Any other parents of clinically vulnerable toddlers around?

[Useruseruserusee]

I have a wonderful three year old with a rare health condition that makes him vulnerable to Covid. He was initially on the shielding list but was removed when many other children were.

Of course he still remains vulnerable and the advice from his surgeon has been that nursery is too much of a risk. We have followed this advice as we know it has been carefully balanced against his need for social interaction and development by someone who knows him and is an expert in his condition.

But I’m finding it hard at the moment. We are all looking forward to opening up again, but I can’t see an end point. Even the trials on children happening now are only for those aged 6 and over. I can’t foresee when things will improve enough for him (and us) to live normally. Both DH and I work out of the home (teachers), I don’t know when we will be able to stop worrying about bringing it back with us.

Is anyone else in a similar boat?

That sounds very hard for you, op. My child is older, primary age, but was similarly removed from the shielding list but told to be careful. I feel these children have been completely forgotten and, like you, can't see a way out of this for us. I am also finding this hard to deal with.

I had hoped that the government might go for a closer to zero covid policy and rates would soon be low enough that the risk would be small but with all the schools opening together with most teachers and parents unvaccinated I can only see that cases will rise massively again. This is not necessarily a problem for most people if older and vulnerable adults are vaccinated (although I think long covid is a worry) but it is a problem for our kids and a problem that no one seems willing to acknowledge let alone deal with.

Yes, I have a two and a half year old who's due to start nursery in August and also not sure how things will pan out over the next few months. I am off work (unpaid) because I'm a primary school teacher and cannot risk bringing the virus home to my child. It's been very hard and we have no idea. We have more or less been shielding for a year, on and off. I feel pretty down about everything due to worry for my child and also not being able to work. We are in a bad place financially now too