CEV Captivity

[Gillgardens]

I wondered if others in the CEV category are finding that Freedom Day is actually captivity for them? The government's advice to avoid those who aren't double jabbed is ridiculous...how can anyone possibly know. So as the world opens up for others, for us it remains firmly closed. After 18 months I was just getting to the point I was going to risk going out, but now the freedoms for others gives me little choice but to remain shielding. It used to be "protect the vulnerable" but now it is "forget the vulnerable".

I really do not object to any decisions others make and it is of course now legal for others to return to a semi normality, and I hope others can enjoy that. For me though this is the worst, and most dangerous, time since the pandemic began. There is literally nothing I can do to protect myself other than follow doctor's orders and stay home. And now there is no official shielding, there is no legal protection for those of us who are CEV too - there is no back to normal for us!

It is so so scary....please tell me I am not alone.

I think you've missed the boat if you've not been going out when cases were very low and there were lots of restrictions. They were probably the safest time for CEV to be out and about.

My OH is CEV (blood cancer) and is now effectively shielding again due to high local infection rates, but we've done all kinds of things in the months when cases were low, i.e. shopping, dentist/optician visits, garden centres, a few day trips, a few days in the office, even
watching a football match, etc. He started "shielding" again about a month ago when it was clear that cases were rising again, so today makes no difference - it's no more dangerous today than it was last Monday, and he didn't go out last Monday either!

During the low infection rate months, we just made sure to go out at quieter times, i.e. we didn't go shopping at weekends or mid day. We'd just get back in the car and go somewhere else if, say, a garden centre looked too busy.

But, we'd be doing all that anyway pre covid. He's had blood cancer since 2017, so in previous years we were avoiding crowded places etc., and "shielding" i.e. staying in when he was on chemo.

It does make sense for the ECV to do their own version of "shielding" as far as possible when infection rates are so high, but it's likely to be only a month or two until after the peak. Unfortunately, covid will never be fully eradicated and I think we'll have a series of waves for a few years until the rest of the World catch up with vaccinations etc. I think CEV are just going to have to get used to doing things when rates are low and "shielding" to some extent when rates are high.

You’re not alone.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/4300084-CEV-and-Freedom-Day

You’re not alone, but as a CEV person I do feel like it’s time to give those with low risk more freedom. They sacrificed so much for me over the last 18 months, I cannot keep expecting them to do so.

I feel sorry for the cev/cv who have to go out to work. Do they have any legal protection for work if they can't work from home? Is it covered by the disability act? When I worked I couldn't imagine phoning in to say I'm too worried to come in because of being cev/cv as my manager(s) wouldn't be impressed with having to sort out cover etc.

Do they have any legal protection for work if they can't work from home? Is it covered by the disability act

No

@WorkingItOutAsIGo

You’re not alone, but as a CEV person I do feel like it’s time to give those with low risk more freedom. They sacrificed so much for me over the last 18 months, I cannot keep expecting them to do so.

Absolutely but there should be measures in place to protect us too, e.g. the right to work from home and financial support if this is not possible, online shopping slots etc.

So well and truly thrown under the bus! @Egghead68

I know low risk people feel like they've also been thrown under the bus too but there's been grants/loans/furlough for people to claim while out of work. I just hope no one was actually left with no financial support. It's just a total shit show and it seems no one is going to come out of this better off.

@WorkingItOutAsIGo

You’re not alone, but as a CEV person I do feel like it’s time to give those with low risk more freedom. They sacrificed so much for me over the last 18 months, I cannot keep expecting them to do so.

Yes, but that doesn't explain why provision hasn't been made for people who remain at risk. Rather than the usual approach our society takes of consigning disabled people to the dustbin.

Freedom for low risk people doesn't have to mean high risk people are left without an income, without access to services, without legal protection, without any thought at all.

It is a choice by the state and society not to do any of those things.

This one thing I don't quite get.

Cases have been rising with restrictions and vaccinations. Loads of people are mask exempt (genuine or not). Surely if you are CEV you need to protect yourself with an FFP3 mask for example?

I guess I don't really understand how last week the risk was more acceptable. You don't know who will sit/stand next to you.

Until 3 weeks ago I didn't know anyone directly who'd had Covid, now I know 4, 3 of them were vaccinated (AZ), the other mid-20s so hadn't had a jab.

I don't have a strong opinion either way, I accept masks help but not to the extent I'd trust my life to a disposable one.

You're not alone!

No protections, no precautions and expected to be in work or school as normal.
Farcical guidance from the government. Stay away from unvaccinated people. How? My colleague is unvaccinated. My dc are too young to be vaccinated. Why should people tell me their vaccination status?

@StrangeAddiction

So well and truly thrown under the bus! *@Egghead68*

I know low risk people feel like they've also been thrown under the bus too but there's been grants/loans/furlough for people to claim while out of work. I just hope no one was actually left with no financial support. It's just a total shit show and it seems no one is going to come out of this better off.

3 million self employed were excluded from support.

After 18 months I was just getting to the point I was going to risk going out,

This is a bit extreme. Shielders have been able to go out and about over this time period

Wow! @Kazzyhoward that's shocking!

Thank you for your interesting post kazzyhoward. I am glad you have found a way that works for you and wish your husband well.

I think CEV are just going to have to get used to doing things when rates are low and "shielding" to some extent when rates are high

Unfortunately that is not always possible as those who are CEV are expected to return to work. There is now no legal protection for those of us who are CEV but generally well (and therefore cannot claim sickness benefits) and need to work. Employers do not have to accept their CEV employees working from, or staying home because "rates are high". During the past 18 months there has been differing levels of protection, but now there is nothing. And although I can make my own decisions in regards social life or shopping, I cannot make my own decisions regarding work because, regardless of the how high the rates of infection are the CEV, like everyone else, have to go back if their employer says. And in my particular occupation even things like face to face meetings, which were replaced by online meetings, are now re-starting - and again no exception made for the CEV.

Freedom for low risk people doesn't have to mean high risk people are left without an income

Unfortunately, lockdowns and restrictions meant some low risk people were left without an income to "protect" the high risk ones.

After 18 months I was just getting to the point I was going to risk going out
I'm CEV but have been living normally since shielding ended. I'm going to be abit more cautious now, I don't use public transport but I've been going to restaurants and will probably give that a miss for a while.

I guess I don't really understand how last week the risk was more acceptable. You don't know who will sit/stand next to you

The difference is there was social distancing last week in England as well as masks and WFH. Now the first two are gone and employers can make people go back to the workplace.
are gone.

You’re not alone, but as a CEV person I do feel like it’s time to give those with low risk more freedom. They sacrificed so much for me over the last 18 months, I cannot keep expecting them to do so

I totally and completely agree with you WorkingItOutAsIGo. But I am just hoping there could be some exception, or legal protection, or something, to protect the CEV at the same time. I do not want anyone sacrifice anything else to protect me, but I do want the ability to be able to protect myself by for instance working from home, or be able to tell an employer I feel unable to travel or attend some meeting or just something (to be honest I am not really sure what). And I guess come September if rates are very high, some extra protection for my teenage children in school - to be informed of other cases, or to be able to wear masks (again I have no real idea of what it should be). But just an acknowledgement that the CEV and their families are not forgotten and to have the protection to make decisions for ourselves. I haven't received any financial benefit or allowance during this 18 months, but wish there is there was something to be claimed for people who are told to return to a workplace that could be dangerous for them, and need to use a transport system that could be dangerous for them (particularly for those for whom the vaccines have less chance of being effective).

Unfortunately some of the public believe the CEV are all elderly or very unwell, but that isn't the case for many of us. But today being CEV is being treated no different to any other member of society, and I so wish there was "something" other than "don't mix with anyone who isn't vaccinated....HOW DO I EVER KNOW WHO IS OR ISN'T, it's none of my business!!

Your employer will still have to produce a risk assessment OP and most employers are following guidance from the H&S Exec wrt safe working practices.

I feel sorry for the cev/cv who have to go out to work. Do they have any legal protection for work if they can't work from home? Is it covered by the disability act?

No, there is no protection, legal or otherwise. Even if your medical consultant states they recommend you continue to stay home it makes no difference, as the government have put nothing in place for this situation.

Completely agree OP. I'm CEV with young children and am a secondary school teacher.
I've given up. The advice is to avoid crowds, unvaccinated people etc. Right now I could keep my own children home and bored, but it seems a bit pointless when I'll be back in a crowded classroom with unvaccinated teenagers and no mitigations whatsoever in 5 weeks time. I just have to hope, for my children's sake, that my vaccines work when I get it. And it really is when, not if, with restrictions lifted as cases are rising. I don't have the opportunity to hide away as I need my job to pay the mortgage.
Even worse, most of us CEV aren't eligible for life insurance, so my family are screwed if I die.

So well and truly thrown under the bus! @Egghead68**

Perfectly summed up StrangeAddiction. Is it asking too much for the CEV/CV be able to follow medical advice in order to stand the best chance of staying alive for their children and grandchildren. (No sick note would be allowed as many of the CEV are in normal times are well and fully able to work).

No protections, no precautions and expected to be in work or school as normal.Farcical guidance from the government. Stay away from unvaccinated people. How? My colleague is unvaccinated. My dc are too young to be vaccinated. Why should people tell me their vaccination status?

This was exactly what I wanted to say PastMyBestBeforeDate instead of my rambling effort. Thanks for saying it MUCH better than I did.