Hello everyone..
Has anyone heard anything official or had any conversations with Thier consultants or GP , regarding the end date regarding shielding.
I'm currently on w&w .
Work is now expecting me back to work next Monday, but I keep reading that shielding will end at the end of July .
Feel a bit in limbo .
Waiting for the next advice from the government is certainly cutting it a bit fine .
Thank you.
In 45 minutes we will be live talking to leading haematologists about changes to England Shielding in an update webinar - please join us
🔴 England leukaemia patients' shielding update and Q&A on 22nd June, 10:30am.
Professor Adam Mead of Oxford, leader of the NIHR MPN Clinical Studies Subgroup, Dr Renata Walewska UK CLL Forum Chair and consultant haematologist at Royal Bournemouth Hospital and Dr Amit Patel consultant haematologist, Cellular Therapies and Stem Cell Transplantation at the Christie, Manchester.
us02web.zoom.us/webinar/reg...
Thanks for the heads-up. I listened to the webinar while doing household chores. The panel included three haematologists.
Our resident patient representative on the panel will no doubt give us a full run-down, but here are some of the messages I took home:
- No-one knows whether shielding arrangements will be extended after June, each home nation expected to do its own thing
- Many shielders are finding it difficult with 10% feeling they need counselling
- Shielders should not fear going to hospital for necessary investigations and treatment, most hospitals and surgeries have good safety measures in place
- The risk of exposure to C19 in the community is very low at present, fewer than 1 in 1,000 people infectious
- Treatment of C19 cases is much improved since the early stage of outbreak
- CLL patients unsure of their immune status should ask their care team
- Shielders venturing out should avoid shops and other enclosed spaces and should wear face protection
- We may have a C19 vaccine this year, the leading candidates being trialled don't contain active virus, though the Oxford vaccine may need to be safety-tested on immune-compromised patients.
Wrote/emailed my MP yesterday about being kept in limbo as the country keeps on being given social presents as it moves towards normality.
The initial response to my “Shielding Cruelty” letter today; was release hoped for at the end of July. But that was from the office and not he MP. Hopefully she can put the question to Matt Hancock/Boris.
But we need this officially in writing.
It’s easy to email your MP. Just go on to their constituency web site to get the address.
Best Wishes
Also emailed MP, no response as yet. Due to have telephone consultation with Haematologist on July 1st. Will be asking for advise regardless as to what the Government advices is. Eight days before the 'end of shielding date, and still no "individual letters"? This has now resulted in me losing all confidence in anything that is "advised" by the Government, due to pretty no scientific advise since my NHS letter on 25 March.
Personally, if the 2 meter rule is removed and face masks in public do not become compulsory, I shall return to not going out side of the boundary of my home.
As I emailed the MP “Shielding Cruelty”. I did put “discrimination of a minority of the population” as well!
I tried that and got a standard reply to questions I hadn’t asked, so obviously no one actually read it just flagged up Covid reply. It’s quite annoying because I know MP’s have research assistants to deal with constituents queries.
Colette
Well they have made decisions today. Yippee. Back to work on 1st August. Positive statement from Health Secretary.
I’ve heard I can mix with 6 people outside from 6th July and all shielding will be lifted from 1st Aug
Yes - that's what I understand from the press conference today. Back to work then on 1st August - just hope I can fit into The Uniform! I feel a sense of trepidation about all this but we shall see. Best wishes to all x
August 1st will bring me up to 20 weeks of shielding 🤦♀️
I actually shed tears listening to the briefing this evening!
Newdawn
Happy tears ??
No, tears of realisation of what we’ve had to go through and that it’s not over at all yet for a long time.
Newdawn
No it isn't l will feel quite nervous l think but its not one fits all and l am nowhere near bad as lots on here,my numbers are good compared to lots of you but l know l am still compromised, please take care and stay safe 💕
Hello Newdawn.
Don’t be sad - sending you a hug 🤗
I know it’s been hard. I did feel a little more positive yesterday ( we’ve strictly shielded too, for 21 weeks on the 1st August) and are not prepared to go out just yet, but I think over the next few weeks we shall see just what is happening with new Covid 19 cases and deaths, so wee will make decisions around that, along with medical advice. Believe me, I listen to all the doctors and scientists interviewed each day and, whilst they all have slightly differing views, they are all saying the virus is still there...
I have always thought that Jenny Harries , Deputy CMO, has made a lot of sense when she has spoken and yesterday, if I remember correctly, she said that shielders, whilst being given these go- aheads, should still stay at home as much as possible. Paul and I are fortunate in that we don’t work - that must be an incredibly difficult decision to make. I think she was saying that although these dates are being put forward, we should still be sensible about it.
I miss our sons and grandchildren too, but they live hundreds of miles away and we have to travel by train, so I think those journeys might be a way off yet. Our granddaughter, who has her 6th birthday in August, has said she will save us places at her picnic party, in case the virus has gone!
She told me, when I said last week about missing her hugs, “Don’t worry Nanna, I still remember what you feel like” - that set me up for the day 😢!
Keep smiling everyone, and look out for your “personal” letters.
Stay safe,
Fran 😉
I thought the briefing was good to be fair, we've all had a very weird 3 months, I thought meeting up to 6 people outdoors is a good idea , it is going to be strange for me when I return to work with 400 people indoors , this is a gentle nudge towards a bit more normality.
Also a definitive end date...
Might be controversial but I thought the briefing was good .
Yes, hubby has had a Govt. letter stating he is now out of the shielding but to observe caution, so we celebrated with a visit to the garden centre.
I'm confused, I thought everyone that is currently shielding will do so until the 1st of August..
My husband has had a total of 4 letters, the last one was a week ago, and it stated that his period of safeguarding was now at an end. He is on W/W so hasn't had any treatment, that in itself may be a factor.
No, I am not feeling grumpy on this beautiful morning after my dawn walk.
However I agree with John Crace in today's Guardian that yesterday's shielding announcement was premature. We will learn about more general relaxations to lockdown from the buffoon in chief, sorry PM, later today. Modifications to the physical distancing regulation will change the environment dramatically. Reduction from 2 to 1 metres will increase the risk of transmission significantly. My assessment of the environmental risk to us, immune impaired or deficient, means that I will not be going shopping or thronging anytime soon. Since the UK gov approach is to follow the science, when it suits, it would have been much more sensible to evaluate the consequences of whatever is announced today before changing and ending shielding so quickly.
Looking forward to seeing but not yet hugging grandchildren later.
Michael
Thank you Michael for pointing out that article, it made interesting reading and I believe he was saying what most of us are thinking.
We shall have to all swop notes when we get our eagerly awaited letters.
Impressed at your getting up so early. 8am will be my walk time.
Regards
Colette
Quite agree Michael, I know we don’t do politics on here but my personal opinion is that the majority of what has been announced recently and will be announced today are commercial decisions and not necessarily with the vulnerable’s best interests in mind.
I guess we’ll have to make our own decisions as to what risks we’re prepared to take and although I would love a mooch around the shops I don’t feel that it’s safe for me to do so, so won’t be going.
Also, read yesterday that a cohort of people in China who previously had the disease were tested for antibodies a few weeks later and the antibodies were non existent, if true this, in my view makes herd immunity a non starter? I’m sure someone on here will correct me if i’ve got this wrong!
Shooey
Morning everyone, I've just received my update letter from NHS/UK Government regarding pausing of Shielding for the clinically vulnerable.So basically going back to work in August as long as my employer can guarantee my workplace is Covid-19 safe!? Not sure if that could ever be the case,but no point living life in a plastic bubble.
As far as I am aware the shielding will end on 4th July but you would still have to be outside with other people who you dont live with , and it will be coming to an end by end of August where we can go out to the shops and mix with others provided we keep the social distancing and make sure we carry on with the hygine
The press release is here: gov.uk/government/news/plan...
Which states: "From 1 August, those who need to work and cannot do so from home will be able to return to work as long as their workplace is COVID secure, adhering to the guidance available"
But the official guidance (gov.uk/government/publicati... has yet to be updated and still gives the data as 30th June
Hopefully, the guidance document will be updated to reflect the press release later today...
I'm surprised that some people have already received a letter informing them that shielding is to be discontinued from 1 August when this was only announced yesterday.
With further unlocking in sight - hotels, pubs, restaurants, trains, buses, airports, workplaces - and with contact tracing and testing STILL a long way short of fully operational, the coming change should give us all pause for thought. Some will be relieved they can return to work, understood. Most will relish the prospect of seeing family and friends again. ALL of us with low immunity should resist the herd's tendency to slip back into old routines. Yes, it may well be that only 1 person in 1000 is now Covid19 infectious, but as we've seen in other countries where groups of people have come together again, local outbreaks can happen fast. The government, under great economic pressure, has laid the ground for a much more joined-up society than we've seen for months. But in the absence of joined-up measures to control a second wave, they are gambling with people's lives.
Go carefully.
Just received my official letter today from Government to stop Shielding from 1st August
I got my letter from NHS this morning. Just reading it - it is very patronising, and signed by Matt Hancock and Robert Jenrick.Wecan go back to work from 1st August IF and only IF the workplace is "covid safe". We will be able to go to shops and supermarkets and churches. But they realise that we may not feel ready to do this, it might take time for use to feel safe. Food parcels stop at end of July, but we will still be on the register for people shielding because of extreme clinical vulnerability, and our supermarket priority slots will remain. It is only "personal" because it has my NHS number on it, and it says "Dear ****"
I’ve just received my shielding letter telling me what I already knew but in truth I feel the Govt have tried to make efforts to protect the most vulnerable even if it’s been clunky and inconsistent at times. I appreciate it wasn’t pure altruism however as we represented an enormous risk to the NHS.
It doesn’t address the reality of shielders living with family where other members now need to integrate by going back to work and school. We can form bubbles but we can’t live in them.
So in my case it’s just a matter of, ‘as you were’.
Newdawn
I wonder who is legally responsible for ensuring that the workplace is "Covid safe", and if it's the employer whether they are entitled to exclude clinically vulnerable employees from the workplace on the grounds that it cannot be made safe for them, and if so who if anyone is going to pick up the tab.
I felt that yesterdays briefing was quite good. Jenny Harries is a clear thinker and explains the facts well I believe. I do also think that shielding does have to come to an end and that we all need to make our own decisions based on what we believe to be appropriate for us. The range of vulnerability within the shielding group makes it difficult for there to be a one size fits all approach in the longer term. I do of course accept that it is much more complicated if you are looking at returning to work. We are retired so it makes the decision making simpler. For me personally the advice received from my very helpful consultant has been much more useful than any "general guidance" for shielders which this , or any government, could offer. I also really wish that the BBC would not keep saying that we are not "allowed" out. It is only advice and we can actually do as we please. Based on my consultants advice I have been taking regular daily exercise for six or seven weeks now, without problem. I don't wear a mask but then it is not advised that you wear one when exercising and we never go into shops etc.
Received a letter today detailing the situation for me as a vulnerable person shielding. Probably about what I’m doing anyway! Still, nice to know they’ve not forgotten ...... bit odd to think that the U.K. is the only country in the world that went this route. Must say I have been very grateful to the supermarkets giving me priority on deliveries - though I‘m champing at the bit waiting for the risk of shopping “for fun” to come down enough.....still, we’ve got this far. Keep well and careful everyone.
I feel that the government are getting the blame for a lot of things. It is the virus that is to blame. Im not sure what people want. Do they want to be told that they can go out and do what they like regardless of the fact the virus is still out there?
We should have been locked down sooner. Events should have been cancelled and a proper test and trace app should be up and running. Everything too late.
What should WE be doing now? We are allowed out. We are not prisoners waiting for instructions. We do need to social distance and wear a mask if there is a chance we will be close to people.
It is up to us to decide who we spend time with outside. We need to work out what is safe.
I dont intend going in shops and Im really grateful we can get priority shops.
I feel the government are giving it another month so that we can see what happens now others are allowed to go in more places indoors.
Gradually we can decide for ourselves but social distancing wont go away. I am so glad I dont work. You have a dilemma. Other people are testing it out for us.
Anne uk
Agree Anne. But for work I would happily make my own decisions as to how much or little I want to re join society.
I’m on the England list not the Welsh. I can only assume because my first haematology appointments were just over the border in England. This in itself has caused problems as I was on none of the Welsh lists.
Fortunately, my manager is willing to accept a shielding letter From my consultant for the extra time in Wales and again, fortunately, the hospital are happy to provide one. How this would have worked if I had needed other help (food parcels, benefits for example) I don’t know.
Our first Minister when accused of cruelty said ‘It’s the virus that’s cruel not me’. I tend to agree.
I am grateful for his cautious approach but oh how I long to be ‘free’. I am one of the lucky ones-good friends, family who communicate every day, large garden-I feel sad for those less fortunate. I do envy those however who have their families close but I try to keep that to myself!
Peggy 😀
This is an unbelievably terrible experience. We dont know where it will end.
Even though I have it clear in my head, it is invisable and hard to believe that someone could kill us without knowing.
Going out is simple I think. Wear a mask and clean and sanitise your hands. Where are these people that are our enemies?
Now we wait. Lets see if the relaxation of rules causes more cases. If not we can feel more reasured.
We can only hope a vaccine or treatment comes soon. On an optimistic note, when you have to return to work things may be more promising. I have seen my family but now my grandson has been to school, they cant come near me.
Everyone is feeling the strain and I am glad its not me who has to reduce lockdown. Cant please all the people all the time and unfortunately politicians cant wave a magic wand. I hope things relax and you can see your family. Its so hard.
I had better get out of bed on the other side tomorrow. Anne uk
Leukaemia Care Webinar: Navigating changes as shielding pauses
Watch and Wait Advice Needed please
Survey on the Effects of Shielding
Shielding letter from Scottish Goverment
