Work

[Angela-78]

I have lupus & work in a supermarket should i be going to work ? Any advice would be great

[Hidden]

Personally? I think if you are on this site (so, high risk) you should stay home. Especially at a super market you are touching a lot of things others are touching. But, to play it safe, maybe get a hold of your doctor and ask them?

[Angela-78 in reply to Hidden]

I take 1 200mg of hydroxychloroquine a day & feel fine in myself im still so unsure about this illnesses thanks

[Ssmart in reply to Angela-78]

I have RA and work in one too.

Also just in hydroxy but twice a day 200mg

[CarolMcl]

I would agree with that advice, my Dr contacted me today after I phoned for advice. Now I'm officially self isolating

[KayHimm]

I agree with Brooksidecourt. Supermarkets are not good places for high risk people. Are you on steroids or immunosuppressants? I am not on either and am quarantined with mild symptoms. I am not planning to go to stores when I am out of quarantine even though I am lower risk UCTD and not on immunosuppressants.

Stay well.

K

[Forgot2mention]

I work in a factory, but no clear guidelines as to what we should do. Place has been in uproar today. We don’t make anything that is essential. All work that we do is now just going to be sitting there as most places are closed. Absolute madness. It will only take 1 person to get ill and they will be sued. 1 idiot has had a cough for a few days but still turned up to work, he soon got sent home

[Forgot2mention]

No, sorry as far as i know i don’t have any underlying illness. , well none that could be viewed as high risk.My granddaughter has lupus. The point I was trying to make is there has been no clear guidelines about factory workers, they say don’t go to work, but on the other hand if you can’t work from home then you can go out to work. This needs to be addressed so we know we are safe. I keep my team away from each other, but there are still so many at work, even with the vulnerable one’s at home there is still about 200 of us still working

[happytulip]

If you have SLE you are high risk.

If you continue to work and don't self distance then you may get very sick.

Instead of recovering at home you might be the person that takes an ICU bed, if one is available. And it might not be. Or you might take the ICU bed instead of someone older than you. And they won't get help. Some poor doctor will have to make that decision and live with it.

People need to think of others before themselves in this crisis. We all have a responsibility to put the least amount of work on the NHS at a time like this. The SLE community are at risk. Let's help the NHS by isolating ourselves so we don't get sick and leave the brilliant team of NHS workers to look after those patients who have caught CV-19 and need ICU beds.

Personally, I am beginning to lose a little patience with those who think that just because they feel ok, they should continue to work in an environment that puts them at risk. I appreciate that people are under huge financial strain but we all need to take responsibility and think of others.

I'm sorry if this comes across as a narky comment but two of my good friends are critical care nurses putting themselves at risk everyday for the public. The least we can do is to reduce their workload and keep them safe. Thank you.

[flap7]

Being rated as 'extremely vulnerable' has absolutely nothing to do with being coronavirus positive.

Please read the advice on the gov.uk website here : gov.uk/government/publicati...

[Mr51bro]

Not everyone with SLE is high risk. The guidance i got from my rheumatologist suggests that if you are on an immunoMODULATING drug i.e hydroxychloro ALONE then your risk is lower.

That said, we are all practicing self isolating anyway except in essential roles and I guess that is the OPs question.

If your GP has adviced different then the answer would be not to go.

[Katsumitsu]

Anyone with Lupus is considered a vulnerable person, especially if you take Steroids or Methotrexate. As both these drugs fall under what has been mentioned on the government list.

I had trouble making my area manager understand the risks to myself and in turn had to get my union rep to make him understand. I also had my GP inform me that it is not possible for me to socially distance myself at work, so I would have to stay at home.

I work on that train network that you see trains being completely packed with passengers. Don't take the risk. I understand that the work you do is helping so many people but not at the risk of you losing your life. Us Lupus sufferers are not as strong as we may think.

Stay strong and stay safe.

[flap7]

There's separate guidance for each circumstance - it's all quite clear. If after reading it you are still unsure then I would suggest speaking to your own medical team.

[flap7]

Why are you shouting at me? I am well aware of the facts.

[flap7]

I think that allowing people to read through the official documents themselves at the gov.uk coronavirus website rather than giving your own interpretation of them is probably more helpful to people on this forum at this point. Paul_Howard is updating the Lupus UK guidance almost daily to support people in understanding the situation.