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

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.

 

reading that, @JohnEGreen it appears that only those who are shielding and living alone are going to be allowed out. This is from second paragraph:-

“Those living alone will be able to meet one other person from another household while maintaining social distancing.”

So, unless I kick out the significant other, (who has, to protect me, seriously curtailed all activities, beyond lockdown requirements), nothing changes.

Despite the cabin fever, frustrating as it is, I have no intention to come out of isolation just yet.

News reports, and what I am seeing and hearing from my cell, err I mean house and garden, suggest people have decided lockdown is done with. There will be a huge surge in cases inthe next couple of weeks, and I am not going to chuck away the last couple of months.

edit: ok, I read it again, and realise that paragraph 2 refers only to people living alone.Rest of us can go out with one other member of household. Still think I will do some watchful waiting.

 

That could be a very long wait, @Tannith.
I intend to keep watching and be in charge of my own break for freedom, at a time that I believe is safe.

 

Here in Queensland we are getting ready to move on to stage two of the road map for easing restrictions.

https://www.covid19.qld.gov.au/__da...150/DPC7309-COVID-19-Restrictions-roadmap.pdf

It's still a month away before the bowls club I am a member of club re-opens though.

Edit: typo

 

No, if not living alone, can't meet anyone but can go out with one member of own household. If a person is living alone they can meet one person while outside. It to allow people without gardens to get some Vit D.

Remember people who are shielding are not legally required to keep to the advice.

 

I'm still thinking about it I can't see myself hiding from this virus indefinitely but am not sure if now is the right time to venture out. If I do I shall be suitably attired mask, gloves and the goggles won't be on my hat I shall also be carrying a 2 metre pole with which to ward off those who get too close.

 

Yes, I got that, thanks, after carefully reading the article again.

 

I understand where you are coming from, John. I am desperate to get out for a walk, but living near a tourist attraction park, where there have been reports of people staying all day for picnics and boozy get togethers, I am wary. I mean, no toilets open, so what are they doing when they need to use the lav? Also, having only been able to walk around my garden, I think I will have to buildup my distances slowly. Think I will wait until it is raining, and go out very, very early.

 

I fear it may be a very long wait indeed, but I shall just have to put up with it. People are ignoring lockdown now. There are crowds everywhere who apparently think the lovely weather is an excuse to go out spreading the virus. Then something happens like the recent accident on the beach at Durdle Door and you see people practically huddled together when ordered to get off the beach quickly to allow the emergency helicopters to land. The ignoring and lifting of lockdown is bound to increase the R rate, so it will be less safe to go out over the next 3 weeks or so than it was last month. And that's without the kids going back to school.

 

As shielding is advice surely the authorities should just give some reasons why people might want to reduce their caution rather than say what you can and can't do. People shielding have never been stopped from going out, so they need some reason why it is now a good idea when it wasn't before.

 

That is exactly it, @Mr_Pot . I was never given reason why I am deemed ‘clinically extremely vulnerable’, never given priority access to supermarket deliveries, or the free essential food packages, so have effectively been making my own mind up. I believe that as someone with an incompetent immune system I am not suddenly going to be any less vulnerable overnight, and so will keep assessing the situation, and choose when it appears less risky for me.

 

"I am not suddenly going to be any less vulnerable overnight," Absolutely, Pipp,. None of us is. I don't know what they are playing at. Maybe it's an excuse to stop sending the food boxes sooner?They can't cost much - a tenner each cost price perhaps, they are pretty poor quality. But they do mean you wouldn't starve if the supermarkets stopped sending deliveries. I never got any explanation in my letter as to why I am on the list, I don't think anyone does, I think they are standard letters. Mine was identical to the example shown online. One size fits all. If I were you I would go on the government site and try to register, as it might be this that gets you on the database. Once there, the supermarkets get your name and put you on their lists for priority deliveries.

 

Cheers. I am registered on government site.
Lucky that I get food delivered from independent local Deli. Not a thing from government, not that I want their food offering or supermarket priority. If I had been needy I would be in big trouble!

 

I did not ask for the boxes but they keep on turning up last week we gave one of the boxes to a lady up the road who is a single mother with a child that has some serious medical issues but gets very little help.

The time before we phoned a local food bank group and passed a box on to them.

 

My box this week had a note in it saying how to cancel them, but I'm not going to as I am glad to get especially potatoes and bread (albeit white sliced) regularly. I find it hard to get fresh stuff from the supermarket and there is still no flour at all to make bread. Three weeks running, the carrots were slimy and one lot was so seriously rotten that we had to put it straight outside because the smell was so bad. I am trying to minimise supermarket deliveries anyway, and get them down to once every 2 months perhaps. I think they are riskier than the food boxes because they involve at least one picker, a checkout operator and assistant, and a delivery driver. The food boxes involve fewer people and also because there is no fresh or frozen, they are probably packed longer before delivery than the supermarket stuff. (Weeks in the case of the carrots!). The only way the virus can get into my house is through deliveries, so I am not going to let up on being careful with them.

 

2 months! I get a Sainsbury's delivery about every 10 days. Stuff we don't need immediately and doesn't need refrigeration we just leave for a few days, the rest we wipe with dilute bleach or rinse. We had some fruit and veg boxes from a local supplier but there was too much stuff that we didn't want and too little that we did.

 

Judith is not diabetic neither is Melody officially so they can eat most of what I don't wish to or can't.

 

Regarding food, I really don’t mind not having free food boxes. They seem a bit of a waste. Nor do I mind, personally, not being given priority supermarket delivery slots.
Although I would much prefer to pick my own food, I have found local independent suppliers to be more than willing to listen to my requests on phone, then provide quality, locally produced food, delivered to my doorstep. They are trying to survive, so eager to please. They win, and so do I.

As for lockdown easing, I was ready, though reluctant, to get out of confinement, so went for an early walk for 40 minutes today. Quite surprised to find my legs actually work still. Feel much better physically and mentally for having done so.

 

Your brave I'm still thinking about it.

 

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.