No shielding for the vulnerable?

[Racoonworld]

There were many threads a few weeks ago about whether we should shield the vulnerable and let everyone else get back to normal. The general consensus from shielders was no. Well now cases are rising and estimated by ONS to be similar in numbers to the first wave, and there is no shielding. Many people breaking the rules and doing what they want anyway. Have any shielders changed their minds? Would you like to be shielded again or are you happy to get on with it like everyone is now doing?

My friend was in the shielding category and due to her issues has remained shielding and continues to work from home. Another friend has just finished chemotherapy but has chosen to return to work and not shield as she was. Both have made their own decisions as capable adults. Surely it is better that people can decide for themselves?

My 13yr old son was shielding and I would be so glad for him to shield again.

@ApolloandDaphne

My friend was in the shielding category and due to her issues has remained shielding and continues to work from home. Another friend has just finished chemotherapy but has chosen to return to work and not shield as she was. Both have made their own decisions as capable adults. Surely it is better that people can decide for themselves?

Yes it at the moment there are no special protections for shielders. Your friend is lucky to be able to decide to shield but a lot of people can’t as they can’t work from home, children at school etc.

We've never really come out of shielding. After almost 8 months we're still not shopping, or going indoors ( anywhere but medical appointments) and are reliant on the internet for everyday needs. We've been out for exercise ( but only when the tourist numbers have died down) and had coffee in the neighbours garden a few times ( but no more than two people at a time). It has been, and continues to be, very hard to and difficult to watch other people seeing family and partying. But we didn't feel we had a lot of options, and have taken advice from our medical practitioners.

Under normal circumstances, you'd never even know we needed to shield, and were full contributors to society.

Some people don’t have the option to wfh.

Their “choice”” is to quit their job or to not shield.

The ECV should be given the option to be financially supported to shield with their jobs protected.

I'm happy to get on with it. I think my risk level was grossly over estimated once you consider my age, sex, race and the fact that steroids are back on the menu.

That doesn't mean I don't think there should be an option to shield.

I think that those in the vulnerable category are capable of their own risk assessments based on their personal circumstance.
They don’t need the Government to advise them - I am sure like ourselves they are already being advised by their medical teams who are more versed in their particular concerns rather than a blanket shielding advice.
So no I don’t think that shielding as it was previously should be put back into place - it was only advice anyway and not enforceable.
Shielding also doesn’t give everyone else who isn’t vulnerable the right to just resume normality because we are in a pandemic and we all have our part to play in reducing the spread of the disease.

I am my dh carer , we have both continued to shield . We haven't been in any shops since early March and everything we get us online. We have arranged for all his prescriptions to be delivered.
We have say in a friends garden for a chat during the summer but now that has stopped. We haven't been in anyone's house and likewise had anyone in ours since early March as well. We intend to continue until there is a vaccine.

At my work unless you are on the ECV list you have to go in.

It’s not so simple. My mother is in the extremely vulnerable group but needs carers. My DH is also in the same group and he would either need to be completely isolated from our under 5s or we would have to pull DD1 out of school. People have needs and responsibilities so which often mean they can’t just shield.

I think that those in the vulnerable category are capable of their own risk assessments based on their personal circumstance.
They don’t need the Government to advise them - I am sure like ourselves they are already being advised by their medical teams who are more versed in their particular concerns rather than a blanket shielding advice.

I agree with this. We all need to take more personal responsibility in this, not constantly wait for the government to tell us what to do.

@Thatwentbadly Yes I can understand the problem with your mum needing carers. But cases are going up now so there will always be the problem of that. My question was would you like to shield again given the rise in cases, which would mean your add would be put if school and doing online schooling.

And I feel that children should be allowed to be taken out of school without penalty.

I think that those in the vulnerable category are capable of their own risk assessments based on their personal circumstance.

Both have made their own decisions as capable adults. Surely it is better that people can decide for themselves?

I am sure that most can make their own personal risk assessments, and I'm sure many people are able to decide they will continue to shield as best they can, with their own rules of what feels safe, and do so until there is a vaccine.
Unfortunately, unless there is something put in place to enable and support those who are ecv to continue to shield....if they are working, if they are children at school, if they have children at school, if they need carers etc...then there is very little choice for these people but to 'carry on as normal', and that is appalling.

My soon to be ex is classed as vulnerable and has taken advantage of paid special leave. He breaks all the rules . Goes to the shop every day for booze and visits and stays with his family 60 miles away .

I probably should also say both my friends who were shielding work in high risk jobs. The one working from home would be at the highest risk as she is a hospital doctor. The one who has decided to go back works in a school. The second one chose to return. She could have been signed off longer but she has going mad at home and decided the risks were worth it. I can understand it's not always an easy decision and some may have no choice but to return. However just making everyone in the high risk category shield also won't work for everyone.

However just making everyone in the high risk category shield also won't work for everyone.

I don't know why it has to be all or nothing - as I said in my previous post, there needs to be options.

If we shield the vulnerable properly, the economy nosedives. Because the majority of shielders cannot be properly isolated. How are they isolated if they are a parent for example? We’re supposed to send kids to school for a bit of Russian roulette. And many shielders will be needing multiple medical appointments, often done by an HCP with kids. Shielding isn’t compatible with schools being open.

I think the government should reintroduce shielding on a voluntary and funded basis to prevent hospital capacity being overwhelmed.

[quote Racoonworld]@Thatwentbadly Yes I can understand the problem with your mum needing carers. But cases are going up now so there will always be the problem of that. My question was would you like to shield again given the rise in cases, which would mean your add would be put if school and doing online schooling.[/quote]
It’s a very tricky one for us but overall we have decided DD aged 4 needs to be in school to socialise. In theory she is 4 years old so we can just not send her to school and won’t be prosecuted and keep her place and I could educated her at home. It’s not home education as we would need to try keep up with school progress while I looked after a demanding toddler and she wouldn’t have the ability to socialise with other children in the way home educated children would normally do.

@HazeyJaneII I don’t disagree there needs to be tailored support that goes beyond the current benefits system and a free box of UHT milk and mouldy vegetables for those that want to continue to shield.
I was merely pointing out that there isn’t a one size fits all solution.

I think the government haven't reintroduced shielding purely because if they do they'll have to provide financial security for those that do. At the moment its a wfh if you can line and tough luck if you can't.

I think that the thing I find hardest is that they've offered no protection, basically saying your employer "should be" covid safe and we know that this is not the reality for many employers and many employees are having to face unacceptable risks, especially if cev.
I think that if someone receive the shielding letter and cannot wfh, there should be better provision for them, along the lines of the new furlough (can't think of the name) scheme.

I've pretty much stayed shielded.