CEV people, how are you feeling about today's announcement?

[SmashingBIouse]

No masks/self isolation to end in the near future etc

I fully understand that restrictions can't go on forever but I admit I'm a bit nervous. I'm considering pausing my immunosuppressant drugs for a while, until case numbers decrease (they're still over 2k per 100k here). There's a teacher in my household whose school currently has six teachers and countless students off with covid but no masks from tomorrow! Plus DH will have to go back to the office on crowded public transport.

I'll phone my consultant tomorrow, see what she says. I was advised to pause when Omicron cases were going through the roof here. I'm worried about what the lack of meds is doing to my body though (I have an autoimmune condition).

How's everyone else feeling?

What was it he once said about letting the bodies pile high? He only wants to save his premiership and gives not the tiniest toss about anyone else.

Wales, Scotland and NI are all being far more cautious, relaxing restrictions gradually.

I'm immunocompromised and have no response to vaccines. I got covid, ended up in hospital and now have another lifelong condition to add to the mix.

I feel that this is being rushed into and changes are being made too fast in winter. Smacks of Boris is trying to save his arse.

@3cats4poniesandababy Since you are not CEV, perhaps you could try to show a bit of sensitivity to those who are?

@3cats4poniesandababy You clearly don’t understand what being CEV means. I have to go straight to A&E if I have cold symptoms. Lateral flows only help me if everyone else uses them and stays at home if they have any symptoms.

This is just ignorant-
“ there are ways to manage being CEV during a pandemic especially now we have lateral flows (yes I know that involves having a supportive manager for things like work) . “

@Blossom64265

I’m in a different country, but my CEV spouse was part of one of the studies that proved that certain people don’t respond to the vaccines. He has been quadruple vaccinated at this point and has no immunity. We had to live fairly cautiously before Covid, but still managed to get out there and enjoy life, go to restaurants, and take holidays. He has ended up hospitalized for tiny things before and that is always scary. If restrictions drop before they find a way to protect him from Covid, I honestly don’t know how he will even do things like attend medical appointments. He isn’t some infirm person lying in a bed all day. He is an otherwise healthy, middle aged father with a good job that thankfully he can do from home. He just happens to have a compromised immune system. It’s people like this that are being left behind. Active, working people who want to be a part of society, but are being told they don’t matter.

Wouldn't a FFP3 mask be sufficient for him to go to normal places (ie shops and doctors)... Given Covid's prevalence, I'm not sure how much the current restrictions really reduce risk to acceptable levels. The main way that will happen is if infections reduce, and current half-hearted restrictions will just keep things simmering at risky levels. Removing restrictions probably hastens the day that Covid will be at low levels, until a new variant cause another wave at least.

What I meant was no way to mitigate during a lockdown - well apart from continuing to see people and but wear a mask and need to get out and about which is frown upon and then causes me more anxiety. Sorry if that came across poorly. I was trying to explain how these restrictions have severe health impacts on people.

Treeflowercat

We have been told that everyone must be wearing proper masks to provide sufficient protection. Just the patient wearing the mask is not enough.

I think many of us realise Johnson only came up with this to save his own skin...it is purely a political move and not really based on medical and scientific evidence.

I am on immune suppressants for an autoimmune condition. These will have to stop - causing irreversible damage.

What do I do? Stop seeing my teen DC (I have them 50%) - they want to lead normal lives.

FFP3 isn't sufficient for everyone, @treeflowercat - I am still under direct medical advice to strictly avoid all mixing with people outside my own household. I have my appointments by Zoom or phone; occasionally a clinician comes to the house, or I'm admitted if too unwell to be at home. No 'normal' appointments are safe, even with a mask.

@Jimmychoo69

Angry on behalf of my CEV mum! To remove all restrictions in the middle of winter, when cases are still high, utter madness, just to save his arse.

Absolutely agree. What an absolute national disgrace. I'm glad I am in Wales. Boris will do ANYTHING to save his arse and look what he's doing the fact that people are so happy not to wear masks and isolate (wtaf!) and can't see through this makes me shudder.

@Garysmum

I am on immune suppressants for an autoimmune condition. These will have to stop - causing irreversible damage.

What do I do? Stop seeing my teen DC (I have them 50%) - they want to lead normal lives.

This is exactly my dilemma (but swap teen DC for adult DC who lives at home and is a teacher, and who I can't from).

I don't want everyone to have to carry on with restrictions but I do wish I knew what best to do for me!

I'm really torn on this. It feels too soon and very all of sudden to lift everything at once.

I'm clinically vulnerable and on immunosuppressants so am worried about not wearing a mask and everyone 'going back to normal' so quickly

On the other hand I'm due to give birth in April and less restrictions may mean I'll be able to have my OH with me for longer in hospital and I might not have to wear a mask mid labour which I can't image trying to do.

@Blossom64265

Treeflowercat

We have been told that everyone must be wearing proper masks to provide sufficient protection. Just the patient wearing the mask is not enough.

We were told back at the start that everyone needed to wear a mask to protect each other....

That related to any old face covering, each one providing that bit of extra protection. FFP3 masks are high grade and protect the wearer primarily.

Im cev, and even more nervous now. I've been hospitalised with a cold before so despite being triple jabbed, I'm very nervous.

I'm supposed to be going to the Strictly tour show in a couple of weeks and I will go (double masked and armed with hand sanstiser) because I know friend whose coming with me is so looking forward to it, and her mental health has suffered during lockdowns..

But I won't be able to relax if most of the audience is unmasked.

@Innocenta

FFP3 isn't sufficient for everyone, *@treeflowercat* - I am still under direct medical advice to strictly avoid all mixing with people outside my own household. I have my appointments by Zoom or phone; occasionally a clinician comes to the house, or I'm admitted if too unwell to be at home. No 'normal' appointments are safe, even with a mask.

I'm really sorry that's the case for you. Current measures such as masks, testing and isolation etc won't really cut it though - or most of those most at risk - at the moment as cases are just too high... The best thing would be for infections to fall and fall fast.

At this point in the omicron wave, the best way of achieving that is to let things run their course naturally whilst those who are vulnerable and protect themselves as best they can whilst that happens.

@ThievesTemple

He’s a disgrace, not even through winter, hospitals still struggling but to save his own ass, he’ll throw the health of the country under the bus.

This exactly.

Knowing boris he's planning a party so wants all restrictions lifted so he can't get in any more trouble.

@treeflowercat Thanks! My main hope is just to delay infection for a bit longer so that when I do (probably inevitably) get it, the hospitals won't be as busy. I've accepted that it's unlikely I can reasonably avoid it forever.

Am I missing something - surely the deaths have doubled recently?

@ThievesTemple

He’s a disgrace, not even through winter, hospitals still struggling but to save his own ass, he’ll throw the health of the country under the bus.

This sums it up nicely.

Thanks Boris, only thinking of yourself, yet again.... Deflection strategy, heading grabbing. If he hadn't dug himself so deep into such an almighty hole I somehow think he wouldn't be talking about removing all restrictions before winter's over!

@Franklin12

its the right decision. We cannot keep throwing companies and our children under the bus because we want to keep dragging this on and on.

Totally agree I know if 4 suicides , depression other illness it has to stop

@Franklin12

If we have masks mandated then it needs to be complusory. I was standing in front of two young people in the supermarket neither of whom had masks. They were then joined by what looked like one set of parents - also without masks.

And please dont say all probably had some reason for not wearing it. We are one of the only countries who say wear the mask if you want.... Both my siblings live in other countries and I have relatives in the Middle East. No mask - you cannot come in.

Maybe they were all exempt !!!!! I exempt as is my father and my partner so mind your own

At this point in the omicron wave, the best way of achieving that is to let things run their course naturally whilst those who are vulnerable and protect themselves as best they can whilst that happens

And how are we supposed protect ourselves when we have no choice but to go to work and use public transport among the non-mask wearing general public? If this strategy is being adopted CEV people should have the right to work at home (or to get furlough type payments if their job can’t be fine from home) until the prevalence has fallen significantly. But we don’t.