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

[Tannith]

Talk it will be extended until end of July then it will finish.

I've heard that too. They continue to repeatedly ring me to ask if I still need food boxes,despite my calling their central number to say I do. I don't think the telephone callers get feedback from the central system and so keep on ringing people who have already replied, leaving answerphone messages. At the end of July I imagine they will stop the food boxes for everyone. I do so hope they won't also stop the supermarket priority slots which would effectively force shielders to go out. I still shan't be going out even if I have to live on plain boiled pasta until there is a vaccine.

 

[Brunneria]

I've heard that too. They continue to repeatedly ring me to ask if I still need food boxes,despite my calling their central number to say I do. I don't think the telephone callers get feedback from the central system and so keep on ringing people who have already replied, leaving answerphone messages. At the end of July I imagine they will stop the food boxes for everyone. I do so hope they won't also stop the supermarket priority slots which would effectively force shielders to go out. I still shan't be going out even if I have to live on plain boiled pasta until there is a vaccine.

Even if they discontinue the priority delivery slots (which I think is unlikely), then it would just place you in the same position as those of us who are not currently priorities - and I have been managing to get delivery slots quite easily for weeks.

In addition, as I have said on multiple threads since the lockdown began, we are none of us restricted to just ordering from supermarkets. Many suppliers offer an excellent delivery service for everything under the sun, including all sorts of groceries.

 

[DCUKMod]

I've heard that too. They continue to repeatedly ring me to ask if I still need food boxes,despite my calling their central number to say I do. I don't think the telephone callers get feedback from the central system and so keep on ringing people who have already replied, leaving answerphone messages. At the end of July I imagine they will stop the food boxes for everyone. I do so hope they won't also stop the supermarket priority slots which would effectively force shielders to go out. I still shan't be going out even if I have to live on plain boiled pasta until there is a vaccine.

@Tannith - have you joined your local community Facebook pages? Whilst not in your situation, I have been astonished just how many local groups there are on there, and we live in a village!

There's all sorts going on, from shopping, to sewing face masks, to foodbank collections, to one family refurbishing and selling bicycles, on the basis those who can afford it make a contribution, amount of their choice to Leukaemia Research.

Since lockdown started they have raised in excess of £10,000, with the community asking of the system can continue beyond this crisis. Parents have been using it to "re-cycle" their children's bikes. The children have had new (to them) bikes and learned that their old bikes will beloved by other children.

I didn't know any of this went on before March!

 

[DCUKMod]

Even if they discontinue the priority delivery slots (which I think is unlikely), then it would just place you in the same position as those of us who are not currently priorities - and I have been managing to get delivery slots quite easily for weeks.

In addition, as I have said on multiple threads since the lockdown began, we are none of us restricted to just ordering from supermarkets. Many suppliers offer an excellent delivery service for everything under the sun, including all sorts of groceries.

Our butcher now sells and delivers a modest selection of fruit and veg, and for those shielding, they will deliver eggs, milk and other stuff they can get their hands on. Apparently, they just take the orders, and on the morning of the delivery, they take payment for whatever they're providing.

We haven't used their delivery as I'm too young (get me!), and have been able to be out and about (with all the usual caveats). but this morning, the owner was telling me he (and his staff of course, has worked through the lockdown and also through his cancer treatment, as he felt well enough to provide a service to his community. Apparently, he was diagnosed a week before lockdown kicked off.

What a bloke!

I'm not advocating his approach is right, but more demonstrating there are lots of people out there keen to help those who find themselves in a bit of a bind; one way or another.

 

[Tannith]

"Even if they discontinue the priority delivery slots (which I think is unlikely), then it would just place you in the same position as those of us who are not currently priorities"
87% of people have permanent access to a car, so can get click and collect slots of which there are many more than delivery slots. Of the remaining 13%, many have adult children or other family who can pick up groceries for them. So even the 2.5 million shielded can mostly get supplies. As for the rest of the population, they are allowed to go to the shops themselves. Relatively few people are on the shielding list AND have no car AND have no family nearby to help. Will Boris bother to help such a small minority of people who can't otherwise get food, with priority delivery slots when food boxes stop? Will he even realise we exist? He doesn't seem to know much about how the other half live.

Even if they discontinue the priority delivery slots (which I think is unlikely), then it would just place you in the same position as those of us who are not currently priorities

 

[HSSS]

"Even if they discontinue the priority delivery slots (which I think is unlikely), then it would just place you in the same position as those of us who are not currently priorities"
87% of people have permanent access to a car, so can get click and collect slots of which there are many more than delivery slots. Of the remaining 13%, many have adult children or other family who can pick up groceries for them. So even the 2.5 million shielded can mostly get supplies. As for the rest of the population, they are allowed to go to the shops themselves. Relatively few people are on the shielding list AND have no car AND have no family nearby to help. Will Boris bother to help such a small minority of people who can't otherwise get food, with priority delivery slots when food boxes stop? Will he even realise we exist? He doesn't seem to know much about how the other half live.

I’m not on the priority lists and have managed to get normal delivery slots throughout. I’ve shopped about for slots at all the supermarkets that deliver to my area (including some that aren’t located that close oddly and include Iceland as well as the usual Sainsburys Tesco Asda Morrison ). I have at time had to wait up til gone midnight to get the slots or checked at random times but I’ve always found at least one a week, mostly delivery with just the odd collection. If you haven’t tried all these tactics then it might solve your problem.

 

[JohnEGreen]

All the delivery slots for my local Asda are sold out till the middle of next week, the same is true of all of the other stores around here though as I bought an Asda delivery pass some time ago I have a recurring slot every Saturday but you have to place your order by Wednesday, this week I forgot so lost my slot.

 

[ringi]

Asda delivery pass some time ago I have a recurring slot every Saturday but you have to place your order by Wednesday, this week I forgot so lost my slot.

As soon as one order is delivered setup the next order with enough items (that you always need) to keep the delivery slot. Then the order can be edited the day before delivery to add any additional items.

 

[Mr_Pot]

As soon as one order is delivered setup the next order with enough items (that you always need) to keep the delivery slot. Then the order can be edited the day before delivery to add any additional items.

I do something similar with Sainsbury's. I have a delivery about every 10 days so after 5 days I place a part order, choose a delivery slot, they are always about 5 days ahead and top up the order the day before delivery.

 

[Brunneria]

@Tannith
It is NOT up to the UK prime minister whether supermarkets offer priority shopping slots or not.

The govt may have distributed ‘at high risk’ details to the supermarkets so that they can approve applications, but each supermarket has made their own decisions as to how to implement this, and will decide for how long they offer the service.

I know of 3 ppl who have simply given the Customer Services dept of their choice of supermarket, and got themselves added to the priority slot lists because of age or illness, even though they were not originally on ‘the list’.

If you are sitting at home assuming that you are about to be abandoned to a life of shut-in starvation, then I strongly suggest that you firstly check for available delivery slots (my local Tescos now has plenty), and if you run into problems, just pick up the phone and sort those problems out with the Customer Services dept of your supermarket of choice. They want your money, therefore they want to get a delivery to you, and want to work with you to achieve this.

As @HSSS says, you may need to be proactive, but home deliveries are well within your reach if you make the effort to sort them out for yourself (providing you don’t live in an area so remote that no one delivers there), and you can always get deliveries from other suppliers, not just supermarkets.

 

[JohnEGreen]

As soon as one order is delivered setup the next order with enough items (that you always need) to keep the delivery slot. Then the order can be edited the day before delivery to add any additional items.

As I normally would but this time forgot to do so. I have done it for next weeks order now though.

 

[Pipp]

@Tannith,
First thing I will say is that I am sorry you seem so anxious, and alone. The anxiety, I understand. If, like I did, you got a letter telling you you were at great risk, and needed to avoid all human contact for at least 3 months, even to the point of preparing meals separately to anyone else in your household and then go and close yourself in a room, on your own, to eat and spend the rest of your time, then it is hardly surprising that anxiety is through the roof. It is difficult enough coping with the ailments that make you vulnerable, without the added angst of isolating.

As others have mentioned, there are ways to get food delivered from supermarkets, and/or independent retailers. Most, (apart from supermarkets) are fighting to stay in business, and desperate to deliver food to you.

For some reason, I seemed to have been missed off the shielding list Government sent to supermarkets, despite having letters and texts telling me how vulnerable I am and that I must follow the shielding guidelines. Had I been waiting for the food boxes, and emails from supermarkets I would be somewhat emaciated by now. I phoned the local supermarket and at first they said they couldn’t give me priority slots, until I mentioned that they would have record of my previous purchases, through their loyalty card scheme, and could see how much I spent weekly over a number of years, and that I hadn’t been in there since the start of lockdown. They did give me access after that. I use them to buy things that I can’t get from the independent deli / restaurant, which diversified in order not to go out of business. They deliver. They win, but so do I. Also, just this week, Co-op emailed. If you have membership card, which costs £1.00, the local store will accept email orders, for delivery, usually the same day. The selection of items is less varied than most supermarkets, but essential items are available.

I am not sure where you live, but local councils have been tasked with providing help with shopping for food and medicines, or other assistance vulnerable, shielding, folks need. Perhaps you could contact your local council to request help from the service they provide?

Regarding staying in my home, shielding for evermore, it is not going to happen. I want to really live, not merely exist. The way I look at it is that early on in this pandemic, there was a group of snipers outside my front door, waiting to fire at me if I so much as peeped outside. Some of them have been eliminated. Most have moved away. So I have to remain vigilant. For now that means avoiding areas where lots of people are. Or, for now, even a few people, even those I love outside of my household. My self preservation strategies will change as circumstances become less risky, (if the metaphorical snipers seem to be under arrest) or if there seems to be an increase in risks, (like the snipers have recruited others) . What that will take is to be aware of who is around me, where I choose to go, and what the news and media are telling me about the levels of infection in places I want to go. Then I will make my own, calculated risk assessments.

I really hope you can find peace with it all, Tannith, because the alternative is to stay hidden from the world and very lonely. That is not something I would wish for anyone.

 

[DavidGrahamJones]

For some reason, I seemed to have been missed off the shielding list Government sent to supermarkets, despite having letters and texts telling me how vulnerable I am and that I must follow the shielding guidelines.

I didn't realise that the government sent anything to any supermarket. With the number of people on that list how would it help a supermarket? I had been doing the shopping myself at 07:00 in the morning when it was relatively quiet. As soon as I got my letter from the NHS () I stopped. I was lucky that with my local co-op I just said please can you deliver. It's still being delivered by some wonderful volunteers.

 

[Pipp]

As I normally would but this time forgot to do so. I have done it for next weeks order now though.

@JohnEGreen ? See my previous post. Perhaps local Co-op store will be doing deliveries, too.

 

[Pipp]

I didn't realise that the government sent anything to any supermarket. With the number of people on that list how would it help a supermarket? I had been doing the shopping myself at 07:00 in the morning when it was relatively quiet. As soon as I got my letter from the NHS () I stopped. I was lucky that with my local co-op I just said please can you deliver. It's still being delivered by some wonderful volunteers.

My understanding is that some supermarkets have a list from Govt. others check with the powers that be when a customer requests priority delivery slots. The one I rand told me they had a list of local people who govt had told them were in receipt of shielding letter, but I was not on it. There have been many slip ups by those in charge, but to be fair, this pandemic is an unprecedented situation. Like you, @DavidGrahamJones , I wasn’t going to sit about waiting for help to come to me. I got proactive and sought what I needed for myself.

 

[Tannith]

@Tannith,
First thing I will say is that I am sorry you seem so anxious, and alone. The anxiety, I understand. If, like I did, you got a letter telling you you were at great risk, and needed to avoid all human contact for at least 3 months, even to the point of preparing meals separately to anyone else in your household and then go and close yourself in a room, on your own, to eat and spend the rest of your time, then it is hardly surprising that anxiety is through the roof. It is difficult enough coping with the ailments that make you vulnerable, without the added angst of isolating.

As others have mentioned, there are ways to get food delivered from supermarkets, and/or independent retailers. Most, (apart from supermarkets) are fighting to stay in business, and desperate to deliver food to you.

For some reason, I seemed to have been missed off the shielding list Government sent to supermarkets, despite having letters and texts telling me how vulnerable I am and that I must follow the shielding guidelines. Had I been waiting for the food boxes, and emails from supermarkets I would be somewhat emaciated by now. I phoned the local supermarket and at first they said they couldn’t give me priority slots, until I mentioned that they would have record of my previous purchases, through their loyalty card scheme, and could see how much I spent weekly over a number of years, and that I hadn’t been in there since the start of lockdown. They did give me access after that. I use them to buy things that I can’t get from the independent deli / restaurant, which diversified in order not to go out of business. They deliver. They win, but so do I. Also, just this week, Co-op emailed. If you have membership card, which costs £1.00, the local store will accept email orders, for delivery, usually the same day. The selection of items is less varied than most supermarkets, but essential items are available.

I am not sure where you live, but local councils have been tasked with providing help with shopping for food and medicines, or other assistance vulnerable, shielding, folks need. Perhaps you could contact your local council to request help from the service they provide?

Regarding staying in my home, shielding for evermore, it is not going to happen. I want to really live, not merely exist. The way I look at it is that early on in this pandemic, there was a group of snipers outside my front door, waiting to fire at me if I so much as peeped outside. Some of them have been eliminated. Most have moved away. So I have to remain vigilant. For now that means avoiding areas where lots of people are. Or, for now, even a few people, even those I love outside of my household. My self preservation strategies will change as circumstances become less risky, (if the metaphorical snipers seem to be under arrest) or if there seems to be an increase in risks, (like the snipers have recruited others) . What that will take is to be aware of who is around me, where I choose to go, and what the news and media are telling me about the levels of infection in places I want to go. Then I will make my own, calculated risk assessments.

I really hope you can find peace with it all, Tannith, because the alternative is to stay hidden from the world and very lonely. That is not something I would wish for anyone.

"First thing I will say is that I am sorry you seem so anxious,"
That's just it Pipp, I don't feel anxious as long as I know I don't have to go out, but thank you for your concern. I shall look into all these delivery slots people say they get at midnight if I need them. At the moment all is well as Boris sends me a food box, and I can get priority slots. The slots could well disappear when Govt ends shielding, which I think they intend to do. The boxes certainly will - that's probably their motive in stopping shielding, though it costs nothing compared to all the furloughing and loans. At the moment I try to manage with one delivery a month to avoid too much contact with drivers checkout staff and pickers, though that is harder with Tesco who only allow 85 items. I try to get a few extra tins in case it all goes pear shaped like it was in March when over half of what you ordered didn't arrive.

 

[Pipp]

"First thing I will say is that I am sorry you seem so anxious,"
That's just it Pipp, I don't feel anxious as long as I know I don't have to go out, but thank you for your concern. I shall look into all these delivery slots people say they get at midnight if I need them. At the moment all is well as Boris sends me a food box, and I can get priority slots. The slots could well disappear when Govt ends shielding, which I think they intend to do. The boxes certainly will - that's probably their motive in stopping shielding, though it costs nothing compared to all the furloughing and loans. At the moment I try to manage with one delivery a month to avoid too much contact with drivers checkout staff and pickers, though that is harder with Tesco who only allow 85 items. I try to get a few extra tins in case it all goes pear shaped like it was in March when over half of what you ordered didn't arrive.

An alternative would be the helpers from local council. They are screened for health, and trained in infection control, and have all been cleared for working with vulnerable people.
I know someone, who is shielding and been overwhelmed by the kindness of strangers who are volunteers. There are many good people out there, you just have to reach out.

 

[Tannith]

An alternative would be the helpers from local council. They are screened for health, and trained in infection control, and have all been cleared for working with vulnerable people.
I know someone, who is shielding and been overwhelmed by the kindness of strangers who are volunteers. There are many good people out there, you just have to reach out.

The thing I have worried about for a while has happened. We have to call a plumber. There is a bad leak in the copper pipe in the roof space and water is coming through the bedroom ceiling. Has anyone any suggestions as to how we might protect ourselves from any infection from the plumber? It also looks as if we shall be unable to use the only bathroom and wc in the house for 72 hours after he has gone.

 

[bulkbiker]

It also looks as if we shall be unable to use the only bathroom and wc in the house for 72 hours after he has gone.

Why not? if he's fixing the pipe in the loft...

 

[HSSS]

The thing I have worried about for a while has happened. We have to call a plumber. There is a bad leak in the copper pipe in the roof space and water is coming through the bedroom ceiling. Has anyone any suggestions as to how we might protect ourselves from any infection from the plumber? It also looks as if we shall be unable to use the only bathroom and wc in the house for 72 hours after he has gone.

If the 72 hrs is to decontaminate then mask and glove up, bleach anything required (if it’s in the loft then maybe he won’t need to touch anything in the bathroom), carefully remove ppe, hand wash, then remove and wash clothing, shower. All good.