Do partners have to shield as well or can they shop?

[Trolleybus]

Apologies if I have missed this question from someone else. In the March 2020 lockdown my wife was told she hadto lockdown too. This time I've seen no advice.Have I missed it?

[sassy59]

Hi Trolleybus, as I understand it Pete has to be very careful because he’s vulnerable and should only go out if completely necessary. I can go out, obviously I’d be careful, but only for exercise or to meet one person from a different household outside in a public place i.e. Park. I’m sure I’ll be told if I’m wrong.

Take care xxxxx

[madonbrew in reply to sassy59]

That sounds about right for how I understand it too! 😊

[sassy59 in reply to madonbrew]

Phew! 👍💜❤️

[Trolleybus in reply to madonbrew]

Thanks Mad on brew for confirming. Better to be on the safe side.

[Bkin]

Avoid public transport - recommendation is stay at home.

4 links - for clinically vulnerable gov.uk/government/publicati...

For England all other: gov.uk/guidance/new-nationa...

Protecting people more at risk: gov.uk/guidance/new-nationa...

BBC the new lockdown rules for England:

bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-5...

[Oxygeniser in reply to Bkin]

Thanks Bkin. I understand all this. The question is does my wife have to shield too? i.e. Can't go to shops etc.

[Bkin in reply to Oxygeniser]

as above, recommendation is stay at home and don't use public transport if its not absolutely necessary in line with links above, ie she shouldn't be going out to socialise, but . This applies bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-5...

[Kristicats]

From what I understand we are all supposed to follow the same guidance , except .....the extremely vulnerable should not be going into shops, pharmacy’s or out to work until after 2nd December. Everyone can go out for exercise with one other person in a public park, countryside etc. Should not meet anyone indoors or in a private garden.

[Oxygeniser in reply to Kristicats]

Thanks Chriskho. What interests me is whether my wife has to shield like me or can she go shopping for us? Or do we have to ask neighbours (who will happily shop for us but that's not the point)? The rest I understand. With thanks - Trolleybus

[Bkin in reply to Oxygeniser]

Staying at home and seeing people

You should stay at home except for education, work (if it can't be done from home), exercise, medical reasons, shopping for essentials, or to care for others

Households must not mix with others indoors, or in private gardens

You can meet one person from outside your household in an outdoors public space. Children under five don't count

Support bubbles for people who live alone and single parent households can continue

All information is in the BBC link bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-5...

If you can get home deliveries its best to arrange this than go into chemist or supermarket for food and doing so puts your wife at risk and in turn you. the idea to stop the spread of the virus (same applies to your neighbours)

[Kristicats in reply to Oxygeniser]

When I spoke to my GP last time during shielding she asked me if I live alone . I said no. She asked if my husband went to work. I said yes. She said well you haven’t been shielding then!

Your wife can go shopping but if she does you are not shielding ( being shielded) so it’s up to couples/ families whether they protect the person shielding. You can however go out for fresh air walks together away from other people. I’m sticking to online shopping to avoid people but my husband still has to go to work. 🤷‍♀️Cx

[Sgt_Pepper in reply to Oxygeniser]

As I understand it shielding is not happening this time round - vulnerable people have a whole raft of advice to follow which is well detailed elsewhere on this site. The decisions are up to you - just be sensible but the advice from the government is just that - advice.

[Suzie42]

The way I see it is, if you are the vunerable one and the one you live with isn't, they are the weak link by going out food shopping etc. I ask my husband to do the same as me otherwise he will have to keep well away from me and lead seperate lives, I would be too worried !!!

[Oxygeniser in reply to Suzie42]

Thanks Suzie42 - It's what we did last time and almost certainly will this time. I was, and remain, wondering why Government guidelines do not mention folk like ourselves? Thanks again - Trolleybus

[hypercat54]

Advice to shield isn't law but guidelines. It's up to both of you to decide what's best for you in this regard.

[B_Asthma]

There is no shielding this time. However the advice for those 60 and older and those who shielded the last time, is to be extra careful.

[Daisy55]

Hi , I am my husbands carer and stay home , I felt the risk to him was too great to go out . I have ordered everything online since March and a lot before that and it has worked really well . We socialise online , keep in touch with our family and travel via you tube if we fancy a trip . Also we both craft .

[Oxygeniser]

Thanks to everyone who has shared their take on this question with me.I was, and remain, wondering why Government guidelines do not mention folk like ourselves? Thanks again - Trolleybus

[Bkin in reply to Oxygeniser]

It's all explained but you do need to read content fully.

[Maggie153]

Morning trolley bus. I received an email from Matt Hancock on Wednesday evening telling me who is ‘extremely clinically vulnerable’ that I had to be extra careful.

Guidance for clinically extremely vulnerable people

This guidance is for everyone in England who has been identified as clinically extremely vulnerable. The full guidance can be found online at gov.uk/coronavirus. This is additional guidance for clinically extremely vulnerable people, to help you protect yourself from the virus by following these shielding measures.

This guidance applies to clinically extremely vulnerable individuals only. Others living in a household with someone who is clinically extremely vulnerable are not advised to follow this guidance.

Socialising

The new National Restrictions from 5 November, which apply to everyone, mean that you must not leave or be outside of your home, except for limited purposes which are set out in that guidance.

We are advising clinically extremely vulnerable people to stay at home as much as possible, except to go outdoors for exercise or to attend essential health appointments. You may wish to meet up with one other person from outside your household or support bubble to exercise outdoors, for example in an outdoor public place, but we suggest that you always try to do so as safely as possible.

Try to keep all contact with others to a minimum and avoid busy areas. Whenever you go out continue to maintain strict social distancing, wash your hands regularly and avoid touching your face.

You should also try to stay 2 metres away from other people within your household, especially if they display symptoms of the virus or have been advised to self-isolate.

Shopping

You are advised not to go to the shops. Use online shopping if you can, or ask others to collect and deliver shopping for you (friends, family, or a volunteer, including NHS Volunteer Responders). If you already have a priority delivery slot with a supermarket that will continue, you do not need to do anything frther.

If you cannot access food, your local council can offer support. This may include helping you to request a priority supermarket delivery slot (if you do not already have one) or help with shopping. See below for details on how to register for support.

Medicines

You are advised not to go to a pharmacy.

You are encouraged in the first instance to ask a friend, family member, carer or a volunteer (for example one of the NHS Volunteer Responders) to collect your medicines for you. If none of these are available, then you will be eligible for free medicines delivery. Please contact your pharmacy to inform them that you are clinically extremely vulnerable and need your medicines delivered, and they will arrange this free of charge.

Hope this helps . X

[Valsha]

Hi Trolleybus

My husband is extremely vulnerable. We have more or less continued shielding since 12th March. We haven’t been in a single shop and our pharmacy delivers. In the summer we let up a little when our daughter came in our garden and we went to hers, but we haven’t been in each other’s houses. We did sit on a quiet part of the beach on really nice days. We are back to strict shielding now, except that I go out for exercise, on my own, (my husband can’t walk far anyway) and our daughter talks to us from a distance outside our garden. Thank goodness for WhatsApp and FaceTime! Our approach is that we have come this far, so we just need to hack it a bit longer and hope to goodness the vaccine turns up soon.

Officially, I don’t think the partner has to be as strict, but as someone else says, they would be the weak link, so why chance it?

All the best.

[Eastend555]

OK STAY IN AND DIE YOUR OLD JUST LIKE US

BORIS AINT GOTTA CLUE WHATS GOING ON SO HOWAREWESUPPOSED TO KNOW

LOCKDOWN THERE WAS MORE FIREWORKS GOING OFF LAST NIGHT AND THE STENCH OF SMOKE WHEN I WENT OUT THE GARDEN AT 23.00 WAS OVERWHEMING.

SO MY ADVICE IS FOLLOW YOUR OWN GUIDLINES KEEP SAFE

[hallentine47]

During the first lock down my wife shielded with me. So we isolated/shielded as a couple as one. But we had lots of community support and volunteers doing he shopping and collecting meds. This time there has been no support whatsoever from anywhere. So my wife will go shopping probably in the local Tesco. We have little choice as family are 200 miles away and friends are either shielding as well or no longer with us.

[strongmouse in reply to hallentine47]

It seems to me about minimising risks. My husband had a letter to say he had to stay 2 metres away from anyone living in the same household! I do stay in most of the time so in effect I am shielding with him. We both recognise how infectious this virus is and the huge risk to him if he does catch it of being seriously ill. At the same time we do need to look after our mental well being too. As has been said the guidance this time around is to minimise risks, but for instance you can go out for medical appointments.

Lung function tests here we come!

[hallentine47 in reply to strongmouse]

Thanks for your comments. I have now had my letter advising us to stay 2 meters a part if one of us shows symptoms. Again we will isolate as one but as you suggest we need to get out at times for the sake of mental health. My community nurses actually told me that should I get it, then to stay at home and be at peace with my wife rather than go into Hospital!!

[Georgiab123]

No just the person who got the letter or email, good job I relie on my hubby

[Patk1]

Its advice this time