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?

@jumpbounce
That's so lovely 🥰
Thank you

My mum is CEV and unlikely to have antibodies due to her medication. I could have cried when they made the announcement today, for her and all the other CEV adults and children in this country. Its disgusting how they have been totally forgotten about. I will 100% still wear my mask to keep others safe. I can't even begin to imagine how it must feel to have a CEV child in this situation. All children are just guinea pigs now as they are just letting them all catch it no matter about long covid or anything else. I feel my power as a parent to safeguard my children has been taken away and mine aren't even CEV. The whole situation is just shit!!

I'm really sorry for all of you going through this.
My children aren't vulnerable and I'm nervous nervous I can only imagine how you're feeling.
I'll be continuing to wear a mask and take precautions where i can. I hope vaccines are approved for vulnerable children really soon.

Can I ask what kind of conditions your children have?

@chillichoclove from memory you've got (and this isn't the full list) children with
Cystic fibrosis, other severe lung conditions
Sickle cell
Cancers including blood cancer
Immunosuppressed for whatever reason
Organ transplant patients

I think there's about 53,000 under 18 that are CEV

[quote NotMyCat]@chillichoclove from memory you've got (and this isn't the full list) children with
Cystic fibrosis, other severe lung conditions
Sickle cell
Cancers including blood cancer
Immunosuppressed for whatever reason
Organ transplant patients

I think there's about 53,000 under 18 that are CEV [/quote]
We are covered in this list but i'm sure there are many more as well. I don't think there was ever really a specific list drawn up for children after the original shielding list when many were removed rather it was left up to consultants to make decisions, sometimes very complex with multiple conditions and then medications to keep those conditions under control leading to immunospression.

I don't have a CEV child but I do sympathise, I think the current messaging from the UK government and the press is awful and really stupid too. I take a fairly nuanced view because I found lockdown restrictions pretty hard to bear. Here in Wales, our government messaging couldn't be more different, and we are still not allowed to mix in private homes (unless bubbled), it's been a long time now. It is so busy at the moment in my local area with tourism, that those of us who live here all year round are lying low and hoping everyone goes home soon. I will continue being careful where possible and hope others do too. The 'vulnerable have been vaccinated' narrative annoys me a lot.

I’m sorry for your situation OP.

Wishing you luck for a speedy decision on vaccinations for CEV children if appropriate, for good weather during the summer for your family to have fun in safety and for considerate friends, family and neighbours.

I agree with sandyjag that the wave will probably break two or three weeks after schools have broken up and I hope you start to see more reassuring local case numbers after that - I know you’ve already waited a long time.

Ouch, feeling really ashamed of myself after reading this thread. I had been looking forward to ditching my masks, had had a few concerns but decided it was all fine.

Having read this I have no idea what i was thinking, or why i thought that what is a minor irritation to me was such a big deal...

Thank you to everyone on here for pointing out what a selfish twat i am, i will still be wearing my mask after the 19th.
I cannot imagine what you are all dealing with on a daily basis and i admire you all so much.

Off to take a long hard look at myself.

I'll be wearing a mask, social distancing (as much as I can when everyone won't distance from me) and so on for the forseeable future. I don't want to be part of Boris's popularity experiment.

What's the data like on CEV children who have caught Covid? Or does that data just not exist because they've been shielding?

I'm really sorry you're put in this position, I can only imagine how hard it must be and how much you're giving up. Families like yours are thrown under the bus, it's awful. My family will be wearing masks, avoid crowds unless necessary and practice distancing whenever possible. I really hope vaccines are soon available and effective for vulnerable children.

I’m in a different area and our restrictions already dropped. We are back to shielding. Our world got much smaller when everyone else’s opened up. In our household it’s not a vulnerable child, it’s an adult, but it is the same result. The worst part of it is that the sense of community and getting through it together is gone.

I hate the 'I'm alright Jack 'attitude. The gov are encouraging the general public to take on this attitude with the ditching of masks and not a thought for those through no fault of their own remain unprotected and vulnerable to Covid. I cannot believe how cruel this is for our country's CEV children and their families. Also for adults who have not been able to have the vaccine for medical reasons, or where the vaccines may not have worked for medical reasons. Again, this impacts all those sharing a house with CEV adults, meaning their lives being extra restricted too. I (and others) who have had a bad reaction to a first dose of Covid vaccine, and still not recovered several months on, and therefore possibly unable to have a second dose, also fall into this category. It is a nasty cocktail of fear, loneliness and exclusion, that the government have poured for the vulnerable.

Speak to your GP. Some CEV children have been given the vaccine “off-label” (even those under 12)

“ 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.”

This is me, too, and will be many of my friends. Hopefully there are plenty of us about, quietly continuing to try and mitigate the risks as best we can. I really feel for you.

I think masks should remain and all restrictions in school should continue until all CEV children are vaccinated.

OP you have my sympathy.

I'm torn. I know a family with a CEV 8 year old who is home educated but her 10 year old brother is supposed to be at school. They have shielded for much of the time and now I suspect will have to do so again. This is very hard on all of them especially the older sibling who sees his school friends going "back to normal".

However in terms of the country, although cases are rising it is still true that hospitalisations and deaths are not and there will never be zero Covid, so it does seem that the entire country continuing to put their lives on hold is unreasonable.

I just hope that vaccines for CEV children (and maybe their siblings) are approved and administered soon.

I also don’t have a CEV child but huge sympathy here too.

I’m against vaccines in younger people generally but feel we should be offering them to vulnerable people of all ages including children

I’m torn on masks. I loathe them. I don’t think pieces of cloth in supermarkets make much difference. I guess we have always had infections around that floor clinically vulnerable people. My FIL had a blood cancer and a sniffle in the kids would leave him seriously ill. It was something we discussed a lot then and I’m reminded of those conversations now.

Its incredibly difficult as I really can see both sides here. I don’t want people to think we don’t give a shit - we do. But I also want life to be more normal for everyone and especially the young.

@Cancellingadvice

Speak to your GP. Some CEV children have been given the vaccine “off-label” (even those under 12)

Virtually none (if any) under 12 as far as I'm aware.

I asked as the data on this would suggest extremely few children are cev. There is no evidence that cystic fibrosis or sickle cell is associated with severe disease. Immunosuppressive children on the whole have largely asymptomatic infection, as do most oncology patients in paediatrics.
The 53,000 is actually much much smaller as it is an nhs digital automated glitch list.

I am trying to be reassuring rather than dismissive. And I agree that vulnerable children should be prioritized for vaccination.

What makes adults have severe lung disease is an excessive inflammatory response as their blood vessels are damaged by time and age We just don't see that inflammation causing lung disease in young people.

A yougov poll says over 70% of people disagree with ditching masks so hopefully the majority of people will continue to wear them for the benefit of those who depend on them.

I guess I am one of the “all right Jacks”I do feel for your children. But I also feel for my children and it is time that they were allowed to live their lives again.
We can’t stay like this forever, otherwise there will be no society left to protect your children from.

I also sympathise but I don't think many people will be giving the jab to their teenagers if they are not vulnerable. I'm happy to take the risk of a new vaccine myself but I wouldn't give it to my children who are unlikely to be affected by covid. It does feel like schools need to do something different for the vulnerable though. It's just so difficult to find a solution that suits everyone.

OP presume you and anyone over 18 in your household has been vaccinated ? There are trials ongoing for vaccinating children primarily in addition to safety to work out if giving a smaller dose is appropriate ( likely it will be as children have a much enhanced immune response to vaccines than adults ) . Talk to your GP / Paediatrician as depending on your child’s underlying condition and individuality advice may have changed .
I intend to carry on wearing a mask indoors / on public transport and avoiding large gatherings for I’m guessing at least the rest of this year . Disclaimer - it hasn’t been stuck crumpled in the bottom of my handbag all year - washed/replaced daily . Double vaccinated and look forward to a booster and flu jab in the autumn .

I honestly feel like we have most of our freedom back already. I can go to pubs, restaurants, on holiday, to shops, museums etc. I'd be happy to continue wearing masks indoors and on public transport for longer if it protected the vulnerable.
I'm vaccinated, and not particularly high risk, yet it makes me nervous. I can't imagine the anxiety and disappointment you must be feeling.

I think there may be many other people who agree with me. I hope so.