A week to go till 1st August

[azaelea]

Hi everyone, what views have you once we are told we need not shield after next Saturday? I have been most careful since mid March and only gone for walks in secluded areas in the past few weeks. Haven't been near a shop yet and I'm still scared to be among people. My husband would like us to book a self catering cottage in Scotland in September but I'm still reluctant even though it would be thoroughly cleaned after each occupant. I am paranoid about going to an hotel as it would be mixing with the public . Am I being over cautious as he thinks I am? Regards Fran

[friendofpiglet]

Not paranoid or over cautious at all. We all need to be within our own comfort zones.

I am a bit more relaxed than you and have been rather cavalier about shielding throughout. My view is that you are going to have to get out and about sooner or later (shops aren't half as scary as you'd think - distancing in my local supermarket is easy, never anyone else in there) so getting back out whilst the weather lasts seems like a good plan.

It's your decision in the end but I'd say go for your break and enjoy it.

Andy

[azaelea in reply to friendofpiglet]

Thanks Andy. My husband takes the same view, you have to get out and live your life as the virus is going to be with us for the unforeseeable future. I'll consider things. Fran

[friendofpiglet in reply to azaelea]

In the words of an Alas Smith and Jones sketch from way back:

Have your apocalypse now

Don't leave it 'til later

Have your apocalypse now

Don't be a procrastinor

[JediReject]

Hi Fran , , I too have been shopping as you may have read in a couple of my posts , not much but it feels good to do normal things even if it isn't entirely in a normal way !!

What I would say about your proposed trip is that your self catering accommodation is likely to be cleaner when you arrive than it would of been BC (Before Covid) . . So I would give it a go for sure.

As for staying in a hotel I think it very much depends what type of hotel ie a cheap and cheerful or more select. And maybe it's location. I would want a little more reassurance whichever and do a little research on what others experience was. But I again I would more than likely give it a whirl. If you're not happy with how they're operating you can leave early or go elsewhere. But it's nigh on impossible to avoid contact with others.

Good Luck with your decision.

Chris

[azaelea in reply to JediReject]

Thanks for your thoughts, Chris.

[mhos61]

Hi Fran,

I never received a Shielding letter, however, I’ve been cautious throughout, but more so in the first couple of months. In the last month I have been to a garden centre, open air market, and my large local Sainsbury’s store on a Saturday evening around 8.00pm, hardly anyone there. It was lovely to browse through the clothing after such a long time. I always wear a mask and gloves.

It’s a matter of slowly finding what feels comfortable to you, a little bit at a time helps build back confidence.

There’s nothing wrong with being over cautious. I understand how you feel about holidaying, I feel the same. I do think self catering in Scotland is about as good as it gets for a break though. To be extra safe, you could bring your own cleaning/sanitiser and clean all touch areas such as door handles, light switches, tv remotes etc. I’d bring my own pillows too.

Not long until you see your son now!

Mary

[azaelea in reply to mhos61]

Thank you Mary for letting me have your thoughts . I know I will have to start soon by going shopping etc. Quiet times are best, I agree. If a suitable place in Scotland can be found I'll think about it. Regards Fran

[francesb]

My consultant has told me to ignore the advice to stop shielding as he said nothing has changed, I’m still extremely vulnerable and the virus is still out there. He said it’s not worth the risk. I’m happy to follow his advice as it matches my view of things. Good luck whatever you decide.

[AnneMargaretMary in reply to francesb]

I agree with your consultant. I'm going to continue shielding until there's an effective vaccine.

[Chaz1]

Hi, it's a scary world for everyone. Hybby stayed at home apart from walks & I continued to work, he never had a letter & even if he did he wouldn't shield from me so I've been really cautious. I have been going to the local shop for the odd bit as its spacious & not busy but as I've always shopped online I've continued with that thankfully. I wouldn't bother with clothes shops atm but that's just me, I hate shopping at the best of times but you have to wear a mask so risk is reduced. We have started using our local pub/restaurant mainly because hubby wants to go but they are really safe, very impressed with the steps they have but we didn't go to a family event the other day because they aren't socially distancing & show that on Facebook so we stayed away, plus it was too many people & too many households. I think you have to look at what the risks are, self catering holiday sounds less risk than a hotel, you could arrive, spray a antibac spray & drive off for half an hour then move in properly. Out & about if you don't feel safe, leave. That's my motto. Our restaurant put a video on Facebook showing what you do on arrival etc... which was why we went so it's good to see that or talk to others who have been about.

[Ebot]

Hi there.

After a lot of umming and ahhing I rented a cottage for a long weekend (all I could get by then) in mid August.

It’s only a couple of hours away and relatively isolated - and we’ll take all our own food. Aiming to be self sufficient, keep in control as much as possible and eliminate need to go to local shops / pubs etc. It’ll be very different from our normal cottage getaway. Trying not to overthink it. I’ll probably disinfect ‘high touch’ areas when we get there.

Having said that, I’ve no intention of rushing to the shops / eateries / pubs / attractions after August 1st. Nothing will have magically changed except the political message. ‘Normal’ life will undoubtably be thrust upon us and we’ll just need to meet it risk assessment by risk assessment.

Ironically my other half (also shielding) has to go in to hospital at the start of September and has been told to isolate for the preceding two weeks. In effect that means all of us. Now that does seem like a bad joke. 🤣🤣

[Wyebird]

I’m afraid I’m not paranoid. I’ve been very careful but haven’t shielded. We are all different. Thus react differently. What about if the cottage was isolated and you just went for a change of scenery. Long walks and cosy nights. You could even wipe down the surfaces once you got there or covered the soft furnishings with your own sheets. Do anything that would give you peace of mind. Good luck

[Jennytheb]

Hi, It is a bit daunting isn't it. I think that by September you will feel so much better and agree a self catering accommodation would be good. Enjoy.

[mark382]

I know exactly how you feel. I haven't had a shielding letter but I have only been out to take the dog for a walk (fortunately we live out in the country) and saw most people 100m away, once a week to local shop and blood test and venesections. We have a motorhome, so would be self contained and planned a visit to mid Wales this week, but looking at news there has been a few cases in mid Wales over the last week. Now not sure about going. In fact when we look back, we've only been out (shops, restaurants etc) a couple of times since last September as wife has major mobility issues and has to use a mobility scooter. No fun when it's wet and cold and then this horrible virus pops up. I guess we will have to try going out sometime and the longer we leave it the more reluctant we will be. Take care everyone.

[swimswam]

I have to go back to work in a Secondary school in September. At the moment I am terrified of the prospect, so I am going to try and get out and about more in August. We have a camping holiday in Devon booked, and although I am not particularly looking forward to it, I think I need to make myself get back to normal more before I have to return to work. Went out to the supermarket and local garden centre last week, and it was a far better experience than I feared.

[paintbox]

I totally understand your apprehensions. We've become conditioned to being very mindful of avoiding risk of infection and that makes changing our behaviour really hard. Even when I've been confident of an action having low risk in reality, I've still had weird anxiety dreams about each new thing.

So long as you out in place measures that enable you to feel you are managing your risks - knowing case rates in the local area/ quiet times of the day/ better managed shops & businesses etc can bring peace of mind and allow you to taste normality.

Our 9 yo has been quite anxious about certain things so we've seen it important to gradually expose her to experiences of everyday life. My husband took over to M&S at 6pm to buy her grandad a present & there were 3 people in the massive cafe at that time.

I had my first trip to a shop (Haskins garden centre) on Fri and it was so we'll managed, very empty and I felt safe that everyone was wearing a mask. I also queued to visit my usual fabric shop which had 2 customers at a time policy, antibac station, staff with face shields etc so that felt safe.

However we've declined meeting school friends at the beach due to the group size getting bigger because I don't feel comfortable with the thought of lots of people, even though the infection rate in Bournemouth is 2/100,000. I need to manage the sense of risk for my own peace of mind.

Like you I don't want to use hotels due to the numbers of people we'd potentially be exposed too, but we feel safe being somewhere rural that's self contained (provided the property owner has stringent hygiene policy in place).

The other factor re holidays we've thought about is that the benefits of going away MUST out way the anxieties /uncertainty of the trip. Holidays need to be relaxing and enjoyable not a cause for distress. With that in mind we think we're about to forego the holiday we booked last year. We were just coming around to thinking it might be possible to go away safely but it's not looking very straightforward at the moment.

I do hope that if you decide to go you can relax and benefit front he experience and that you find your way to approach shop visors with confidence and reassurance.

Best of luck x

[beetle]

It’s quite interesting isn’t it. This subject has come up on other sites too and the comments overall reflect a distinct difference between male and female attitudes. The men are generally much more into taking the risks which should not be surprising to anyone I guess. I am about to meet up with family that I have only been in FaceTime contact with since Christmas and I have to admit to being quite anxious about it. I have booked a place on the latest webinar that Max advertised in the hope that it will bring some reassurance from the folk who know what they are talking about

I am taking reassurance from the fact that the incidence of Covid is low in the South West - and probably in the areas of Scotland that you would be considering. Taking your own bedding seems like a good plan and a supply of bleach and hand sanitizer and masks too

If you do decide to go I hope that you can relax enough to enjoy it and the midges are kind to you (I lived in the Highlands for 5 years and didn’t get bitten once which I put down to Ruxolitinib!)

Take care, Jan x

[MaggieSylvie]

My thoughts are that if the last occupants left the cottage two days ago the virus wouldn't survive on surfaces, so it's worth asking about that and they will probably tell you the steps they have taken to sanitise the place. But I think taking your own pillows, as mhos61 suggests, would be a good step anyway. You can still get your shopping delivered to the cottage. Enjoy a change of scenery!

[beetle]

Sorry, Maz! My spellcheck thinks you should be called Max and is quite insistent about it😂. Best wishes, Jan

[Hydrox]

I have been shielding but for the last four weeks have started to go to the supermarket once a week at 8 pm, wearing mask and gloves. I sanitised the gloves before and after shopping. It is very quiet at that time and most other shoppers are wearing masks, probably shielding as well. I live with my husband and disabled son and we have a motorhome which we go out in so can keep away from people. My youngest son also visits now. I think that we have to gradually learn to live carefully with this virus as there is no sign if it going away. It is worrying but at age 72 I feel I need to live my life not lock myself away. I also walk 5 miles approx a day with my son, away from other people as I live in the countryside. I feel very lucky being able to do this. They say the virus could get worse again in the winter so best get out now while we can. Go for it, enjoy your holiday in Scotland.

[lizzziep]

Hi Fran, it is daunting thinking about leaving the relative safety of our homes. We've been to our caravan in North Yorkshire, took everything with us, then needed to replace the tin opener! I went to a shop in the nearest town and managed to get in and out without getting near anyone else. I've also been in a couple of small shops locally, but waited outside until there was no-one else in. We're continuing as we have been doing, more or less, going out a little more but very cautiously, always armed with sanitiser, masks etc. I definitely won't be going to big supermarkets or shopping centres like Meadowhall, and will also continue online grocery shopping.

We're hoping to get down to see our son and family in Dorset in 3 or 4 weeks - further lock downs permitting! I'm a bit concerned about the journey down as we'll have to stop at least twice for me to go to the loo. So I'll be taking my own anti bac spray, toilet paper, etc. I've made several re-usable masks so I can keep putting a fresh one on. If I thought I could manouvre my arthritic body into having a wee in the car I would but there's no chance of that!!

The Covid rate down there is very low and they haven't been out and about either. Can't wait to give our granddaughter a cuddle, haven't done that since last October just after she was born! Seeing her via technology is lovely but not the same as giving her a great big squeeze!

Take the plunge, wipe surfaces down when you get there, you could even take yourown bedding and just be careful. Arm yourself with anti bac sprays, masks etc and you should be fine. It will be a change of scenery. We can't stay in for the rest of our lives, but there's no need to be reckless either. XX

[DJK12]

The Scottish Government have sent out a letter today for post 1st August which lists what they consider higher risk (higher rather than high) and low risk for those of us they advised to shield. Self catering is on the low risk list, hotels on the higher.

Like Lizzie's comment I would be more worried about the actual trip there and the number of stops you have to make.

They are still not keen on us meeting people indoors (again higher risk) although the last letter said the shielded could meet up to 8 people indoors. It is all rather confusing though of course it is purely advisory and common sense must be used. My family, who have shielded with me, have been so supportive but now this list of higher risk activities is going to continue to impact on them.

[hunter5582]

It is really about risk-tolerance and what you are comfortable with. There is not a single "right" answer for any of us. I never did shield, but did engage in careful social distancing. I wear a mask in public areas and avoid those who do not. Lots of washing hands and no touching the face. I am avoiding confined public transportation of any form and limiting my exposure where I can. I do not feel particularly anxious about being out and about, but am judicious about what I do and where I go.

That is the right answer for me. I feel no distress about my approach to COVID based on where I live and choose to go. I certainly would not fly to New York City and behave the same way. I would objectively assess your risk for the plans you are making and decide whether the risk is tolerable to you. The key is to be objective, letting your fear inform your decision, but not drive it.

To quote frank Herbert.

"I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past, I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone, there will be nothing. Only I will remain."

At the end of the day, only you can determine what the right choice for you is. No matter what you choose, be well - be happy - and have a great Summer.

[azaelea in reply to hunter5582]

Thank you for your wise words as always Hunter and for the quotation. I'm giving everything a great deal of thought. Regards Fran

[MFBMT2011]

I will be changing very little when shielding ends as I feel that Covid-19 is so unpredictable and still far too little is known about how it operates. Although I am fit following my SCT and can easily run 10k and further, I simply don't know what Covid-19 will make of my hybrid immune system that I share with Sarah, my donor.

Next weekend we are starting a family bubble with our two sons, daughter-in-law and granddaughter although we feel this could be short lived, as sadly I think that there are too many people not following the basic rules. We will continue to shop online, have the occasional garden meeting with friends and get out for exercise once a day. Visiting shops, eating out or visiting relations a long way away are out of the question; we must be careful for our immediate family. We do love to travel and have had trips cancelled so this will be the thing we miss most; maybe we will use our motorcaravan in September/October.

It’s each to their own, but whatever you do be ultra careful and stay safe.

Chris (Princess Leia version)

[Sweetlucy]

Living in the centre of London and with no garden or car I am restricted to a walk around the block once a day. I ventured to the chemist a couple of minutes walk away and was shocked that hardly anyone wore a mask and groups of mainly men were gathered on street corners. The pavement is too narrow to enable social distancing and very crowded. There are 557 active cases in my borough and no one takes it seriously. Some are objecting to wearing a mask.

Even though things like art galleries are open it would involve using buses or the tube to get there. I am bored with walking round the block so won't bother.

[caroline_284]

I, too have been shielding apart from taking the dog for a walk. I wonder what everyones thoughts would be about visits to optician and dentist after 1st August.

[mhos61 in reply to caroline_284]

My thoughts are, I’ll only be visiting if it’s ‘absolutely ‘ necessary. I’m more than happy to avoid check ups for now!

[Cja1956]

I’m in the US where the cases are spiking. But my partner and I do go to restaurants once in a while, because we find that they are separating everyone and they’re not crowded so we don’t feel threatened. Even though they say that it’s sanitized, he always wipes everything down anyway with our own wipes. Even before COVID-19, we would take Lysol wipes with us to hotels because I didn’t always trust that everything was sanitary. It’s completely understandable that you’re anxious but I think you should go, have fun, and pack your COVID-19 gear.