Shielding e-mail

[55larry]

I can’t quite believe the e-mail which I have just received from the DHSC telling me that I have to shield. I am not quite sure why I have suddenly become CEV as as far as I know I fairly fit. I do have well controlled diabetes. My main feeling is that it is far to late to tell me to shield now after I have had Covid and my first vaccination. How much risk am I really now.

I am going to contact my GP tomorrow to discuss what I should do about this advice and continue to be very careful as I have been.

My main problem is that I am childcare for my grandson in that I look after him before and after nursery and take him and collect him.from nursery. So any advice on what I should do gratefully received.

Shielding is voluntary

It's not the law that you have to shield. If you were happy to carry on being childcare then continue as you were

I have been shielding since the off (leukaemia). My DD is school age, and when schools are open, she attends.

And that’s my sword of Damocles - heaven only knows what she could bring home with her, but her education, and contact with friends, matters. So I just push it to the back of my mind.

The one thing I did do is make sure the school is very aware of my medical condition (DD and all her friends know anyhow, so I put it in writing that it is something that can be publicly discussed with anyone with even the slightest need to know)

They have agreed to some adaptions - probably irrelevant for nursery - such as sitting at the back (so no one is breathing forwards on to her) and in the best ventilated part of the room. Possibly more relevant, when they had to decide who to send home because of a confirmed case, she should always be included in first batch, rather than waiting for more cases and burst bubbles.

So I think you can cohabit as CEV and school - it in your case nursery - attendance. I recommend that you are extremely diligent with all other precautions, ventilate you’d home well, and have DH/DP do most of the very close care

Shielding is voluntary 🤷🏼‍♀️ My mum is CEV but she’s chosen to see her Grandchildren at various points this year. She’s had her first vaccine & will be childcare for one day a week for my 11 month old shortly..

I let her assess her own risk v mental health, which has been a concern at points over the year.. even her consultant told her to form a bubble with us for her own well-being when things were pretty bad..