I must admit, my family have been pretty supportive. Hubby is an essential worker (transport). His company has bought them the best PPE from the start. He has the option to work from home (he is a manager-the construction side of transport). If he does go to the office, which he does mainly-don’t know what this says about me haha-it is to an office that holds about 40 people, never more than 10, screens own area, alcohol gel everywhere etc. Both sons have been working from home from the start apart from one day when the go back to work thing happened. Both their employers decided it was better and safer for them to work from home. None of them can understand why I can’t wear a mask. I’m the only one out of us all that has an underlying health condition. Hubby is the same age as me, one son is 33 the other is 28.
In my case, it’s the people I work with and above who seem to be struggling to understand. However, I still feel isolated because they all think I should be able to make them see reason.
I totally sympathise! I think if those who were not vulnerable were not taking such strict precautions it wouldnt be so stressful. The difference between your work situation and your husbands sums it up perfectly. If you had described that situation a year ago it would have been unthinkable!
Once again it's down to public perception. Social care and education, and in particular education have been devalued for years. When public services were being cut initially it was mainly staff cutbacks. There was zero public sympathy as anyone working for local government was viewed as having excessive wages and massive pensions. For those in the higher tiers maybe,but frontline workers in schools,day centres,social work not the case. Yes you have better terms and conditions but only in terms of what other professionals consider basic such as sick pay and permenant contracts.!
The bad press has continued,teachers are overpaid and under worked etc etc. I'm not sure there is much concern about any teaching staff let alone vulnerable ones!
Today Independent Sage discussed the issues faced by schools. All of which totally foreseeable and preventable(but it would have taken investment and organisation of extra teaching spaces). Its interesting listening. One speaker mentions briefly that opening up schools could be viewed as another way of promoting herd immunity. Even on independent Sage vulnerable groups are rarely mentioned. A member of the public today did raise a question of protection of high risk groups who had to work and were at risk. The answer seemed incredibly vague and seemed to rely on those infected being isolated.
Another interesting article in independent briefly discussed how Coronavirus is different from other pandemics,especially the Spanish Flu. The crux is how highly infectious it is before people show symptoms. Looking back over other scares such as bird flu,swine flu etc etc I dont remember feeling any sense of risk although perceived as serious.
I received an email off Diabetes Uk today saying how they were approaching the government along with other charities regarding support for extremely vulnerable groups. Two things stood out for me in the email. Firstly there seemed to be a leaning towards those that were shielded,necessary but I'm not holding out for a fight on behalf of those who high risk but not shielded. Secondly,other than at the very beginning of the pandemic diabetes seems to not be mentioned. I've not seen any coverage by charities representing high risk groups.
Again it's down to public perception of who the vulnerable or high risk are. Any comments section on any article regarding this will frequently state that it's hard but those that are vulnerable just have to self isolate. Much is said of those who may not be medically vulnerable facing exposure to the virus to keep a roof over their heads. Never seems to occur to people that high risk people in same position or if it does theirs not a lot of concern.
Those that are dying are seen as being over 70,a group who have been devalued any way.
I think another area that seems to get a lot of publicity is those that are in vulnerable groups but very publicly ignore the risk or ridicule it. It's their opinion and their choice but they seem to get more coverage than those in the situation we have found ourselves in.
So yes,we do find ourselves as high risk individuals in employment where we are exposed to high levels of the virus. It's a situation those not vulnerable to the virus but who were hairdressers for example by law wouldnt be allowed to be in! No wonder we feel gas lighted.!
I think there are too many of us. Our employers hands are tied. As our the Unions. The government simply isnt interested,we are inconsequential.
I think the recent school meals argument shows perfectly how the government thinks. They blame the parents and show a total lack of humanity. Of course within 24 hours small and large businesses are offering lunches,same way as food banks supplement low pay and a not fit for purpose benefit system. The government havent had to spend a penny. They must be rubbing their hands with glee!