness grounds

Reposted with no name! Last page is further up the thread.

I find the ‘Matt’ signature a bit CallMeDave, creepy even. MH is a bit creepy anyway. Thankfully I’m in Scotland - where nobody’s ever creepy.

You're welcome, @ToothFairyNemesis.

I've received my letter today. How come the letter doesn't sound as positive as the politicians when they announced it? So you can go out to work from August if your workplace is COVID secure but maintain strict social distancing, you can go to the supermarket or out and about but stay home as much as possible, strict social distancing at all times - so, we can go out but stay at home as much as possible?

It’s the same as the advice for the general population a few weeks ago, stay at home but go to work, but only if you can’t work at home, so stay at home , but go to work! No clarity or logic.

I got mine today too. They want us to boost the economy but be careful so we can't blame them if we get ill.

As an aside, dh's letter said 7 supermarkets are giving/have given "you" priority slots. Is that "you" in general or "you" in particular? Does everyone's letter say this? Just because we've only had 1 supermarket give us priority slots and we had to ring them! Weeks after shielding began! I'm just interested to know what we might have been missing.

Everyone’s letter says re the 7 supermarkets if you don’t already have ASDA or Iceland contact them because both have been brilliant . I usually shop with Morrisons.

Was you email address that you use to register on the government website the same as the one on your supermarket online accounts @tobee ?

*your

Yes it was. It's dh's and he only has one I think.

He emailed Ocado who replied "sorry but no" but no explanation. Waitrose emphatically says "we'll contact you, don't contact us!" But nothing.

Because we got a number to ring for Tesco after trying to find out from every supermarket many times the stress was off.

It just seems very confusing when it was suggested that Dh would get inundated with offers from help but he's not found that at all 🤷🏻‍♀️

Having said that the hospital and our local pharmacy have been great and delivered his meds and mine too to boot!

@tobee

As an aside, dh's letter said 7 supermarkets are giving/have given "you" priority slots. Is that "you" in general or "you" in particular? Does everyone's letter say this? Just because we've only had 1 supermarket give us priority slots and we had to ring them! Weeks after shielding began! I'm just interested to know what we might have been missing.

My letter said the same and I've not had even 1 supermarket give me a priority slot.

Just had a letter about my shielded 4yo - to continue shielding. I thought most children were going to come off the list?

I've phoned his consultant who's going to look into it, but said that it's not them who make the decision it's NHS England. He doesn't have any of the conditions on the list (although has CLD, needed oxygen & has had heart surgery when a baby).

If he needs to stay on the list I'm happy to keep him on, but there's no joined up thinking here.

The children that are being taken off the list will happen after the government letter. You should get a nhs letter in the next couple of weeks.

Thanks toothfairy - I hope so. There's so much uncertainty.

@Hearhoovesthinkzebras Dh wasn't given any! He had to ring a Tesco number that someone on here linked to. He rang at about 10pm one day and the priority slots were available about 24 hours later