Covid 19 12 week isolation letters : Morning all, this... - NRAS

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Covid 19 12 week isolation letters

Moog73 profile image
35 Replies

Morning all, this is my first time posting.

If anyone has not received their letter yet or are unsure if they are eligible, I phoned rheumatology and have been informed there has been delays.

However I was sent this via email.

Hope this helps 👍😷

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Moog73 profile image
Moog73
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35 Replies
allanah profile image
allanah

Thanks so much for this . Nras too if you want to look on their website have posted some British rheumatology society charts and lots of information there for you. Lovely to see you hear , lots of us shielding etc and supporting each other here. Also look out for NRAS webinars they have been very helpful xxx

Moog73 profile image
Moog73 in reply toallanah

Thank you😘

I had read online I'm on the middle bracket, but there was also another chart online which I wasn't so sure which bracket I come under.

Just nice to have clarity for work, I don't want to feel like a fraud .

#Staysafe

allanah profile image
allanah in reply toMoog73

Yes lots of people upset at not working but the way I see it we are doing a big job staying in too. As you say we are at bigger risk if hospitalization. Xxx

dawkin_S profile image
dawkin_S in reply toallanah

That's a great way of looking at it - I hadn't thought of it like that, thank you. xx

Evie3 profile image
Evie3 in reply toallanah

👍🏻

Mmrr profile image
Mmrr

Thank you for this. Keep posting !

wishbone profile image
wishbone

According to the flowchart I qualify for the "strict social distancing" box, which does surprise me a bit as I doubt very much that I will survive if I get the virus. Much appreciated if someone can explain the difference between that and "shielding" and why with me having RA, lung disease, probable cardiac issues and taking a JAK Inhibitor how I don't qualify for the "shielding" box? :-O

I class myself as extremely vunerable and am taking all neccessary precautions anyway, but am interested to know more out of curiosity than anything else.

helixhelix profile image
helixhelix in reply towishbone

I can’t read the flow chart on this post, but you have to interpret the chart according to your circumstances. So if you feel fragile, then be fragile. In any case there is not much difference between strict social distancing and shielding is there? You still can’t go out, or have contact with people outside the others in your home. You just get to sleep in same bed as your OH and don’t have to clean the bathroom 6 times a day?

wishbone profile image
wishbone in reply tohelixhelix

Thanks helix, I take every precaution as it is and was just wondering what the difference between the two is as I can't really see any, which just adds to the confusion for some people.

Moog73 profile image
Moog73 in reply towishbone

Afternoon wishbone 🖐

As i see it if you are In the shielding group, anyone living with you would also need to stay house bound, or you would need to lock yourself in a separate room, to lessen the risk.

People on shielding will have a support network from outside, with deliveries and so forth.

👍

wishbone profile image
wishbone in reply toMoog73

I think you are probably right, at least according to some guidelines I just looked at. It also says that someone being shielded needs to avoid all possible contact with other family members by using different towels, cleaning the toilet after every visit, eat at seperate times etc etc.... in other words do your very best to completely isolate yourself from the rest of the family. Obviously, depending where you live, much easier said than done for the majority of people. I thought these sort of precautions were only for people actually showing symptoms as that is what the guidelines were a week or two ago.

What I really don't get is just what different criteria decides for someone to be placed in either the shielding box or the strict social distancing box? Fink I must be a bit fik as the more I look into it the more confusing it becomes. :-O

Anyway, it doesn't really affect me either way as there's only me and my wife at home and I've been doing my best to keep away from that man eater of a woman since my joints got really bad a few years ago! ;-)

Neonkittie17 profile image
Neonkittie17 in reply towishbone

😜

AgedCrone profile image
AgedCrone in reply tohelixhelix

It,s that darned old common sense again!

wishbone profile image
wishbone in reply toAgedCrone

Not sure my wife would agree there AC. :-)

allanah profile image
allanah in reply tohelixhelix

And not eat together ! That's the hard bit for me x

AgedCrone profile image
AgedCrone in reply towishbone

Hi WB....Shielding means not stepping outside your door for a minimum of 12 weeks.(Or presumably tbn if things change) No Shopping,Leisure or Travel outings.

Food delivered should be left outside your door.Stay 3 steps away from anyone in your house.

Is your JAK inhibitor not included in theBlue Box?

I would speak to somebody on your rheumy team.

The letters sent out seem to be in a real muddle.

I qualify for Shielding on age & other criteria,but have

had no letter.

Hope you can sort things out soon.

wishbone profile image
wishbone in reply toAgedCrone

Hi AC, see my reply to Moog below. er, I mean above. :-)

wishbone profile image
wishbone in reply towishbone

edit...sorry AC, yes my JAK Inhibitor is in the blue box

RosieA profile image
RosieA in reply towishbone

I agree it is confusing. When I was doing well in terms of controlled RA, my Consultant put me in the moderately at risk group. Only on MTX but it is not suiting me as am struggling to get anyway near decent WBC etc count and get a repeating viral infection. Now flaring so assume am more at risk! The main thing that gets me is that moderately at risk category states not to leave house / garden, no shopping etc. So how are those individuals meant to feed themselves? Surely single or more fragile individuals should be eligible for support as well as the shielding gp. I am lucky as have a strong network in the village but would be very concerned if I didn't. Here's to a vaccine!!

wishbone profile image
wishbone in reply toRosieA

Absolutely agree about a vaccine! Seems more than a bit premature to me as the virus hasn't peaked yet, but there's already talk about relaxing restrictions! :-O Whenever that happens, it will still be too dangerous for people at very high risk to go outdoors until an effective vaccine is available, which could be a very long time. :-(

RosieA profile image
RosieA in reply towishbone

Yes. I am more or less resigned to this. Consultant wants to take me off MTX (goodness knows what to) but felt that she could not do this under the present situation. Have under advisement reduced MTX but fear that this is making me disease active. One thing really not addressed, but probably will have to be in the future, is the fluidity of these categories. I suspect a certain percentage will drift between them depending on their disease etc. So it's a regular let's learn session - how to do home hair colour, make yoghurt, cut OH's hair, build a sheep dip (for any future visitors) etc.

AgedCrone profile image
AgedCrone in reply toRosieA

Just hope we never have a situation again that needs all these categories!

RosieA profile image
RosieA in reply toAgedCrone

I quite agree. Oh to return to the blessed ignorance of just a few months ago.

AgedCrone profile image
AgedCrone in reply toRosieA

Certainly wish I could return to a few weeks ago.... I decided to take the home hair colour route-didn’t quite come up to expectations. I’m now going to have to send my neighbour shopping to Boots to buy the old colour that I thought I didn’t like!!!

Better not attempt Yoghurt or the Sheep Dip!

Neonkittie17 profile image
Neonkittie17

Thank you. I think my letter is here. Can see a general envelope on the carpet beneath the letterbox from the government, so presume it’s the isolation confirmation etc you’ve received by email. I’ll open it later.

Aliceeliza profile image
Aliceeliza

I am in the shield group I think but I have not received a letter. I haven't left the house or garden for 3weeks except to go for blood tests at GP. My husband is only out to walk the dog and I'm not avoiding him in the house. I thought that was only if you had the virus in the household? I have just had my next blood test cancelled at the surgery( recently started methotrexate) but the nurse is coming to me! Don't know if that is to keep me safe or the staff? Good though

allanah profile image
allanah in reply toAliceeliza

I'll pm you shielding letter.

Aliceeliza profile image
Aliceeliza in reply toallanah

Thank you

allanah profile image
allanah in reply toAliceeliza

Could send screen shots of it in message but just bullet pointed things

Moog73 profile image
Moog73

I'm in the middle box, but even if I was in the shielding box, I would still carry on with my normal home life.

I feel it is impossible to completely isolate from my family.

My wife still needs to shop, and my children stay home.

We will not have visitors.

I think if one member of a household gets it , the rest will probably follow.

All we can do is minimize the outside risk.

Not sounding down beat, but I would not spend 12 weeks in a bedroom to still have a possibility of getting covid through my family.

It's important to drill the family and make sure they keep outside risks to a minimum.

Those on your own, reach out and get as much support as you can.

A lot of people are helping at the moment.

#staysafe

allanah profile image
allanah

Might be the boris one

Neonkittie17 profile image
Neonkittie17

Ajay it was the general one. Not to those who should isolate and shield.

Neonkittie17 profile image
Neonkittie17

Doubt I’ll get a shielding letter sent to me. My rheumatology department are slow and scare on letters.

Neonkittie17 profile image
Neonkittie17

I would have liked it for possible Tesco home deliveries. Thanks to this forum and the links provided I know where my meds score etc.

Neonkittie17 profile image
Neonkittie17

Thank you but I feel not. My rheumy department secretaries are not good at sending letters to me ever.

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