Working in a Nursery and Stricter Social Distancing

Just seeing the latest update from Asthma UK about who exactly needs to isolate for 12 weeks... I don't think I am covered as my Clenil Modulite is just under the dose they've classed as high, and although i was prescribed Montelukast I didn't get on with it, and my last course of steroids was just over a year ago... My question is, I work in a nursery so this whole socially distance thing is out of the question..... I am hoping tomorrow I will find out from my boss what is exactly happening with hours and staffing with regards to the partial closures that was announced last week... but I was just wondering if there were any other people in similar positions and still working and how they are handling all of this! The sensible part of me wants to call my GP surgery (but I know they are understandably overwhelmed at the moment and there will be people far more urgent and far more deserving of their precious time and resources than me as my asthma is stable at the moment), as due to my hay fever I'm very concerned! As soon as that kicks in properly my asthma nurse was on about upping my Clenil or changing it anyway, plus I'd be using my ventolin more! I hope everyone is staying well and safe x

[Xiave]

I think you'd need to be taking the higher dose clenil combined with another drug (e.g. montelukast or high dose steroid in a combined inhaler) for you to be in the 12-week 'shielding group', so you can relax a bit about that. As it stands though, you are still in the more general vulnerable category as someone who is eligible for the flu vaccine, so you should still be avoiding people as much as possible etc. You just don't need to completely shut yourself off from all human contact for 12 weeks like those at the highest risk (typically those on multiple medications and with histories of hospital admissions and recurrent oral steroid courses) do.

I would definitely say if you can stay home you should be, though, because you are at increased risk compared to the general healthy population, even though you're not highest risk. I know NHS England is offering some sort of self-certification for taking time off at the moment, but not sure if that's only the case for those with symptoms.

[Hidden in reply to Xiave]

Thank you! Would have to look into the self certificate you mentioned, as I would need something official like that for my boss in order to be able to stay off. I know that there is one on the 111 website but I believe that is for people who are self isolating because of symptoms. I'm lucky I can afford the time off, it's just that it would have to be something official and I don't want to put any extra pressure on my GPs. It's hard to know what to do for the best! X

[karalee97]

I’m in the exact same position as you! Although my asthma is bad when I get a respiratory infection, I also have an auto immune disease and have been contacted by coeliac uk that I am considered under the vulnerable list for that as well but not the high risk list. I expressed my co cern with the gp on Friday and they have signed me off for 2 weeks as even the gp said it would be impossible to social distance in a nursery (I’m sure you know that haha) I seem to pick up a lot of bugs and mostly respiratory infections from nursery since being diagnosed with an immune disease and get really poorly with them, I was in hospital feb 19 because I had a really bad chest infection and was admitted into hospital and there I was diagnosed with asthma, I’m hoping that they will consider with my medical history and hospital admissions that I will receive a letter as I’m petrified of catching this

[Hidden in reply to karalee97]

It is so scary, and hard to know what to do for the best isn't it! I guess we just have to do what's right to keep us safe.. it is so difficult when they say to social distance, but when it's not practical in our daily work what do we do! Stay safe x

[karalee97 in reply to Hidden]

You too! X