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

DCUKMod

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Loft hatch is in bathroom

Tannith - Do you have an appointment for the plumber? In your shoes, with your concerns, this is what I would do.

Firstly, on the appointed day, clear as much as you can from the bathroom - toiletries etc (to make it super easy to clean afterwards). Then, I would ensure I had a mask and gloves for the plumber. I don't know how your house is configured, relative to the public footpath, but I would then put the mask and gloves in an envelope, with a note to the plumber.

In the note, I would outline the arrangements. He rings the doorbell, you open the latch and go into a room where you will stay. He lets himself in.

Your note tells him where to go in the house, and he should telephone you to discuss what the problem is or anything else he needs to discuss.

He gets on with the job.

In the bathroom, leave out anti-bac wipes or whatever, for him to wipe over the hatch when he finishes. Have the window open for as much fresh air as you can.

He calls you when he has finished. He lets himself out, and goes onto his next job.

When he goes,don your best marigolds and give the bathroom a good going over. If you have cleared the surfaces etc., it should be very quick and easy. Leave the window fully open

Pay him over the phone.

That's straight from the hip, but it's certainly doable. You can be in the room next to where he is working, if that makes you feel safer, or go as far away as you can in the house, or garden.
 

ringi

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The risk of the plumber being infected is now likely to be under 1 in 400, the risk of transmission is very low unless you are within 2m of someone for more then 10 minutes.

Opening windows before her/she arrives would be wise, other then that, just keep out of the way.
 

JohnEGreen

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@Tannith The best advice any of us here can give is for you to do what ever it takes to make you feel safe if that means using a porta potti for a few hours then do that no one here can guarantee your safety even though the risk may be very low it's up to you to decide on the risks you feel comfortable with.

A couple of weeks into the lock down we had our gas boiler and flue completely replaced this entailed several workmen coming in and out until the job was completed the work men where very responsible and maintained their distance throughout I kept well away from them all and afterwards we deep cleaned thoroughly the boiler as it happens is situated in our bathroom this was in March/April period and we are fine. We felt we had to take the risk as without the boiler we had no hot water or heating and we had already been without it for over a month.
 
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Tannith

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@Tannith The best advice any of us here can give is for you to do what ever it takes to make you feel safe if that means using a porta potti for a few hours then do that no one here can guarantee your safety even though the risk may be very low it's up to you to decide on the risks you feel comfortable with.

A couple of weeks into the lock down we had our gas boiler and flue completely replaced this entailed several workmen coming in and out until the job was completed the work men where very responsible and maintained their distance throughout I kept well away from them all and afterwards we deep cleaned thoroughly the boiler as it happens is situated in our bathroom this was in March/April period and we are fine. We felt we had to take the risk as without the boiler we had no hot water or heating and we had already been without it for over a month.
Plumber has been and gone. The leak is stopped. There was no choice but to get it done,water was pouring through the ceiling. Someone suggested clearing out the bottles of toiletries to make cleaning bathroom afterwards easier, which was a good idea I hadn't thought of. We opened what windows still will open to create a draught. My biggest worry was breathing in plumbers germs more than surfaces, which we could & did clean. But he wore a mask, as did my son who lives with me and is also shielding (partly to protect me, partly because he has excessively high blood pressure and is at some risk himself).Son (who knows whereabouts of pipes etc) showed him in and I hid in my room. And it was all over so fast we didn't have to put corks in our bottoms!