Covid

[CPFC5239]

I have aortic regurgitation. With Covid and Flu, around this winter, am I right to avoid mixing with groups. I am due to attend one with invitees across the UK and Europe. My consultant did say to me “ you do not want to get covid”

Thoughts please

[BeKind28-]

Hello

It seems to be a bad winter for flu as well as covid yet we cannot stop going places or doing things however we can choose to be careful and try and avoid places where the risks of us catching them might be higher travelling across the UK and Europe could be a higher risk that you may pick something up yet going in your local supermarket you could pick something up

I would have maybe asked my Consultant what advice they had how to avoid catching anything and asked them what they thought about you doing this trip unless you did not know at the time you were going to be doing it

Personally after what my Consultant said I would not go but there will be many on here that would and chances are they would be fine

This one I think is for you to decide and I hope you make the right decision for you

Let us know how you get on x

[Yumz199725]

I have aortic regurgitation and moderate to severe aortic stenosis Im definitely being careful I been through enough last year with out starting this year of with covid or flu x definitely good idea keeping safe hope it helps.

[Silvertail]

If out and about in crowds I would definitely wear a mask.

[Qualipop]

YOur choice. If you do decide to go, do what you did during the pandemic ie mask and sanitiser. It may not prevent it but will help cut the risk. We can't shut ourselves away forever b ut we can reduce the risk. If it means a long time in a closed room, I personally wouldn't go. The hospital waiting room a few weeks ago worried me enough.

[Taviterry]

I've had all three jabs on offer to oldies, but am still being careful. Hospitals can be dangerous places for infection, and I'm visiting a private one to see a haematologist on Tuesday and have two appointments at the NHS hospital in the next month. It'll be interesting to see how careful the staff are. The GP nurse who took my blood sample on Friday wore a large visor.

My main concern would be on confined, crowded public transport.

[Loobycare in reply to Taviterry]

I hope you don't mind me asking, but as a fellow oldie, I and my siblings have only been offered two vaccinations - the Covid & Flu. What is the third you have been given? I too have a heart condition.

[Lowerfield_no_more]

You can't lock yourself away as others have said or your life will become a misery. However you can reduce the risk by wearing a mask at least FFP2 standard but certainly not those blue things we saw during the pandemic and which are more or less useless, by using hand sanitiser, and by having the jabs unless a health professional advises you shouldn't have one. And unless the protocol has changed in NHS hospitals since end Nov due to the increase in flu admissions, no one was masked up when I attended my local hospital for a blood test except me and a handful of other drop-ins .

[Lezzers in reply to Lowerfield_no_more]

We attended our local hospital over the Christmas period & pretty much most of the staff in A&E & the medical assessment ward were masked up. However, in a waiting room that was so rammed that relatives were told they couldn't stay with whoever they'd come in with as there was no room for them & so many ambulances queued up outside waiting to hand over patients, it must be a nightmare for the medical staff who would no doubt be concerned for their own health. Apart from ourselves, I didn't see any of the 'walking wounded' wearing masks, though I did see a discarded one on the floor outside A&E!

[fishonabike]

It is your decision in the end, but the factors which influence that decision might include:

A) have you had the flu and covid vaccinations you were offered, and RSV if you are over 70?

B) how important are any group events you might attend? For example are you expected to attend for professional reasons or are they for pleasure,? And can you attend virtually instead?

C) how willing are you to apply full protective and preventive measure for yourself as you travel and during attendance?

You might also want to bear in mind that every hospital admission for an avoidable infection makes extra demands on our depleted health services and puts others at risk