I'm a heart failure patient and my husband and I were told by the heart failure team to self isolate for 12 weeks. But we cannot get online deliveries of supplies because my diagnosis is not on the Government list of extreme health conditions. We live a long way from family so have no choice. We will have to shop in about a week when supplies run out. How are other heart failure patients coping with self isolating?
The High Risk List: I'm a heart failure... - British Heart Fou...
The High Risk List
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Bletchleygirl2
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47 Replies
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Why would you not isolate? Everyone should. And don’t understand why you cannot shop online for groceries.
Have you tried?
Hi gilread. Where I am it's impossible to get a delivery slot from any of the big supermarkets. Tesco, Asda, Sainsburys, Waitrose, Morrison. All fully booked for the current period - which I think goes up to mid-April. I suspect you're very lucky if you're getting deliveries as normal.
Yes and they still offer click and collect which is even quicker
No, they're not even offering that here! And apologies for spelling your name wrong 
I wish I lived near you!! M&S have stopped delivering. Waitrose are only delivering for the very vulnerable. Tesco's have no click & collect or delivery spots. I checked dates up to the middle of April and then gave up! No doubt Sainsburys is the same!
Must be lucky here. Small town of about 12000. Or local small corner supermarket has a daily free delivery and seniors given priority. Most of local community are helping with delivering essentials. Many ways of contacting helpers
Hope you appreciate how lucky! I live in a small town also, though not as small as yours and neither my husband or myself are seniors. Which area do you live in? You usually find smaller communities are more social minded.
North east of Scotland 🏴 not a senior myself but able to help in the area.
Great to hear you're able to help out. If you're having no delivery problems with tesco's and your local corner supermarket, might be a good idea to ask on your local social media (Facebook) if you can do shopping for others? Small gesture but may help take just a bit of pressure of the supermarkets delivery issues?
I have several friends and family trying to order online for vulnerable or high risk relatives and they just cannot get a delivery slot, sometimes after queueing for hours online.
However, local councils are now getting their act together and you should be able to find a hub on their website where you can email them with a request for help. With so many people kindly volunteering, some of them will be doing shopping to drop at the houses of the vulnerable.
You can’t do an online shop as all the slots are booked I’m in the same position it’s getting to be a slight worry now
J
Tesco. Asda are delivering as normal and are recruiting more drivers to meet demand. Tesco on restriction are that only 80 items per order. I received my order today no problem.
I have tried every supermarket. Morrisons actually took my order then I had to go into a queue for a delivery and they came up with a month of dates and everyone was not available.
I agree. I've managed to get a couple of slots but most of the time the sites just crash or put you in a 'virtual queue'. Do you have a local shop/grocers as some of them are doing deliveries now. You'll need to phone them as they may not have even a basic website. The other thing is to join a local 'covid-19' group on facebook who will have volunteers.
I have been trying to get a shop from Tesco. I keep trying but no slots. My daughter went on there yesterday and got a choice of 3 slots. So just keep trying like me and accept it will not be a quick delivery. I live in a rural area and our village have a group of helpers set up to do shopping etc for those who cant .
That may depend on what area you are in. I’ve tried ordering online and out of four shops, the soonest I can get a delivery is 22 April. After getting incredibly frustrated I decided to shop and click and collect, the nearest shops for me to collect was 19.2 miles away. I ended up going into my local sainsburys to inquire why I would have to travel so far and no one could give me an answer. If you’re not having a problem you’re very lucky.
Tesco are not delivering as normal at all. Every new day that becomes available is “fully booked” the instant it’s released.
Are there no local groups set up to help with shopping and deliveries ? Most places seem to have organised people to help locals and neighbours.
My local church has set up a list for people who need extra help. We call them and arrange deliveries of shopping and prescriptions etc. Might be worth calling them..
stillaboveground• in reply to
I was going to suggest the church
Try phoning your local spar . Ours is doing home deliveries .
Upto the new list being produced, chronic cardiac problems were in the group to self isolate.
What I find strange with the governments new list is that it contradicts most medical reports looking into Coron-virus deaths with underlying health problems. The largest group of deaths by quite a margin are people who suffer from Cardiac problems,followed by pulmonary. Have we been thrown under the bus to save money in the long run, probably.
tinyurl.com/wbb4ksk BMJ article
tinyurl.com/w5gk2qp Check Case fatality rate of Covid-19 by preexisting health conditions.
tinyurl.com/s9wsqle Full UCL article
I also quote from a UCL article here and please note the damming statement by the lead Doctor of this article.
Dr Banerjee said: “Cardiovascular disease, for example, is not on the government list of conditions announced today. But in this paper, we show that the one year mortality for people with cardiovascular disease is 6%; and for people with two or more underlying health conditions is 11%. To date, only people with single disease risks have been included in the high-risk group, and not those with multiple diseases who are at a greater risk.
“We urge the government to be transparent about how ‘extremely vulnerable’ groups are identified. If it is on the basis of high background mortality risk (pre-COVID-19), then the data and methods should be made available for public scrutiny.”
Luckily I have a few friends and neighbours (one of these is a coronary care nurse who knows about my numerous cardiac problems and is adamant I stay indoors) who will help me out,but as for online shopping no chance. The cat and I will just have to survive and again luckily I always kept my cupboards stocked.
I have read several similar reports taken from the deaths of people in India and Italy and yes heart issues seem to be the highest underlying health issue. US heart patients are being warned yet here we were took of the list a week or two ago!
think we should petition to the Govt to look at the facts and reassess the NHS letter well do another one this time INCLUDING us!.
I think we should petition to the Govt to look at the facts and reassess the NHS letter well do another one this time INCLUDING us!.I'm also at home hoping to survive with my cat I'm also just 25 years old.
Big supermarkets are still delivering to everyone, however you need to book your slot well in advance. I'd suggest to book the earliest slot now, even if your order is just one or two items. You can update your shipping list usually up to the day before so you can add to the list closer to the delivery date. Local smaller shops may also deliver, or you can use click and collect and try the local taxi service to collect it for you.
No slots being offered at Tesco. I keep trying. Goes up to mid April and nothing.
I live in Northern Ireland, we do not have the option of applying for the Government list. Yet Sainsburys has restricted online orders to that list. You cannot get through on the telephone and there is no customer care email address. Asda is booked up for 4 weeks and Tesco is the same. No Morrisons,Waitrose etc here and I live in a village which limits my slots even more greatly.
Amazon is very hit and miss,and you have to be very careful of price gouging as amazon marketplace sellers really pile it on. An example is 1 packet of 6 pouches, Sheba Fresh Choice £14.99. Yes £15 for 1 packet. Very limited supply of nearly all food and pet items.
I have heart failure and copd im lucky I'm on sainsbury's priority list because of my copd could you ring your shop and explain your situation and see if they will bring what you need to your door and leave it outside if they will ask them to ring you so you know how money to leave outside I'm sure they will everyone is trying to help them who need it do it as soon as shop opens then they won't be to busy
I do feel for you, it’s a very difficult situation for vulnerable people at the moment and one I think many people just don’t understand. I have also tried to book delivery slots from all the main supermarkets and it’s not a case of picking a slot further out, they simply don’t offer any dates at all ( if you ever even get to that point). I have a couple of ideas. Some people I know have managed to order groceries via Amazon, so that’s an option. Also, local farm shops are offering a delivery service ( usually via phone call) and in our area there are companies they usually supply restaurants selling meat and vegetables that they can deliver. I think it’s worth googling the last two options ( farm shops, restaurant suppliers). In addition we have a local Facebook group with many younger/ fitter people offering to do shopping and help out. If you look up Facebook and the name of your town or area you might find a group that is helpful. I hope some of this helps. My husband has severe heart failure and we are also trying to isolate completely.
Try your local council. They may be able to connect you with help. Also heard Booths supermarket are doing deliveries for those without support. May be worth a try. Hope you get help soon.
Your local authority will have links into voluntary groups who should be able to assist
I have heart problems cannot get a delivery slot And not received a letter so had to have click and collect slot and take precautions when we pick shopping up perhaps you could manage to do that.
You must try every avenue and stay in.What about neighbours the church not a time to be proud .Contact Local radio atations with your plight .GOD bless you both and good luck
I AM on the extremely vulnerable list, getting texts from Gov.uk and got my letter. I am in total lockdown for 12 weeks minimum. Still can’t get a slot. There are simply none available. Full stop!
Hopefully the supermarkets will soon prioritise those Of us who are shielded and those who are older or vulnerable due to health/heart issues, and simply can’t risk going to a shop.
Dear Winifred Nora
I am in exactly the same position as you. Sainsbury’ s originally indentified me as a priority case and I received an order but when ai tried again this week I was told to reapply and like you My condition is not on the list yet my heart care team have told me not to go out So what do I do to get food?
As others have said I have the same problem. My husband has heart failure. But I have to go back to my care job next week any way and may be shopping for others, so shopping for ourselves seems less of a risk in comparison. No chance to isolate for us. Try small shops they are coming into their own and are very happy to help. Failing that I went to M & S in desperation as I wasn't prepared to queue at the regular supermarkets and they were very stringent in applying the infection control, wiping down trollies and key pads after use. and offering hand sanitiser to customers as well as reducing the number of customers in the shop.
Are you on Facebook? All areas have local groups where people are offering to shop for those who can't get out. There's also a new group called "Next door" sign up for that and ask for help. Failing that your local council should know of local groups.
If you contact your local authority they will be delivering food packages. Even though you are not on the list that has come out, you can call them and request one.
All local authorities has this advice from government yesterday.
Many of you have mentioned local councils, I have found mine to be as much use as a chocolate teapot! That’s the polite version, I physically can’t get to supermarket to shop, been doing online shops for years.
I did manage to get cat food from Amazon before they put their prices up. I don’t care what I eat can make do and mend, my kitties can’t
J
Hi I have an ICD with defibrillator and I haven’t been told that I am following government guidelines confused now.
Have you considered speaking to your local councillor? They do have information on volunteers and/or council services for people in your situation.
Hi, I saw your post, just an idea could you ship online and do the click and collect, I know Tesco and Sainsbury do it. Do you drive as you could drive to the click and collect station which were I come from is away from the branch, so not near so many people. It’s not what you need but maybe a solution . In the past I drove to the click and collect, my order was ready I had already paid for it online, bags in the boot and drove off.
Hope this maybe helps.
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