What do you plan to do after July 19th if you have a vulnerable child?

[jumpbounce]

I have no idea what we should do now!
We shielded from March 2020 to April 2021 as an entire family unit, DC didn't go to school either until April 21.
It felt there was some sense of normality with cases low, our children had been able to return to school and we were able to take them to outdoor venues and meet other children outdoors.
It now feels like with the removal of all restrictions and the way cases are currently rising that the risk is now going to be higher than it ever has been in the pandemic. No bubbles or isolations within schools and also the change so that under 18's don't have to isolate at all?
So now essentially it isn't safe to take our children anywhere as we have a CEV child who isn't vaccinated. Advice from the government is for CEV (vaccinated adults) to take greater precautions.
How do you plan to take greater precautions without going back to completely shielding again?

Apologies if this doesn't come across well, it's meant to but I'm not always great with typing.

I just wonder whether it would be possible to approach a couple of your child's favourite places eg cinema to ask if they have considered putting on 'safe' events. I appreciate that asking for stuff like this shouldn't be necessary but it may give you some options for a short while. Even if you or a friend /group started a request on social media

@Swirlingasong

Same as we are doing now. Only go to deserted places (we are lucky to live relatively rurally), stay home, not really see anyone, continue to worry both about the health issues and about the education/mental health/developmental issues that worry everyone else. And cry on a regular basis.

This. Lonely life isn't it

@jumpbounce

Shielded and off school from March 2020 till march 2021 here too.
Our area has been very low since march and im watching to see what happens next.

We have done a few things and had hoped to do more over summer but feeling this is very unlikely now.
Hoping to be able to finish the term and return in sept bimut will have to see how things progress

It's an absolute disgrace that CEV and CV children weren't mentioned.
I'm CEV and medication means I have little chance that my vaccinations will work. My dc are in school and it feels like March 2020 again but this time nobody cares. People got bored of protecting the vulnerable.
Still at least there's decent PPE available to buy now...
for all of you worrying about your dc.

I'm sorry you and the others on this thread are in this situation, without even the option to vaccinate your vulnerable child, or give you a decent alternative than juggling your own work/responsibilities with homeschooling again.
I hadn't really considered the impact this would have on families like yours before I saw this thread, what a horrible situation.
I guess you've got to hope they approve jabs for children soon/before September.
Can you speak to your hospital consultant again and see if they have any thoughts or ideas?

I’m so sorry I can’t believe the way this is being handled. I don’t have a CEV child but my heart goes out to you. I can’t imagine the worry. I already feel that our children have been forgotten about but can’t imagine how anyone with a CEV child must feel. Yes we need to learn to live with covid but that doesn’t mean letting it rip with no mitigation. Our government have never got the basics in place to keep cases low and manageable. Their approach makes me so angry. It’s crazy that they are relying solely on most adults being vaccinated. I worry about my children and everyone I love but I was thinking earlier about how scary the current situation must be for those who are vulnerable and unprotected. I’ll be continuing to wear my mask and limit my contacts to protect those I love and those I’ve never met.

@NotMyCat

Blood cancer U.K. are good to follow, they've summed it up perfectly

100% sums it up. We were enjoying the little freedoms, we weren't doing anywhere near as much as anyone else, avoiding indoors, not going to pubs/restaurants etc but just enjoying allowing our kids to play in a quiet playpark early of a morning and now it feels we just won't be able to do that anymore either.

We will continue as a family wearing masks and distancing. The government are a disgrace.

@SouthOfFrance

I'm sorry you and the others on this thread are in this situation, without even the option to vaccinate your vulnerable child, or give you a decent alternative than juggling your own work/responsibilities with homeschooling again. I hadn't really considered the impact this would have on families like yours before I saw this thread, what a horrible situation. I guess you've got to hope they approve jabs for children soon/before September. Can you speak to your hospital consultant again and see if they have any thoughts or ideas?

I imagine they will recommend shielding again as they did from September despite shielding having been lifted and a requirement for CEV children to attend school! Thankfully our school was extremely understanding but I do know of other families who have been facing fines and court action as a result of keeping their CEV children at home from school. I can imagine they will be under the same pressure to return them in September with even less mitagations within the schools.

Our school year ends prior to July 19th.

I think once the kids are on their summer holidays the cases will begin to fall again. So 2-3 weeks after schools close number will have started to fall

And then prior to school restarting in September case numbers will be very low, and then unfortunately explode once school restarts

Op, I really feel for you and your family, cev are really the forgotten ones in this. I'm in Scotland so we should hopefully have masks and distancing in place for a little longer, although everyone is moaning about it.
Dh is immunosuppressed and was shielding although is now back at work. He's had both doses of the vaccine but it's not known how effective it is as he's immunosuppressed, I worry every day about him going to work and also if I bring it back home (work in nhs).

I don't have vulnerable children. But I fully understand the concerns of parents who do with virtually all restrictions being relaxed in one fell swoop.

I agree it's reckless and provision should have been made for vulnerable children, although I don't know that might be.

I'm going to continue wearing my mask especially in crowded enclosed spaces, but not outdoors.

This government is an absolute disgrace. I would strongly suggest contacting your MP to highlight the issues you are now facing.

I sorry op, it's shit. Hopefully they'll approve vaccines for vulnerable children. We only shielded until the Ned of last summer and they changed some of the criteria but I have fellow SN Mom's who's kids have had to isolate all through like yours.

I did write to my MP to suggest that CV & CEV 12-15 year old and those who live with people who are CEV and CV are vaccinated even if they don't roll it out for all of that age group.

I feel really shit tonight
For cev families kids and siblings
The selfishness so many.

Are there any country's out there that we can pay to vaccinate kids with phizer maybe America or Middle East.
I do know few vulnerable kids who had both jabs in 12_16 category through a charity.

Jump good that your school have been very understanding, it's a shame others haven't been so fortunate with their schools.
The government do need to address this, I hope its a subject that the media pick up on over the next few days so some action or advice is properly given.

I don't have a CEV child or proclaim to know the stress and worry it brings, however as much as I am overjoyed at restrictions being lifted I am somewhat perplexed by the situation. Boris says cases could potentially rise to the 50k mark, we will see an increase in hospitalisation and deaths, I'm not naive to think it was going to go away or that zero covid was ever a possibility now. However, something doesn't tally up quite right too me, either the original restrictions were complete overkill and we've all been screwed over being brainwashed into thinking this is worse than it actually is, or it's now literally survival of the fittest unfortunately. I'm not sure which one I'd like to be true tbh, both leave a bitter taste.

Really sorry for those in this position. In case it’s any comfort, it looks like they are just trying to hasten a third wave and I have heard that the models say that it will be just that, a wave. So cases will go down again and a greater degree of normality will return. There simply aren’t enough unvaccinated people of any age for the numbers to run high forever - people will catch it and then will have immunity (hopefully) and then it won’t have anywhere else to go. I am not comfortable at all with them unleashing it on all kids, effectively, like this. I hate it. But that is what they’re doing and for CEV it’s many times worse. But it won’t be like that forever so if you can keep safe for a little while I hope it will pass.

@bellamountain

Just to say my heart goes out to parents of vulnerable children. Whilst normality has to return, it really really does, children have been at the bottom of the pile the whole way through. Now the middle aged men are all protected, it's fine to carry on! Either children are still sacrificing their education, hobbies, rights of passage, memories or if they are vulnerable, their parents are stuck with even more uncertainty.

We aren't a child friendly country.

Yes exactly this. The we leaders who are so amazing are safe so stuff the rest of you. I'm so furious.

It's really rubbish, I'm not sure what we will do - the next 2 weeks at school already felt pretty risky, and now the period after that is likely to be even worse. Balancing the needs, mental health and wellbeing of CEV dd and her 3 older siblings against the risk of catching Covid with cases rising and no mitigations at all feels like an impossible task.

I was / am in the cev group but I am so grateful that I’ve now had both my vaccines. I am so sorry to anyone with a cev child going through all this. The fear and isolation must be horrendous. It does seem a very callous approach by the government, fuelled by economic reasons.

Honestly I could deal with the isolation and the homeschooling again, I'm an adult. I can do whatever it takes but it's the children who I really feel for. They coped incredibly well with no complaint but it just feels cruel to now have to take that all away from them again. They have got older over the last 18 months as well, and much more aware of what they are missing out on now.
Pre pandemic it would have been child abuse to lock children up for a year and have them not attend school or see family and friends and now it seems its accepted as the option for these families because certainly I don't see any other options offered up.

I can't believe they are putting all kids at risk like this, and for CV/ CEV children it really is disgusting.
I teach and a mum of a little boy withdrew him today.
I don't blame her and will do my best to help support him learning at home.

@Tickly

I just wanted to say that whilst I don't have a CEV child I disagree with what the govt is doing. I will be remaining cautious and wearing masks because I understand that it helps protect others who cannot be vaccinated or who can't build antibodies. I'm sorry you're being put in this position by our incompetent, reckless government.

I second this. I too will be remaining cautious, wearing masks and keeping a distance. I dont have a CEV child but would want to protect others that do

@twinkletoesimnot

I can't believe they are putting all kids at risk like this, and for CV/ CEV children it really is disgusting. I teach and a mum of a little boy withdrew him today. I don't blame her and will do my best to help support him learning at home.

Thank you. Our teachers were incredible this year, we really valued all their support during what was a very testing time for them as well. They deserve far more credit than it would seem they are receiving this year.