Shielding

[Lizzy19]

Hi does anyone know if you should be shielding this month if you have a MPN .My Doctor hasn’t sent me anything so do I assume I’m ok to work & teach children to swim ?

[Superwoman]

Hi Lizzy, hope you are keeping well.

I received my letter this morning from the government also had an e.mail, saying Important advice for you about new guidance for clinically extremely vulnerable people.

1 requiring people to stay at home, except for specific purposes.

2 preventing gathering with people you do not live with, except for specific purposes.

3 closing certain businesses and venues, like hospitality and non-essential retail. 🤨.

Then goes on about guidance for clinically vulnerable people.

It does go on a bit six pages of it, a bit like the last one, as for work it said you are strongly advised to work from home, if you cannot work from home, then you should not attend work for this period of restrictions, then goes on about Statutory Sick Pay, Employment Support Allowance or Universal Credit, eligibility criteria will apply, and. being able to use this letter as evidence for your employer.

Also it says, children who live with someone who is clinically extremely vulnerable, but who are not clinically extremely vulnerable themselves, should still attend school.

Then it goes on and on even tells you not to go to a pharmacy, really!!! In one part it say the NHS is open and we urge you to continue to access all the NHS services that you need.

I feel that these six pages do not explain themselves properly for people with an MPN or come to that any blood cancer, and if you have a family and need to try and carry on as normal. Well as near as normal.

My worry is will we be able to have the injection as no one person has said if it is a live culture or like the flu and phenomena jabs which we can have.

I expect you will get a letter especially if you had one last time, but I feel it does not take into account vulnerable people who have families and do jobs like you do.

Anyway take care my friend.

Jean x

[Lizzy19 in reply to Superwoman]

Thank you ,I didn’t get a letter last time because I’ve only just been diagnosed. Will have a read through again & if unsure might ask doctor x

[Hidden]

Hi Lizzy19 Hope you are keeping well. Maz is having a well deserved week off, so I’m helping out. I am part of the Management and Fundraising Team. Please May I refer you to our MPN Voice website at mpnvoice.org.uk

There is a dedicated page with full up to date information about our current lockdown and what our MPN Community should be doing. I hope this helps. Keep well and safe.

Marilyn

[NCB1983 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Suska,

Please can you provide a link to the lockdown advice page on mpnvoice as I can’t find it

Many thanks

Natalie

[Hidden in reply to NCB1983]

Hi Natalie If you type in a search MPN Voice, our website will come up and you will see The COVID 19 section. Sorry I can’t give you a link (I’m rubbish at that sort of stuff.... that’s why Maz is our technical whiz) Thank you

[NCB1983 in reply to Hidden]

I found it - thanks!

[Mostew]

I guess you have a specific purpose. If. You are teaching swimming . Can’t do that at home !

As long as you feel safe should be fine ..

[Gunner73]

Hi

Look at the thread I posted 5 days ago

I’ve been sent home

[Penny-10]

Just received my letter today. As I work in a hospital my manager has given me a job I can do away from patients but I can't work from home so waiting for occupational health to say if it is ok to still go into work.

[francesb]

I had my letter and email last week. I also had a letter last time. However when the gov said shielding was over in the summer my doctor said “absolutely not, keep shielding, nothing has changed”, so I have been. I would advise asking your doctor/ consultant, they know your situation. Good luck.

[Chaz1]

My hubby Et/pv venesections & aspirin never had a shielding letter & hasn't received anything this time. You have to weigh up what you feel is best, it's only guidance. He wouldn't shield from me anyway but we have keot our distance from people & our son wears a mask all the time at school & strips off, washes his clothes & body as soon as gets in the door. Just to be careful. He's self isolating this week due to 2 cases in people he sits bear. Fingers crossed nearly a week in & ok x

[Penny-10]

Was sent home from work today by my manager and occupational health said I am to shield (ET jak2 positive , aspirin only).

[Lizzy19 in reply to Penny-10]

I’m only on aspirin because I’m triple negative no mutant genes , so I’m a watch & wait .I can’t get through to my doctor or haematologist so not sure what to do x

[Penny-10 in reply to Lizzy19]

I was unsure if I would get a shielding letter too being only on aspirin and watch and wait. When I got the shielding letter I queried it with my haematologist and they said guidelines are we are on the extremely vulnerable list. I would keep trying your GP that's where my first letter came from in the first lockdown. Take care x

[Cassandra61]

Hi Lizzy,

I am a teacher and my Head sent me home to work from home - thank goodness. I agree that the advice is really unclear - I didn't get a letter but an email instead. I think we don't always come on the GP list so I phoned mine up last time and worked it that way. It wasn't too difficult. Good luck and stay safe.

[Lizzy19 in reply to Cassandra61]

I can’t get through to gp but will

Keep trying x

[LRH1977]

Hi Lizzy,

It was my understanding that those of us on antiplatelets only are low risk. I'm a nurse and went back to work after the first lockdown having received letters back then and taking the decision with the advice of my haematologist and GP to shield. Since then I've felt reassured that I'm actually in the low risk category.

I received a letter a couple of days ago from the government which I queried with my haematologist - he agreed with me that I am low risk, said he didn't understand why I'd received a letter due to not being on any high risk medications, and can continue working which I'm glad of.

Luckily I'm working on a ward which is covid free currently, my boss is taking every precaution to keep not only me, but all the team safe.

I guess it depends on your own risk factors, I hope you get some clarity soon!

Good luck 🍀

Lucy