Do you think shielding will return?

[user7890554]

Do you think shielding will return even if most of the vulnerable have been double jabbed and had boosters?

Who knows ,my DH was added to sheilding list last February ,he works in a ware house so can't work from home he's had both vaccines and booster , i guess we will have to see ?

I'm thinking maybe they should advise the CV/CEV to lie low for a while at least!

If Omicron causes less severe disease than Delta, (and I appreciate we don't know for sure) i'm thinking probably not, especially given that the most vulnerable will have had access to three jabs by now.

No I think they are slowly giving up on caring for the most vulnerable and letting us get used to the idea there's nothing they can do.

I think a fair few of us are still shielding/limiting if able to
I occasionally go to the supermarket or to browse TK maxx when it's quiet and er, that's about it
Had to go to a meeting at work so kept FFP2 mask on, WFH since March 2020

No why would they? The majority of vulnerable have had 3 vaccines, it needs to be personal choice on whether to shield or not and unfortunately it can’t be paid for by the government or their employers indefinitely its just not feasible!

@manolantern

I'm thinking maybe they should advise the CV/CEV to lie low for a while at least!

I think the CV/CEV can probably decide what to do without being told.

@NMC2022

I think a fair few of us are still shielding/limiting if able to I occasionally go to the supermarket or to browse TK maxx when it's quiet and er, that's about it Had to go to a meeting at work so kept FFP2 mask on, WFH since March 2020

I limit what I do as much as I can but unfortunately can't WFH and also have to use public transport.

@CheesyFootballsAreEvil

No I think they are slowly giving up on caring for the most vulnerable and letting us get used to the idea there's nothing they can do.

You mean apart from the vaccines, the monoclonal antibodies and the antivirals?

@Katie517

No why would they? The majority of vulnerable have had 3 vaccines, it needs to be personal choice on whether to shield or not and unfortunately it can’t be paid for by the government or their employers indefinitely its just not feasible!

but if we went to lockdown again they would be paying the wages of people unable to work due to businesses closing like in previous lockdowns so why not vulnerable?

No. Experts on the ground in SA are all attesting that omicron is a milder infection.
The vulnerable in the UK are mostly double jabbed and boosted.
Awful for those who are unable to have vaccines, of course. Yet another layer of worry.

@Katie517

No why would they? The majority of vulnerable have had 3 vaccines, it needs to be personal choice on whether to shield or not and unfortunately it can’t be paid for by the government or their employers indefinitely its just not feasible!

There are still a lot of people who the vaccines haven't worked for so they have no protection

You mean apart from the vaccines, the monoclonal antibodies and the antivirals? scientists are doing that the government are just throwing money at the science and hoping something works and can't be bothered to put in any proper measures like shielding which mean the most vulnerable are still expected to go to work even if they could die

Just saying tough, hope the science moves quick enough to save you

I've been wondering this. Our 19yr old DS is takes heavy duty immuno suppressants and is neutropenic atm. He works frontline (retail) so can't work from home - although we are encouraging him to find a job that can be wfh - this wouldn't be good for him MH wise though as he is VERY sociable and has ADHD.

@onlyreadingneverposting8

I've been wondering this. Our 19yr old DS is takes heavy duty immuno suppressants and is neutropenic atm. He works frontline (retail) so can't work from home - although we are encouraging him to find a job that can be wfh - this wouldn't be good for him MH wise though as he is VERY sociable and has ADHD.

I'm neutropenic too not the most fun (it's permanent for me annoyingly!)

@NMC2022 sorry to hear that. For him it's a fairly recent thing but there are other things off on his bloods too. He takes azathioprine and adalimumab. Communication between the GP and consultant is awful - he needs reviewing. GP refused to even call him when he got a virus a few weeks ago and he ended up in A&E after a nightmare trying to get some care for him and on strong antibiotics and antifungals.

@onlyreadingneverposting8 I'm on omalizumab!

@NMC2022 it's been a game changer for him in terms of his illness (colitis) - given him his life back but now he seems to be having problems with his blood work. He was very I'll with the virus - that no one in the household got except him - not even his baby sister. He actually got covid in July and was I'll but not worse than our 17yr old.

I am on strong immunosuppressants and have Crohn's disease (have other complications including a tumour under stoma)
I shielded for well over a year and as soon as my sons went back to work I caught it. The actual covid was ok- felt like flu- but the effect it had on my blood sugar etc was catastrophic. Ended up in hospital.
Am due in for surgery after Xmas and dreading it being cancelled (again)
I am not sure what the answer is. I suppose we have to carry on and not hide forever. Life has to be worth living....

I am not sure where you are but st marks Harrow) is amazing... but I am in the same boat the consultant and GP never really speak. Last two conversations about a. The fact whatever is wrong with me they (local GP) quadruple my steroids and forget to remove me and b. When I had covid Gp said ' I was above his pay grade' and that was that.....
Fabulous....

@Katie517

No why would they? The majority of vulnerable have had 3 vaccines, it needs to be personal choice on whether to shield or not and unfortunately it can’t be paid for by the government or their employers indefinitely its just not feasible!

Unfortunately for a lot of CEV people vaccines don't make much difference. If you're immunosuppressed you don't get a good immune response from them - some drugs can lower vaccines' efficacy by up to 80%.

Obviously we still have the vaccines because some protection is better than none, but the 'vulnerable have had their vaccines so can go about their business' line is inaccurate.

It looks as if the 500,000 third primary (most immune suppressed, likely vaccine does not work well, if at all) group might be prioritised for the more advanced treatments (retrovirals/antibody treatment)

But aside from that, nothing doing.

I realised generalised furlough is unaffordable. But it's something that I think should be available to that group of 500,000 so that no-one has to choose between income and health risk, when the both mitigations for that risk are uncertain and consequences if it comes to pass are so much worse.

@Stomacharmeleon we are in North Essex. One of the biggest problems is the fact he's 19 and so I can't get involved and being 19 and busy with his own life he doesn't want to be bothered dealing with difficult GPs. He does pretty well tbf but as you well know it is often a case of "those that shout loudest" get service - say nothing and nothing will get done.

@Katie517 it's very frustrating that people believe that vaccination or the vulnerable protects the vulnerable. Actually, it's usually the rest of the population getting vaccinated/having immunity that protects the vulnerable. That's why it's so frustrating that people are refusing vaccination. Also mask wearing - I've had a couple of arguments this week with people saying they'll only wear one if the establishment enforce it (which they won't). Mask wearing should never have become optional and is the single most effective way of protecting immunocompromised people who have to be out mixing with others.

*of the vulnerable not or