Shielders/ECV not getting the vaccine

[SunKeepsShining]

Disclaimer- I’m feeling momentarily grumpy and sorry for myself.
We have shielded totally since March, to the extent DH has shielded with me. He has changed to WFH and if he couldn’t he was going to quit to do so. My doctors have told me not to do anything even see them. We have not been to shops/cafes etc.

We saw everyone go on holiday and out to eat in the summer, we couldn’t even risk going to a self catered place. We were seeing people outside at a distance but that was stopped. But feeling unreasonably jealous others still get to see people and other humans at the shops/work/even seeing another human at school pick up and drop off. But we’re not legally allowed to say hello to someone outside. So we hung on for Christmas, but we were clearly no fun as we could only see people outside. No one wanted to meet up with us, immediate family chose to see their friends inside over us. I don’t think that relationship will be repairable after being told that. But I can understand why you would want to see friends inside who your kids can play with. Friends liked coming to us outside before when rules allowed as we had patio heaters/comphy chairs and provided hot drinks in disposable cups. Seeing everyone meet their friends in the park still and we can’t sucks. But of course other friends wouldn’t want to see us when other friends where inside friends who you could get drunk with all day.

Anyway. Despite shielding we are only in group 4 for vaccines. I absolutely believe NHS staff should go first and then care home staff. But I don’t understand why I have to wait until the over 70’s have had theirs? They said us shielding people weren’t being admitted in great numbers. No fucking shit. All the groups that I am on no one has stopped shielding all year, to the extent of pulling their kids from school to homeschool to protect adults at home. Even now shielding is reinstated but Doris who is 75 can still go to the supermarket library and church but I can’t. Doris also spent all summer going round to her neighbours for tea and biscuits and company. If Doris was more at risk than me she would be told to shield again, but she isn’t. June it’s predicting I get my vaccine and Feb 2022 for DH.

Like I said, just feeling sorry for myself, everyone wants the vaccine and I absolutely think NHS first and care homes second, but surely then then most vulnerable not just age. But like I said, I just need a good cry and not to feel jealous of everyone who’s been on holiday this year and our for a meal or to a shop or even the fucking post office. I can’t even get my meal boxes from mindful chef any more as you can’t wipe the fuckers down. I was just angry at the last tier which allowed people to meet in a pub but not in my safely distanced garden, when going in a pub would possibly kill me. I know it’s because most people can’t be trusted and would walk through a house or use a toilet. End rant. Don’t even know what I’m asking. But I’ve gone from being an active member of society to now someone who if it came to it wouldn’t get an ITU bed in current climate where I usually do.

I find the roll-out completely baffling too. The whole thing is insane and incomprehensible. If it helps, a lot of us didn’t spend last year on holidays!

My understanding is that It's based on risk, age is still the biggest determinator of survival, and 'doris' is still more likely to need hospital treatment or die that most people shielding, what she has chosen to do or not do in the last few months is neither here nor there plus there are huge amounts of older people who have largely avoided doing anything. I can understand your frustration though and am sure the vaccine cant come soon enough for you.

Try having a shielded kid. We've not been out since march and he won't even be getting a vaccine...

I agree OP. Hoping they start to think about CEV who are under 70

I was told today that it's cheaper to get people to shield than give them the vaccine

I hear you. DH is CEV and I'm CV. We've done almost nothing since March and have indeed watched other people seeing friends and family, getting haircuts, picnicing on the crowded beaches etc etc.

In their report the JCVI did indeed acknowledge that they could not actually asses the risk of death to the shielding group because they had been shielding and that bunging them in with the over 70s was a finger in the air guess.

And it hurts and makes us feel even more invisible.

@ofwarren I’m sorry I also have friends with shielding kids and watched them struggle to see them return to school. I have only being self pitying and not thought about those who can’t have their kids vaccinated. I hope they let the ECV child parents get vaccinated. I know a lot of people have it worse than me and I didn’t mean to come across that I did.

Maybe it was just me who saw all their friends go on holiday camping or staycation or to Europe this year. But hey I am lucky I can still use the internet and get my weekly shop. I know a lot of elderly cannot do that and that majorly sucks.

@forrestgreen

I was told today that it's cheaper to get people to shield than give them the vaccine

Complete rubbish. Some people shielding are "costing" £2,500 per month in furlough costs. There's no way that's cheaper than the vaccine. I wish people would stop posting nonsense! Furlough, business support, loss of tax revenues etc is costing billions every single day.

When I've heard it questioned, the response is so often "well we'll pick up such a large proportion of shielding people by doing the over 70's" which is unhelpful and untrue. Still over 1m people not gathered up in the older age groups.

The list I looked at showed shielders as getting the vaccine before over 65s. I don't know why you think you won't get it my daughter is 40, shielding, and will get vaccinated before me.

I'm sorry @SunKeepsShining, that sounds very tough.

I mean, you can go out if you want - it’s not illegal. I understand your frustration but as age seems to be the biggest risk factor, Doris is most likely more vulnerable than you.

@FuzzyPuffling yes that’s it. We braved the beach once in September when schools where back and it was overcast .despite wearing a mask it was too scary and also sad to see the people sitting in the cafe having a coffee. Fuck me I have never wanted a Starbucks Christmas crappy coffee so badly in my life!

But I know there are so many single people shielding in flats with no human or people forces back to work when shielding ended having to choose between food and infection.

Just reading now about someone who’s DH is in ITU likely from school transmission. And then that gives my head a wobble that I can stay safe with my DH and friendships can be grown again and we are lucky to be able to completely shield and everyone has it rough.

Just thought that we wouldn’t have to make the decision for DH to quit when he’s expected back at work if he hasn’t had the vaccine til next year. For my specific conditions even me being vaccinated and him getting it and giving it to me mildly would finish me off or not get me the specialist care in a full hospital.

And I hate the covid deniers. There is one in my family who thinks it’s a joke and microchip control etc

I'm group 4 too,and my calculator says April-Nay,but that's for the second dose,so the first jab should be in February,which gives most if the protection. They'll be giving the vaccine process absolute priority now with the lockdowns,as it's the way out. And frankly, a lot of healthy people will want us done so they can get back to ignoring the impact of long term I'll health.

I am also shielding. But I disagree.

All the numbers that I've looked at show that my risk is virtually identical to people in their 70s. Age has a much bigger effect on mortality than the vast majority of illnesses on the shielding list.

I'd happily let my 70+ parents take my place in the queue.

@doireallyneedaname

I mean, you can go out if you want - it’s not illegal. I understand your frustration but as age seems to be the biggest risk factor, Doris is most likely more vulnerable than you.

Where I am I am only allowed to leave for food/medical care or exercise. No driving around. For reason that would out me I can’t do that, and can’t trust people to keep 2m away on a path at the park when the ground is muddy etc. Making it not enjoyable. But meeting friends in Gardens sat at 3/4m felt safe and enjoyable the once a month it happened. Or going for a drive to an empty country park etc was the only thing I could do, but that’s not allowed now. Again I know I’m lucky etc.

@CaptainMyCaptain shielders are being in the same group as over 70’s. Being done at the same time.

I think you're allowed to feel sad for yourself without apologising or getting into competitive suffering.

There will pretty much always be someone somewhere who has it worse than you, but it would be ridiculous to only care about the suffering of the one person at the top of that depressing pyramid of human suffering.

You're having a shit time. You're allowed to be angry and upset and to vent.

I'm really holding onto the hope that the vaccine rollout will accelerate and reach people like you faster than current estimates. The vaccine is supposed to eliminate serious illness even if not 100% against mild illness, so we only need vulnerable people to be protected to start seeing real change.

@ofwarren

Try having a shielded kid. We've not been out since march and he won't even be getting a vaccine...

Is that true? My friend has a dc who is 17 and not shielded or cev but does have underlying health probs. Dc has been in school as normal.

She is convinced he will get the vaccine and hoping it will be soon. I said I didn’t think they were doing under 18’s and friend was a bit off with me after.

Sadly @PurpleDandelions for me that isn’t the case with my combination. No one wants to think that they are taking a vaccination from someone else and I would look a heartless bitch if I said I wanted it before my mum. But she’s not as much of a risk, has been working and on holiday and as much as I want to see her survive this I want this to be over so I can go back to my medical treatment and maybe see another year of life where I am contributing and forgotten

Category 6 is 16-64 year olds with serious underlying health conditions

I think they are doing over 16s with CEV and CV.

You have my sympathy OP. I am on level 6, I think, but that depends on GP having correct records and I still need to tell them I am a bit fatter than before also, but I imagine they have had a few chancers claiming to be obese when they aren't so who knows if that will make a difference.

I think they are wrong not to include compassionate grounds in priority levels. There are some unique circumstances that don't fit in the priority levels that GPs are quite capable of assessing. Has anyone else heard if compassionate grounds are being included? We have a fairly unique family situation causing mental harm that can only be resolved by vaccination.

@CaptainMyCaptain shielders are being in the same group as over 70’s. Being done at the same time.
Yes. So you will be getting the vaccine. Your thread title says you won't be getting it.

So maybe the problem is lack of differentiation within ECV?
Fwiw my condition is often mentioned as being most at risk but when you drill down in the numbers I still come out at no higher risk than someone in their 70s.

@forrestgreen

I was told today that it's cheaper to get people to shield than give them the vaccine

Nope - Oxford vaccine less than £5 a dose so definitely not cheaper to shield .