Shielding program stopped

[Egghead68]

For anyone this affects, the shielding program was stopped for good yesterday.

They snuck this news out under the cover of the cabinet reshuffle.

Some of the better European systems run on a much more socialist sort of model though, that wouldn't appeal here?

Absolutely, yes, but then right now there seems a general sort of blind hope that the NHS can somehow be brought back to life, Lazurus-like, by simply spending more on it

My own view (and it is only a view of course) is that we're way beyond that and the whole thing is beyond control or saving - and if I'm right, the appeal of alternatives might have to wait on more coming to terms with the reality

The only certainty I see is that whatever path is chosen, our political body (all of them, not just Boris) will make a self-serving mess of it. To get a proper resolution we need folk who'll think of the next generation instead of just the next election, and in parliament we don't have them

@MilesJuppIsMyBitch

Have decided to ignore all the other wankers on this thread. (Why do they do it? They seem to be like moths to a flame).

Thanks for flagging this, @Egghead68

I'm definitely eligible for a booster, & have heard nothing. Might try contacting the local PCT tomorrow.

I agree milesjuppismybitch. Like moths to a flame, the same regulars crop up to undermine real people's valid concerns with their goady comments. Oh of course, their opinion is always right and no one else's counts. I was hoping to read this thread for support and reading about experiences similar to my own. Unfortunately, the op's thread has been derailed by people who will never consider any other viewpoint but their own.

[quote MilesJuppIsMyBitch]**@AlixandraTheGreat* & @Tinydancer321* it is genuinely baffling to me.

Who comes onto threads where people with cancer/transplants/other-horrible-conditions are talking about policy changes that directly affect them, to try to sanctimoniously shut them down?

I mean, do they really think that it's a good or helpful thing to do?

As I say, baffling. [/quote]
Well said.

@herecomesthsun

it's an interesting conjugation

I - am too precious to wear a mask

you - should have your opinion rubbished

they - should suck it up, roll over and die? so that

we - can get back to whatever normal is for us

I paraphrase

Yep, well said, you've summed it up.

I've learned to just ignore the "cool crowd" now.

It saddens me that there are people out there willing to throw the CEV and children under the bus just so they can get their daily Pret and go swanning off to the theatre, but they're a lost cause.

It's important that this board can be a safe space for those concerned about Covid to come and get support without the usual suspects spewing their bile.

MN has never been a 'safe space' for anything and the Coronavirus topic is downright dangerous sometimes.
I think RL is a better place to find proper facts and speak to HCPs about concerns re shielding etc.

@Sparklingbrook

MN has never been a 'safe space' for anything and the Coronavirus topic is downright dangerous sometimes. I think RL is a better place to find proper facts and speak to HCPs about concerns re shielding etc.

I accepted it was a lost cause when I saw a post a few months ago where the poster had caught COVID, was feeling extremely ill and wanted to share her experience. (This was an established, long-time poster, BTW.) The regular offenders went in after her with "So what?" "And?" Etc.

The callousness was astonishing. I'm not suggesting anyone should care for an anonymous person on the Internet; I'm simply saying if you feel the need to comment this way, don't comment at all.

Re the covid boosters a Facebook friend who works in a GP practice shared a post from her practice asking people to wait before contacting the surgery re: boosters and that they would start contacting eligible patients from 20/09/21 onwards.

It is a lost cause @AlixandraTheGreat, you're right. There's no middle ground either.
Extreme views all over the place and people with agendas. It's scary.

@Sparklingbrook

MN has never been a 'safe space' for anything and the Coronavirus topic is downright dangerous sometimes. I think RL is a better place to find proper facts and speak to HCPs about concerns re shielding etc.

Thanks for your opinion.

Why not start a thread about it, & leave us to talk about this very specific topic?

Speaking of which...

I'm contacting my local PCN this morning. I'll let you know what they say.

Why not start a thread about it, & leave us to talk about this very specific topic?

Not sure what I have done to offend you. Why do I need to leave, i was being supportive in saying that this isn't a safe space when it comes to Coronavirus. Which it isn't.

It was this @Sparklingbrook:

"I think RL is a better place to find proper facts and speak to HCPs about concerns re shielding etc"

It's patronising. We all have consultants, and are all experts on our own shitty conditions. Also, consultants are crazy busy, and often don't have the time/inclination to discuss these things with us. (This is my experience).

There is great value in talking to other people in our position, and it's quite hard to find them irl.

Your comment came on top of lots of other comments trying (for questionable reasons) to stop us talking about this.

It's very tiring, and we're all bloody tired anyway.

@Sparklingbrook This was also a gem "There's no middle ground either.
Extreme views all over the place and people with agendas. It's scary."

Well, it is quite scary, especially if you are CEV.

However. I'd say there is a middle ground, which is talking about how to go forward in a rational way, following the sensible advice from the CMO (masks inside with crowds, social distancing where possible etc)

We need business to continue of course, but we also need the health service to function and it would be nice if CEV people weren't dying all over the place. Of course I am one, but lots of unnecessary deaths seem to create problems for other people too.

I don't myself think that is an extreme view.

You could argue that since you have caught covid and been relatively ok that you are ok to carry on going into school. Risks for most females on immunosuppressant medications have been shown to be low and probably a huge number have shielded who in retrospect did not need to.

sorry @Soundofshuna, is that directed at anyone in particular on here/

Masks are not mandatory, it’s advice only. People do not have to follow the advice and should not be made to feel guilty or be called selfish. They are getting on with life and that is fine. It’s personal choice to follow any guidance or not, and personal choice if people choose to stay away from indoor areas to avoid those not wearing masks. This is how it should be, and is the official guidance.

@Overthebow

Masks are not mandatory, it’s advice only. People do not have to follow the advice and should not be made to feel guilty or be called selfish. They are getting on with life and that is fine. It’s personal choice to follow any guidance or not, and personal choice if people choose to stay away from indoor areas to avoid those not wearing masks. This is how it should be, and is the official guidance.

It is of course personal choice whether people want to ignore the risk to vulnerable people, risk spreading infection further and increase the chances of us going into lockdown in midwinter (I summarise).

I'd agree that whether people feel guilty or selfish in doing this should be up to their own conscience and level of understanding.

Sweetbabyrays

I don’t see how being ECV and having to move jobs because of covid is different to any other illness. I had an illness years ago which meant I had to leave my job and change careers completely, it’s just one of those things that unfortunately happens in life. Horrible yes but just unlucky. Equally, when I was on a clinical trial and extremely vulnerable to dying if I caught so much as a cold, I then didn’t expect the world to change their behaviour because of my problems, same applies with COVID unfortunately. I feel sorry for people, but it has to end at some point.“

Agree. CEV husband but also youngest child of 18, who’s lost so much these past 18 months because of the risk to his dad.
We have taken every personal step we can to protect him, all double vaccinated, continue with FFP3s and best hygiene. That’s enough, now. We’re not prepared to harm our son or other youngsters any more.
My husband is at serious risk from any infection but we wouldn’t expect the rest of the population to protect him from those at detriment to their own lives.

Honestly, who are all these people???

They're driving me to excessive punctuation!

This thread is about shielding advice and legislation.

You're either all a bit hard of thinking, or shenanigans are afoot.

Which people? (If they include me, my husband is CEV, we didn’t leave the house for over 16 months. Am I not allowed an opinion?)

Yeah.

I also don't expect the rest of the population to protect me to the "detriment of their own lives".

Unless someone has PTSD or a lung condition or summat, I just don't see how wearing a mask to go shopping for 10 minutes is to the detriment of their lives.

And I don't "expect" it.

But I'm very grateful if other people have the common sense and courtesy to do it.

I tried to book a booster on the NHS website, which confirmed I need to wait to be contacted.

E-mailed the PCN, so we shall see!

@herecomesthsun I totally agree. Honestly did you hear the mp scream noooo when the government said they may have to come back in! All nhs staff have to wear them 8-12 hours a day yet he couldn’t for a shopping trip.

@MrsSkylerWhite do you see face masks as detrimental to people’s lives?

I don’t think other countries ever had a ‘shielding’ category just the WHO guidance? Tbh the knowledge of risk assessment has increased greatly so even if it were needed in the future it would be better to go back to the drawing board completely so I can see why it’s easier to stop all of it. The initial categories were a best guess but information has changed considerably. And it’s changed with vaccines, and perhaps with those we know are likely to respond less well. I think it’s important to remember that it’s the unvaccinated who are proportionately hugely more affected than anyone who is vaccinated. Still many haven’t had both jabs through choice