Just received an email saying I no longer need to shield from 1 April

[Horizons83]

... except that this is the first I have heard that I am on the shielding list!

I do have a high BMI and had gestational diabetes, but never got the email that others received 'bumping' them on to the shielding list.

I am amused more than anything.. I am fortunate enough to have essentially been shielding anyway as I work from home, and had the first dose of my vaccine last week as part of the Group 6 cohort.. but it's quite unnerving to suddenly receive this email!

Has anyone else had the same?

I had an email to shield (went to junk folder) weeks ago. I haven't received one to tell me to stop (although original did say until 31st march).

I was one of the ones added to the list due to historic GD and I haven’t had one to tell me to stop shielding.

Got the same email which normally gets followed up by a letter.

@Horizons83 have you been sent a vaccination invite ?

@SakuraEdenSwan1. Yes I received a text message to book my vaccination directly with my GP. I had asked them about shielding when the info about gestational diabetes came out but they said that it was a central list. I had no email (could have been missed in junk but I don’t think so as I had been checking) and no letter. A bit baffling really.

I also was told I no longer need to shield. I've never been told to shield and I'm 22, in perfect health!

I’ve just had the email through now.

@SplendidSuns1000 How strange! It’s annoying now wondering if there’s a real need for me to shield or whether it’s an error.

I also start to worry if things change in the future eg if we have another lockdown (I really hope not but who knows) or whether you won’t be able to get travel insurance if you’ve been asked to shield.

I had one of those emails on behalf of my mum yesterday . She's 87 and lives in a care home . I thought it was strange that I hadn't had any email about her before .

(Not strange they had my email address as at some point I probably registered my contact details at her GP before she moved to the home )

I had the “you now need to shield” email and then letter in February, a couple of days after I’d had my jab. I got the “shielding stops” one this morning.

I haven’t changed anything I was doing - I was already wfh and not mixing socially, so the only time I interact with people is in shops. But I had Covid at the end o December and wasn’t desperately ill, so I doubt I would be now if I were unlucky enough to catch it again.

The whole shielding thing has been somewhat of a joke.

For starters, nobody ever HAD to shield - it was never a law!

And the timing of the announcements - it was bad enough in the first wave, but they didn't ask people to shield again until AFTER the peak of the second wave! Crazy!

Anyone vulnerable should really have been shielding or not based on their assessment of their risk throughout - the only value to the government "Shield list" is that I think it meant your employer couldn't force you into work, however since it didn't cover anyone else in the household....

I very much doubt if travel insurance will use it - they'll have their own criteria which will be far more accurate.