Letter.

[benmaise]

I have a letter from the NHS telling me to stay at home for 12 weeks. I did stay in at first. I am now going for an I hour walk most days. I keep my distance from people. Surely I will be safe My age is 76 and I have Coeliac and AF. Does anyone else go out and have had a letter? I wonder if the letter is because of the AF or the Coeliac. Maybe both. Has anyone else have a letter and goes out.?

[bantam12]

Yes I've had 3 letters and 2 phone calls but I'm still going shopping once a week as no offers of supermarket delivery slots have been forthcoming. I have to pick prescriptions up from chemist and I also walk the dogs every day but we do live in a very rural area so I wouldn't meet anyone anyway.

Just be as careful as you can.

[S11m in reply to bantam12]

I shop for a shielding neighbour.

There is a national database of organizations co-ordinating help:

mutualaid.wiki/map

[KipperJohn in reply to bantam12]

If you are amongst those classified as being most vulnerable and are on the government database, then supermarkets like Sainsbury’s access it and will prioritise you for on.line shopping and delivery. Although over 70 and with underlying health conditions I am outside that category yet still manage to get either a delivery (last week it was the following day) or click and collect. This takes a lot of stress out of shopping- fortunately I also live in a very rural area so can get daily walks and fresh air.

Best wishes and take care.

Oops this is a reply to bantam 12!😀

[bantam12 in reply to KipperJohn]

You are lucky to be able to get delivery slots, just not happening round here, I guess because we only have a very limited number of supermarkets they are inundated with people wanting slots so can't keep up with demand.

I'm about to go shopping now so wish me luck !

[KipperJohn in reply to bantam12]

Of course- take care.

[S11m]

One size does not fit all - and how dangerous getting out would be would depend on where you are... and if you can maintain ample separation while you are out.

[Hidden]

There appears to be a lot of confusion about what folk should be doing (or not doing during the lockdown period. I haven’t got the information immediately to hand, but if I’m wrong, I’m sure someone will say.

1. Everyone got a letter from the PM’s office advising what the limitation were i.e social distancing, exercising, travel only for food, medication and work if unable to work from home. I recall that enclosed leaflets suggested over 70’s to be particularly careful if they had any underlying health issues.

2. Separately, 1.8 million (originally we were told 1.5 m) people received letters saying that they must stay at home for 12 weeks and that if absolutely necessary, they would receive the help they needed to survive the period of house arrest!! This was for folk with acute health conditions such as some cancers, transplanted organs, acute respiratory issues such as cystic fibrosis, COPD and some other serious conditions. I do not know whether Coeliac is in this category but AF isn’t.

Obviously, it would be unwise for anyone with acute health conditions who received this letter to ignore the advice given by the state but I think you should telephone your surgery and get clarification about your situation from them. As has been said, the problem is that some in this category are unable to get the help they really need to exist. Some “experts” now seem to be suggesting that provided social distancing is maintained, being in an open environment is safer than a closed one (apart from home) and it will be interesting to hear any plans for easing the lockdown later in the week.

I know one things for sure, my wife and I ain’t changing nuffin any time soon!

Stay safe.....

[benmaise in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for the advice flapjack. If it's not the AF then I don't think the Coeliac would make more at risk. I am well , and fairly fit, As long as I stick to my diet I am fine. It's very rare I have any bother with the AF.I will try and speak to the doctor. There are quite a few people with serious health problems and they haven't had a letter.

[Limoncello in reply to benmaise]

Can I ask you what your diet is? I know my AFib is diet-related, as it was a supermarket curry that tipped me overnight from occasional to permanent AF. I’ve had intermittent irritable bowel (D) for years but different things seem to affect me now.

[benmaise in reply to Limoncello]

I have a gluten-free diet as I have Coeliac. I hope you have had a test to see if you have Coeliac. I was treated for IBS for 18 years before I was diagnosed.

[Koassilator in reply to Hidden]

None the wiser/any the wiser.🙄

When we stay locked up in the spectrum of unsolved life stories and keep hiding in an arcane prism, life remains a mystery behind perpetual tensions and a journey in a world beyond appearances. (“Une femme peut en cacher une autre")

Yes, I am a prisoner of sorts, but my prison isn't the house. It's my own thoughts that lock me up! 🤔

'There's wiser wans locked up,' 🙄

[Hidden]

That sounds very profound, but I think I understand where you are coming from!

[fortunata]

If you’re keeping your distance from people and not touching anything while you’re out, you should be fine going for an hour’s walk every day. That will do you more good than being under virtual house arrest for 24 hours a day!

[Koassilator in reply to fortunata]

Touching me, touching you

I've got nothing else to do.

Diamond Lyrics, not mine. 🙄

[Maggimunro in reply to Koassilator]

Haha, lovely Niel Diamond. I remember it well.

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to fortunata]

Yes, when out for a walk, I've become very aware of doing my best not to touch any part when getting over a style that others may have touched - not easy!

[Enjoy]

I am 86 and have AF, am Asthmatic, have damaged lungs from TB as achild but I have not received a letter saying stay in. I have stayed in as per the daily instruction on television but definitely not received a letter from the government.

[Hidden in reply to Enjoy]

My 17 year old daughter got the letter last week because of her asthma. Which is a bit bloody late as she has been out walking daily before that. She is also autistic and suffers from really bad depression so we don't feel that we can stop her going for a walk every day, it is keeping her sane. She is scared to death about catching it and is walking late in the day and in open fields to avoid contact as much as possible

As usual the whole system is a mess. My mum who is 76 and has asthma and is registered at the same GP has not had a letter.

[FicusElastica]

One problem is that it's being treated as "one size fits all". We had a call from the "Vulnerable support" line and my partner said we were going for walks in a completely open area in the country. The nice lady said "Oh that is nice!" and was encouraging and everything was nice. 24 hours later he got a call from his surgery, saying "Have you had the letter?" We had one some time back. Well, he was going to get another letter, and if his wife went out, they would have to self isolate from each other IN THE HOME. It was the same letter, this time signed by the surgery. This is really scary. We are not being left to make our own intelligent decisions. The sad thing is I would be wary of discussing this with the surgery, as I don't think they have any discretion. If my partner stopped taking his medication he would be fine for a while but would be disabled down the line. The Government has just, last week, told the GPs to "proactively contact their high-risk patients to ensure they are accessing needed care and are receiving their medications". That is going to become a way of enforcing lockdown for those under "house arrest" (which we were told was voluntary) after the 12 weeks, while they get the rest of the country back to work.

There is help with shopping and prescriptions, but it is still difficult to get a shopping slot, the wait times for basics like milk and bread is always over a week, and getting green vegetables is a matter of chance. The supermarkets have increased their slots by hundreds of thousands - not blaming them, but there are nearly 2 million who need it, and many who need it who are not on the lists.

[Tapanac]

Yes I have had a letter, but I do wander my garden and walk up and down our road which is a cul de sac. My GP phoned me last saturday and he said that it was fine to go out for a walk as long as keep distance. No-one much around anyway. Enjoy your walk and try not to worry.

[Desanthony]

Yes, I am over 70 and although my wife is not she has three chronic lung conditions which gave rise to two letters to stay in for 12 weeks and shield. Although she has these conditions she is still fit and healthy and prior to this Covid 19 going to the gym at least 4 times a week with me. We go for a long walk early every day - crossing the road whenever we see someone coming towards us - generally only see 3 to 6 people when out on our walks, We have managed to get deliveries of groceries but are fed up with them as generally can't get what we want and substitutions not right and quality of fruit and veg questionable so we have decided now, as part of our exercise to walk to our local farm shop once a week to get fruit and veg and some meat if and when we need it and to go shopping once in a while at other shops. Friends of ours in a similar situation go to the local supermarket at 7pm as fewer people there and shelves are being replenished at that time. We have had some prescriptions delivered as they have a good system manned by volunteers at our little pharmacy. I know it seems daft but the pharmacy is so small it would be impossible to distance with ease - yes, you can stand 2mtrs away from people but to get to the counter and to get in/out of the shop you would probably have to pass within a couple of feet of someone else.

We feel Ok doing as we are doing and doing the best we can in the circumstances