Double vaccinated but vulnerable. How are others feeling!

[hellyeahllama]

I'm double vaccinated but have chronic health problems ME/CFS & fibromyalgia. I have a child at secondary school.
How are other people in the same situation feeling now about restrictions stopping?
Vaccine means 9 in 10 chance of not ending up in hospital which is brilliant when you think where we were a year ago. If I were 100% healthy normally I wouldn't be worried but I'm not so I am.
I'm worried about how I will be when I get it, whether long covid could make my quality of life even worse etc, whether I will be one of the 1 in 10 who do end up in hospital.
On the other hand I so want my child's life to go back to normal.
I personally think we shouldn't drop all restrictions until the majority over age 12 are vaccinated but that's not happening so I'm trying to get my head around life being "normal".
I want to be optimistic but can't shake the doubts. I can't imagine sleepovers and having a house full of kids here again.
How do others in my situation feel??

I feel the same as you, had both vaccines months ago but probably won’t work on me from what I have read. 3 kids at school is a huge worry for me. I just feel like it’s a matter of time before I catch it especially now with everything opening up and wfh will stop.
Sorry I couldn’t be more positive! Xx

Yes double vax here but take immune suppressors for IBD so not sure if vax will be very effective on me! 2 children at school and starting to get that anxious feeling back, feeling like I did back in December with school runs getting more quiet by the day, bubbles bursting, cases rising quick where I live

I am in a similar situation, but can't even have my second jab right now as had a reaction to it (so looking at 80% protection not 90%). My aim is to stay as healthy as I can for if/when I do come in contact with it (so keeping stress levels low, vit D up, lots of other things) and to keep viral load as low as I can so will still mask and socially distance wherever possible. Isolating is not an option as young children (and their lives have already been so damaged by all of this). I refuse to be worried about this any more though... not sure how helpful that is!

I am in a very similar situation. ME/CFS that was manageable for over a decade, then I had Covid and had a massive relapse. It took over a year to recover to a position of managing basic daily life and work. Now double vaccinated and my employer is suggesting in September everyone should commute into the office again - packed out trains, lifts, workspaces. I am not comfortable with taking that risk with my health again because as you say vaccines provide only limited protection and my immune system issues mean I am more susceptible to infection and more likely to get seriously ill if I am infected.

I'm ok with taking reasonable risks but packing together with people in enclosed indoor spaces just at the time of year when respiratory viruses begin to spread seems like an absurd risk for zero benefit when my job can be done from home.

there's so many childhood illnesses that can be hard on you as an adult, not worse, when you are on immune suppressors (e.g. chicken pox), or have a body prone to not putting a quick stop to viral replication, so I don't really feel any different. I've known that I am always at more risk than average from any virus or other illness. I feel less worried about Covid now after vaccination than I do about some of the others.

At the moment I find that there are some very difficult people on public transport liking to make themselves look the big I am by not wearing masks and speaking extra loud etc, coming near you on purpose, so I hope things will calm down once there aren't so many people being a pain in the butt about the rules they don't want to follow from their place of health privilege.

Double vaccinated and vulnerable, but not extremely so (vaccine group 6).

Very keen to get back to normal and have been since about April 2020 - my business, my income, my livelihood depends on it. Have been completely shafted by covid tbh, and unable to claim financial support.

If my landlord decides to sell up - cashing in on the stamp duty holiday induced price rises - then the chances are that I'll end up street homeless because I can't get a mortgage due to covid (mortgage lenders aren't touching self employed people like me with a bargepole) and as I own a dog there are precious few landlords willing to rent to me. The effects of street homelessness on my health will be far worse than covid ever would be.

If we're not going to get back to normal now, then when are we?

I feel fine, but group 6 not group 4, so no particular reason to think I won't get some vaccine coverage. I think there will be quite a difference there. Beyond that I'm happy to get back into the swing of life seeing people and just hope when I come across covid that it'll be mild at its worst. I'm even holding a workshop in person next week, which I haven't done since January last year, so that'll be exciting. I'm still keen on a mask in very crowded situations like lifts or tube, and an extra booster in autumn feels reassuring. DS is in nursery but breastfeeds at night, so I'm hopeful he has some antibodies; he's also happy to wear a mask when it's crowded (he had them for brief hospital trips pre-vax and is fine, possibly because he sees it as a big kid thing).

I’m CV group 6, not CEV, and been double jabbed. I’m very happy to get back to normal now. I’m if the opinion that we have to learn to live with this and if not now, when the vulnerable have been jabbed, then when? It has to now as there’s no reason not to. I’m happy to take my chances and get on with life.

Similar: double vaccinated and was on the CEV list (asplenic due to hereditary spherocytosis).

I tend to be fairly pragmatic about it. I'll probably continue to limit going to really busy places, sanitise my hands etc. Public transport is out. But I am lucky in that my life doesn't call for much of that: I mostly wfh, live rually, have a car and enjoy outdoor activities such as walking the dog. Even the dog is pretty antisocial so we tend to walk where other people do not

Double jabbed and CV. I was lucky enough to be included in the list because of my mitral valve prolapse that I’m not even aware of having and for all accounts and purposes my cardiac health is the same as someone without MVP. So for me it’s different and I’m definitely looking forward to getting back to normal

Double jabbed but meds mean my response is blunted. Nobody knows by how much. Current research suggests less than 25% of people have an effective response from vaccination. I have 2 dc is schools.
They've had all the usual childhood jabs and will have flu jabs, as will DH. So hopefully none of those will get near me if I'm careful. Covid is a huge hole in that. The Dr at the hospital suggested I stay 2m away from my dc.
So not hugely confident...

I have chronic fatigue but am only single jabbed. I am a key worker so have been going to work throughout. I can’t wait for restrictions to end. People who remain anxious are welcome to take whatever precautions they like, but stop imposing on the rest of us

@HermioneWeasley

I have chronic fatigue but am only single jabbed. I am a key worker so have been going to work throughout. I can’t wait for restrictions to end. People who remain anxious are welcome to take whatever precautions they like, but stop imposing on the rest of us

I'm not thinking that there should be restrictions forever just because of me! Lifting all restrictions at once before everyone is double vaccinated is risky. I agree it needs to happen but think it should be more cautiously done. When all restrictions are gone in July the virus will spread (the gov has said that themselves). With that spread comes more risk of further varients that can't be controlled by the vaccine. I'm saying be more cautious so we don't end up back in lockdown in the winter from a new variant. Waiting until more people are double jabbed would mean less chance of another variant that can't be controlled

I am CV and was in vaccination group 6. I've been double jabbed since the end of April.

I want these ridiculous restrictions to disappear and for life to get back to a more normal footing. I want to see people able to run their businesses and livelihoods, to start enjoying life again.

Thankfully, it looks like that is what we are going to be getting after 19th July.

@cornwallneededrightnow it will be several months before all adults are double jabbed, in which case we’ll be going into winter which will cause all respiratory viruses to peak. So you’re suggesting restrictions until next spring.

No thanks.

I’ll take my chances.

To be clear I agree with restrictions being lifted but also believe we should avoid unnecessary risks which will inevitably increase cases and the risk of new variants; like employers insisting people commute long distances on public transport and sit in packed offices with poor ventilation when it isn't necessary.

I have PA and take methotrexate too so I am immunocompromised.
I am double vaccinated plus a month ago I still have antibodies from catching covid last October.
I work in a school - primary so no SDing and no masks, etc, I almost certainly caught covid from school, most likely from a child.

Was in hospital with covid due to complications with my blood pressure, which rocketed. Now on two different meds to try to keep in under some form of control. Probably for good now.taken several months to recover from some aspects of covid, still have breathlessness and excess fatigue. Having far too many flare ups with the PA since covid too - too much pain far too often.

Despite all this I feel pretty confident. Or rather maybe I've just had enough of it all now and willing to take my chances. Don't really feel there is much choice - I'm as 'covered' as I ever will be with virus acquired and vaccine acquired antibodies,

Meant to add that I was group 6, so CV rather than CEV. Was bumped to top end of group 6 for a vaccine sooner when all that happened.

[quote HermioneWeasley]@cornwallneededrightnow it will be several months before all adults are double jabbed, in which case we’ll be going into winter which will cause all respiratory viruses to peak. So you’re suggesting restrictions until next spring.

No thanks.

I’ll take my chances.[/quote]
Almost all adults will have had the chance to be double vaxxed by September I would have thought - now eligible for past week or so. 8 weeks from now - September. So hopefully not too long.

Whilst it would be ideal if all could have been double vaccinated before restrictions I also think the government know they are in shaky ground, especially following the mass crowds at the football, tennis and racing, etc. Compliance will e falling greatly - round here has been high compliance throughout but I am seeing increasing numbers of people not following rules in the past couple of weeks.

I just want travel to open up now.

CEV (lymphocytes @ 0.2), had Covid and double vaccinated since February.

Haven't shielded since January. I'm so over this.

I perhaps didn't phrase the question very well. I'm more interested in how other people with an illness/vulnerable/shielding feel about letting their kids do things like sleepovers, cinema, mixing more indoors with friends once restrictions are lifted. Also, how people themselves will behave, will you be going to gigs/cinema etc yourselves or do you feel it's not worth worrying about now.
Rather than asking about when it should happen

@Workinghardeveryday

I feel the same as you, had both vaccines months ago but probably won’t work on me from what I have read. 3 kids at school is a huge worry for me. I just feel like it’s a matter of time before I catch it especially now with everything opening up and wfh will stop. Sorry I couldn’t be more positive! Xx

Sending hugs

@Senso21

Yes double vax here but take immune suppressors for IBD so not sure if vax will be very effective on me! 2 children at school and starting to get that anxious feeling back, feeling like I did back in December with school runs getting more quiet by the day, bubbles bursting, cases rising quick where I live

@Grimbelina

I am in a similar situation, but can't even have my second jab right now as had a reaction to it (so looking at 80% protection not 90%). My aim is to stay as healthy as I can for if/when I do come in contact with it (so keeping stress levels low, vit D up, lots of other things) and to keep viral load as low as I can so will still mask and socially distance wherever possible. Isolating is not an option as young children (and their lives have already been so damaged by all of this). I refuse to be worried about this any more though... not sure how helpful that is!

Very helpful thanks

@SunflowerGiraffe

I am in a very similar situation. ME/CFS that was manageable for over a decade, then I had Covid and had a massive relapse. It took over a year to recover to a position of managing basic daily life and work. Now double vaccinated and my employer is suggesting in September everyone should commute into the office again - packed out trains, lifts, workspaces. I am not comfortable with taking that risk with my health again because as you say vaccines provide only limited protection and my immune system issues mean I am more susceptible to infection and more likely to get seriously ill if I am infected.

I'm ok with taking reasonable risks but packing together with people in enclosed indoor spaces just at the time of year when respiratory viruses begin to spread seems like an absurd risk for zero benefit when my job can be done from home.

What will you do? Will they let you carry on at home do you think?