Copy of letter sent out to NHS GPs re Shielding (03/04/20)

[JohnEGreen]

About twenty people have passed my front door in the last thirty minutes four or five of them on push bikes riding on the pavement to get out safely is going to take some fine judgment.

 

[DCUKMod]

About twenty people have passed my front door in the last thirty minutes four or five of them on push bikes riding on the pavement to get out safely is going to take some fine judgment.

John, a friend of ours, who has been shielding, having had a couple of kidney transplants decided early on that staying indoors for 12 weeks was going to be harmful to her.

She has been going out, with her husband for a walk every night, as round 10pm, to ensure anyone they meet is "not usual".

I haven't spoken to her since the guidance changed, but I doubt she'll have altered her strategy too much. Whilst thankfully not in the shielding group, I've been trying to be a responsible citizen, but I can't imagine how I would have coped with a lick-in.

Good luck with whatever you decide is best for you.

 

[Tannith]

It isn’t really about brave, John. I did a risk assessment, and decided risk to physical and mental health of staying home was greater than going out.
Also, chose a time and route that I knew would not have many people about. I still have to avoid meeting people, and as my family work in health service, and with lots of contact with others, I won’t be spending time with them, other than online. That is hard, but necessary.
Good thing Mr Pipp and I still quite like each other, as we are our only company.
Lots of people have much tougher situations.

If you go out as you did before, sooner or later you will get the virus.That is as good as certain, at least until we have herd immunity (70-80%). At present I heard it's 6.7% who have had it. Even if you go out with caution, you will find others are not cautious. The young especially, because they know they are unlikely to come to much harm themselves if they catch it. Many will happily crowd you, bump into you or even cough over you.I would die if I caught it. That's not my preferred option, mental health or not.

 

[Bluetit1802]

My good friend is shielding, but for the past few weeks since driving out was allowed she has been out and about with her husband, driving to quiet spots mainly on the moors or in the countryside, not mixing with anyone else at all. They sit and bird watch (they take a lot of photos of birds), eat a picnic, have a walk, drive home. Some days they haven't seen a single person. They haven't mixed with anyone, and haven't been shopping. They were both going mental until they branched out. These trips out have saved their mental health.

 

[Pipp]

If you go out as you did before, sooner or later you will get the virus.That is as good as certain, at least until we have herd immunity (70-80%). At present I heard it's 6.7% who have had it. Even if you go out with caution, you will find others are not cautious. The young especially, because they know they are unlikely to come to much harm themselves if they catch it. Many will happily crowd you, bump into you or even cough over you.I would die if I caught it. That's not my preferred option, mental health or not.

We each have to do what we feel right for our personal and individual circumstances. I understand and respect your reasons for your choices. I hope you will do the same for me.
To be clear, I am not, and don’t intend to ‘go out as you did before’. There will be no meeting with people, going to shops, library, sport centres, restaurants, theatres, cinemas, etc. I am missing all of that, but to have the opportunity, to walk around quiet areas in my neighbourhood, at a time I know there will not be many people about, is a precious gift to me. I am going to use it wisely. That is because I want to have quality of life. Being denied opportunity to leave confines of home, no matter how much I love that home, was not giving that.

 

[Pipp]

My good friend is shielding, but for the past few weeks since driving out was allowed she has been out and about with her husband, driving to quiet spots mainly on the moors or in the countryside, not mixing with anyone else at all. They sit and bird watch (they take a lot of photos of birds), eat a picnic, have a walk, drive home. Some days they haven't seen a single person. They haven't mixed with anyone, and haven't been shopping. They were both going mental until they branched out. These trips out have saved their mental health.

That is the sort of thing I would choose to do, too. Working on it, but not a manageable distance to remote countryside.

 

[JohnEGreen]

We went for a short walk last night masks gloves no six foot pole but a fairly long walking stick only a couple of people about and all a good distance from us felt much better for it except awake most of the night with very painful feet and legs my feet tend to go into spasms and it can be very painful but it was worth it after 10 or 11 weeks of confinement.

 

[Pipp]

We went for a short walk last night masks gloves no six foot pole but a fairly long walking stick only a couple of people about and all a good distance from us felt much better for it except awake most of the night with very painful feet and legs my feet tend to go into spasms and it can be very painful but it was worth it after 10 or 11 weeks of confinement.

Well done, John. My feet need a bit of toughening up again after wearing soft shoes and slippers for months. Just enjoyed walk number 2, maybe I will get brave and drive somewhere peaceful and rural for tomorrow’s walk. Nothing as far as 260 miles. About 5 miles maximum.

 

[ringi]

maybe I will get brave and drive somewhere peaceful and rural for tomorrow’s walk

Given how much more space there is in parks and open fields etc compared to many pavements, I expect driving to a location to walk will be a lower risk for many people then walking from their homes.

Be creative, for example in some areas there are nice businesses parks with landscaped ground that are empty of people at present.

Just go home if you see too many people.

 

[JohnEGreen]

Given how much more space there is in parks and open fields etc compared to many pavements, I expect driving to a location to walk will be a lower risk for many people then walking from their homes.

Be creative, for example in some areas there are nice businesses parks with landscaped ground that are empty of people at present.

Just go home if you see too many people.

Wish that where true of the parks and woodland walks around here but everyone makes a beeline for them old fogies like me don't get a look in.

 

[Jamie H]

We went for a short walk last night masks gloves no six foot pole but a fairly long walking stick only a couple of people about and all a good distance from us felt much better for it except awake most of the night with very painful feet and legs my feet tend to go into spasms and it can be very painful but it was worth it after 10 or 11 weeks of confinement.

Good on you mate

 

[Pipp]

Given how much more space there is in parks and open fields etc compared to many pavements, I expect driving to a location to walk will be a lower risk for many people then walking from their homes.

Be creative, for example in some areas there are nice businesses parks with landscaped ground that are empty of people at present.

Just go home if you see too many people.

Thanks @ringi. I have had an advance party checking out venues. Strange that city centre and shopping area is usually heaving, but spookily empty now.

 

[Bluetit1802]

We have had another day out and picnic today. We drove through the stunning Trough of Bowland to get to our eventual destination. It was significantly noticeable that wherever there was water, a grassy area and somewhere to park, there were people. Not huge groups or youths, just small family groups, but nonetheless, people. Water, whether it be a lake, reservoir, stream or river is best avoided until everyone is back at school, back at work, back at college or university. The countryside is best, as long as water isn't involved.

 

[Mr_Pot]

We have had another day out and picnic today. We drove through the stunning Trough of Bowland to get to our eventual destination. It was significantly noticeable that wherever there was water, a grassy area and somewhere to park, there were people. Not huge groups or youths, just small family groups, but nonetheless, people. Water, whether it be a lake, reservoir, stream or river is best avoided until everyone is back at school, back at work, back at college or university. The countryside is best, as long as water isn't involved.

If it rains that should help.

 

[Tannith]

We each have to do what we feel right for our personal and individual circumstances. I understand and respect your reasons for your choices. I hope you will do the same for me.
To be clear, I am not, and don’t intend to ‘go out as you did before’. There will be no meeting with people, going to shops, library, sport centres, restaurants, theatres, cinemas, etc. I am missing all of that, but to have the opportunity, to walk around quiet areas in my neighbourhood, at a time I know there will not be many people about, is a precious gift to me. I am going to use it wisely. That is because I want to have quality of life. Being denied opportunity to leave confines of home, no matter how much I love that home, was not giving that.

Sorry Pipp, I didn't mean that as a criticism of you personally at all. For "go out as you did before"read "go out as one did before". I meant it as a general caveat. Today I have found this Lancet article on line, published yesterday. I find it quite frightening.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/...ampaign=tlcoronavirus20&utm_content=130807822"that even a combination of moderate interventions—such as school closures, shielding of older people, and self-isolation of symptomatic individuals—would be unlikely to prevent an epidemic that would far exceed available intensive care unit capacity in the UK. Intermittent periods of more intensive lockdown-type measures are predicted to be effective for preventing the health-care system from being overwhelmed"

 

[Max68]

We went for a short walk last night masks gloves no six foot pole but a fairly long walking stick only a couple of people about and all a good distance from us felt much better for it except awake most of the night with very painful feet and legs my feet tend to go into spasms and it can be very painful but it was worth it after 10 or 11 weeks of confinement.

Brilliant stuff John. I've got brave enough to do a walk in the woods pretty much ever day now for at least an hour, although used today's rain as an excuse to have a day off! Feel pretty good after a walk so will continue to do it as much as I can so one of the positives from working from home!

I'm lucky that the woods have many paths so I just veer off if I see someone. Sty's are an issue though especially if you have difficulty climbing over them so with my dodgy hip it takes a while with a dock leaf in my hand to stop touching what's been touched before me!! Do the same with gates, I just grab a leaf and then open the latch. I've resisted the temptation to hold my breath if someone passes though!! Paranoid or what!!

 

[JohnEGreen]

Thanks,but no thanks! I'll be shielding until there's a vaccine and I've had it. I plan my only trip out will be to the GP surgery or wherever, to get the vaccine. Dressed in mask, gloves visor, and a coat/long cardigan that will get washed as soon as I get home. Then indoors again til whenever they say the vaccine will start to take effect.

I sympathize with that point of view I really do and I thought it was going to be what I was going to do, but realizing now that the most optimistic estimate of when, if ever a vaccine becomes available is at least eighteen months away the Oxford clinical trials alone will take at least 12 months to complete I cannot see my self continuing to shield for such an extended period a viable vaccine could take years to produce so I feel I will be rethinking what is best for me it maybe giving up on shielding and relying on masks gloves and social distancing and taking my chances with the virus as hiding in my home for years would be giving up on life anyway.

 

[Jamie H]

Wondering is anyone has seen this? Interesting in perhaps moving away from the one size fits all approach. Fully appreciate that there are many on this forum at higher risk so its not in anyway to come across as insensitive. Just shows varying degrees of risk in line with the recent NHS studies. It's about risk assessment and potential return to work but would ultimately apply to decisions around shielding too?

Fully appreciate risk will never be zero and doesn't guarantee outcome but it helps shape out everyday decisions I guess

https://alama.org.uk/covid-19-medical-risk-assessment/

 

[Brunneria]

Wondering is anyone has seen this? Interesting in perhaps moving away from the one size fits all approach. Fully appreciate that there are many on this forum at higher risk so its not in anyway to come across as insensitive. Just shows varying degrees of risk in line with the recent NHS studies. It's about risk assessment and potential return to work but would ultimately apply to decisions around shielding too?

Fully appreciate risk will never be zero and doesn't guarantee outcome but it helps shape out everyday decisions I guess

https://alama.org.uk/covid-19-medical-risk-assessment/

That is an interesting read.
I would be interested to read the opinion on this from other informed parties.
Thank you for posting this.

 

[Jamie H]

That is an interesting read.
I would be interested to read the opinion on this from other informed parties.
Thank you for posting this.

Came across it on partha kar's twitter.