Shielding ending tonight

[Ridcully82]

I know it's technically being paused,but ,and it may just be the sun talking,I feel hopeful it will never be back thanks to the vaccines.

Been an 'odd' year,and not sure how quickly it will be able to let the scars settle from such a year of fear/the unknown.

I'm off to the office part of the week from next week,and more excited then anxious,though both there. Definitely looking forward to time to read on commute,as not had much time WFH and family life.

How are other soon to be former shielders feeling?

I’ve been told to have an antibody test 3 weeks after my 2nd vaccine. If I don’t have any/enough then they’ll give me a 3rd dose.

I stopped shielding 3 weeks ago when schools went back as I was so stressed trying to teach online and manage a class at a distance whilst homeschooling my own year 1 child. My consultant and school agreed that since I had severe covid a year ago, and the first vaccine it was ok.
It was a bit nerve wracking at first having been shielding since January (I had to go back to school in December after the Nov shielding was paused) but I'm glad I did because I was getting so anxious about ever leaving the house again.

It's so difficult re the antibodies. My adult dc and I have all shielded for cev Dh (although he's had to have in centre dialysis 3 x a week). My dc (living with us) are desperate to go out and about but would like reassurance that Dh has antibodies. I've had my first vaccine as over 50, my dc are hoping to hear soon that they will be jabbed as part of this new living with cev people priority.

My Dh is keen for them to take the chances and for dc to go out but it's so hard to re condition this thinking.

I wish we knew more about whether the vaccine provided other parts of immunity than antibodies e.g T cells etc. Or do people know this?

tobee I had my test done as part of research (monthly tests) but they are available privately, someone on another thread paid for one and linked to this.
They actually measure them rather than just a positive or negative. I plan to have one to compare once I've had my second dose if I'm still negative.

I was assured by my Rheumatologist that immunity isn't all about antibodies.

I just googled about this and kidney care U.K. gave guidance to not get an antibody test unless discussed with your doctor. Presumably because immunity is complicated etc. And of course, the overall advice is the vaccine is still worth getting.

My husband and I have been shielding since 2 weeks before the first lockdown (and before it was even called shielding). Advice from doctors was the keep shielding even though it was lifted for a bit last summer, so we did. So we have not been out since Feb 2020. And now we can. Although I spent so much time longing to go out and see people, I am now too scared to. As rules are relaxing and crowds congregate (we live in a holiday town) it seems too scary a prospect. I couldn't have imagined it would be like this, but it is....