Basically querying about going for walks. Although I received the shielding letter, my consultant confirmed it was only because I get the flu jab and everyone in Wales who has will get the letter regardless.
I fall into the 2nd category on BSR, as only on methotrexate injections 12.5mg (I haven't taken them recently because of my health anxiety) but am aware of potential flare ups.
Therefore I am self isolating with social distance at discretion but without the meds and currently managed just in the social distancing sector.
I've been at home for 3 months, WFH, mid 20s with no other conditions. Would it be okay to go for a walk for 20 minutes with a face mask and keep a good few metres from anyone else? I really need some fresh air for my mental health and trying to understand if that's okay? Meeting over the phone with consultant soon to get definite answers but wanted to know what others were doing on similar meds etc.
Thank you.
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gr95
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I'm on 20mg metoject Mtx and I'm not young and have asthma. I go out for a walk most days because I think I'd go nuts if I couldn't. It's very much a personal choice but if you have a park, outside green space or similar I'd go for it. The stats say that the risk of catching covid outside while observing social distancing are so slim as to be negligible
The activity of going for a walk is very low risk anyway - just passing by someone in the fresh air is not going to result in a large number of virus particles in moisture from that person's breath. If you are likely to be nearer than 2 metres, then wear a mask.
My letter from the Chief Medical Officer of Wales advises me that I can go for walks.
I have already been going for walks and most people are being very sensible at keeping their distance. If I come across someone who is going to be too close I turn away so as not to breathe in their breath, but if there are a lot of people around I wear a mask anyway. The only problem is that I'm getting a bit bored with the same walks and can't travel to other areas to experience new views.
Hi Old Timer, really appreciate the reply thank you. That makes sense, hopefully new walks and places to explore for you at some point!
I’m on methotrexate and a Biologic and my RD has been playing up during lockdown but I have got up early nearly every day ( on really bad days I can’t) and taken my dog for a walk some days it’s only 20 mins if I’m struggling but I do try to get 45mins to an hour. Good mentally and physically . I pick a quiet area and use a antibacterial gel if I open any public gates.
Some people are back at work, some working from home, others home schooling so it's not too busy out and about really. Try and think of open spaces where you can easily keep distance. Avoid main roads as they are quite busy and pavements aren't wide. Looking after your mental health is very important so I guess it's about weighing up risks. Making these decisions is hard so be gentle with yourself.
Oh yes definitely go out for walks if you want to. We’ve been told we are allowed to.
I just wish I could go for walks as I struggle to walk any distance ☹️. Instead I drive to my daughter’s house and have a cuppa in her garden at a safe distance. I think getting out and into the fresh air is really important to many of us. Although I have a very small garden I love to see the open vistas as I drive to see my daughter and enjoy her lovely big garden.
Just to add to the lovely comments above. If you find yourself in a tight spot (literally) and someone is approaching you then politely mention that you have been shielding and would they be able to let you pass safely. Most people are very keen to help. xx
Hi, only you can decide what's right for you. I'm on methotrexate 25mg and haven't shielded or isolated, just social distancing when out. I go for walks most days. But if I go shopping or anywhere I think I (or others) might not be able to adhere to social distancing then I wear a mask. I also take hand sanitizer wherever I go and use it regularly. Good luck and take care whatever you decide to do.
I shielded totally for six weeks with no access to outside space. Then just had to get out. I am currently taking one daily walk in quiet areas, have my mask in case anybody fails to distance if eg the path is not wide enough.
In Scotland, guidance is to shield till 31st July but walks outdoors for as many hours as wanted are ok from 18th June; it is advice for our own health, not law.
I am not going to shops or meeting anyone else either. Just sanity walks!
I was on >5mg Prednisolone for way over four months; biologic drug infusions; Metoject 7.5mg.
I can’t wait till the 18th, I can finally go out a walk, this means a lot to me as I haven't left the house since March. Glad the weather has been fine as I got out in garden. More shielding till end of July now for me. Stay safe everyone x
You are very fortunate to have a garden. I missed all the fantastic weather others got to enjoy. Perhaps, when everyone is back to work, we will have some great weather to compensate. x
I have been going out for a little walk every day where I can. Had my telephone consultation with my rheumatologist this week and she was very supportive and said that for me it is okay to go out for a bit of a walk but no going into shops, work or where lots of people will go. My RA is misbehaving at the moment so on prednisolone for the last couple of months, low dose though of just 10mg now and hoping to reduce it further if we can. For my own mental health and to try and get that balance between gentle exercise and rest to help my joints I do go out now for a daily walk where I can. I think we need to balance everything don’t we for both our physical and mental health? I am also working from home to and to have that walk is helping me switch off from work. So needed if it has been a difficult day at work as need to be able to mentally unwind. Usually after a difficult day at work I would have my commute to help me clear my head but not for the last four months. I agree with everyone who has commented so far.
I've been shielding 15 weeks and have been out just the once, and that was before the shielded guidelines were relaxed. Would have gone more often if it wasn't for painful feet. Providing it's not difficult to avoid people where you live, my personal guidelines include taking a alcohol hand sanitiser, not going into any enclosed spaces and not touch anything which someone may have been in contact with. You could wear a mask as well if it makes you feel safer.
I too am shielding, as is my husband. He is over 70, I take MTX, Leflunomide, Pred, and have Asthma and Bronchiectasis. I can only walk with support, my husband can't even do that. But I take my walker out for around 15 minutes for a chat with a neighbour (outside and at a safe distance). I stand and watch her 2 young children on their swing. It's the highlight of my week.
I've been going out for a walk for weeks now. If you want some reassurance go onto Nras Facebook page and scroll down to the Q&A session that was done a week last Thursday. The consultant said it was perfectly okay to go out with a member of your household for a walk, he did say it wasn't necessary to wear a mask. Please look at it. xx
I have had my shielding letter but that is due to my Rheumatology team taking a stronger stance than the government guidance. I have a dog and knew from the start I would not manage without a walk. I feel as I am distanced from others and do not touch anything, wash my hands when home my risk must be minimal. The health benefits from the walk and fresh air is invaluable. Go enjoy a good stomp around your local park / forest / nature reserve and enjoy the beauty of it all!
My understanding is that facemasks do not protect you, but others from you
. Do you watch the NRAS broadcasts? They are very informative. The consultant last week said keep your distance when out, but there is far less risk outdoors. So enjoy !
I absolutely understand your desire to be out, the emotional well being aspect is really important. I fall into the shielding group too, but need to walk for a back injury , so I got into the habit of getting up early before folk were about and walking circuits of the quiet cul de sac we live in. Now my hubby and I drive out to a quiet common a few miles away and walk the dog for about 45 minutes each day, it's easy to hear the occasional other walkers coming and we detour off into a different path to avoid them. Just being in the fresh air, watching nature and listening to the bird song has had a massive positive effect on my well being.
I think if you're cautious and sensible about where you walk it should be fine. Some how we all need to grab back some element of control over our circumstances, and for me going walking has done that. For what it's worth when I spike to my rheumy consultant this week he said just taking my biologic (abatacept) wouldn't put me in a shielding group, it's the additional asthma meds that too me over.
It has to be your decision, but if you decide to go walking enjoy the sunshine!
I’m shielding and still go for a dog walk every evening . I’m fortunate to have fields behind my house so I can do it safely . I think my brain would be scrabbling to get out of my head otherwise !.
Does help to have a Doberman too, people tend to get out of our way
I have been shielding too for various reasons. When Boris said we could go out with one person from our family or one other I checked with my doctor and he said yes I could go out with my husband as long as I kept away from other people at a good distance . So that's what I have done.
Of course you should go for a walk in fact it's good for you. Can't believe you haven't been out in 3 months. Just use common sense. The consultant knows as much as we do about this new virus which is not much so can't give you any guarantees.
I doubt you are at any more risk than anyone else as you don't take meds.
Go for a walk. Fresh air and sunshine will do you good.
I honestly can't see why you got a shielding letter. I have looked at the British Society for Rheumatology instructions and, being under 70 and only taking MTX, you only need to do standard social distancing. There is no mention of the flu jab. Plenty of perfectly well people get that to avoid getting flu badly. I think you could have been going out for walks all along. The exercise would be good for you. There is no need to limit it to 20 minutes. A face mask will make virtually no difference out of doors, where the risk is small in any case.
I am 71, taking MTX and of course I have the flu jab. I have gone for walks from the beginning, without a mask. The only time I have worn one is when going to the hospital for blood tests. Do go out and enjoy the good weather. A 2-metre distance from other people is fine. Wear a mask if you'd feel more confident. Honestly, you'll feel much better if you get out. Also, it's fine to have a brief chat with someone you meet. so long as you keep your distance. As you're very anxious, take some hand gel with you and always wash your hands and disinfect things you've touched before doing so, e.g. keys, door handles, tap.
You need the exercise for physical and mental health. Go for it! Then write and tell us how you enjoyed it.
I think the shielding message was far too stringent and unthought out. Physical and mental health is far more important than locking yourself in the house and not having the exercise and fresh air everyone needs whatever their existing condition. The virus does not hang in the air, it needs a host and a recipient to colonise a body so providing you’re distanced from others outside there’s a minimal if no chance of contracting it. If you can drive out into the countryside and find open spaces that’s the best option but as long as you avoid others in close proximity, don’t go into other houses and wash hands whenever you can there’s very little need to shield to the detriment of your health generally.
I have been a senior Sister and Specialist in Public Health for nearly 30 years (now retired) and can see why the shielding concept was introduced and rightly so for those who are highly vulnerable but there will be far more problems for those whose muscles, bones and joints have been underused, they become Vit D deficient due to being incarcerated and their mental health is shot. Get a good walk if you are able, get out into the sunshine and live!
As I have said elsewhere, we live in an apartment and I would go stir crazy if I didn’t go out. We live on the seafront, so I go out early to avoid contact. (At the moment the seafront here in Southsea is heaving!). I also wear a mask if I am on our communal lift.
I also received ‘the Letter’ but as I live in a small Welsh village with a low population I have continued to go for a daily walk. If I do meet someone we keep 2 or more metres apart to wave or have a chat. The virus is not airborne so unless I touch anything, or anyone blows in my face, there is no way I can be infected.,Wearing a mask does not protect us from infection. It only prevents, to a degree, someone who is infected passing the virus on to someone else. The Letter covers all....those living in high, busy communities with loads of people, down to the small place where I live. So it is basically looking at your circumstances. Exercise, walking in the fresh air, is good for the immune system and general health and importantly very good for psychological health. The lowest risk area to catch the infection is outdoors and the highest a busy office, shop etc.
I suffer from Type 1 diabetes, COPD, and Heart disease as well as RA, PMR, and APS, so I was told that I was high risk and that I should be shielding. I have been out walking virtually every day. I choose the areas where I walk to avoid large numbers of people. I walk around the local park or the cemetery, both of which are fairly quiet. As others have pointed out the risk of catching Covid-19 in such circumstances is negligible and I feel that the benefits of walking far outweigh any risk.
I’m on 22.5mg methotrexate and prednisolone, which I reduced to 4mg so that I scored 2 instead of 3, which would have put me in the shielding range. I wanted to be able to continue working in the NHS as a nurse, although I do my best to steer clear of Covid-19 positive patients. I also receive yearly texts telling me to have the flu jab as I have mild asthma. I never received a government letter, despite my most recent documented dose of prednisolone being 10mg, which would definitely have put me in the shielding range. I felt I’d slipped through the net, but I made the choice not to shield, as I know I wouldn’t have coped with staying indoors on my own for weeks on end. Friends of mine are shielding and they’ve started going for socially distanced walks and they’re feeling much happier in themselves, so I’d definitely go out for walks if I was you.
I'm shielding as I score 3 on BSR scale and am on biologic but have been out for a short walk or drive out in the car many times. If you watch the recent NRAS Facebook Live with James Galloway, you will hear him say being outside is fine and low risk - it's inside that carries a much higher risk and surfaces. Getting some exercise is important for good mental as well as physical wellbeing. It would be great if you could do the 'shielding' survey we are supporting for Huddersfield Uni. See the research section on our COVID area on the website nras.org.uk/coronavirus-and-ra for all the survey links.
The wearing of masks is primarily for being on transport, in shops or places where you may get within 2 metres of someone, if you are outside and definitely not within 2 m. of anyone, a mask won't benefit you.
Hi just read your post with loads of replies and I would like to say I go for long walks even visit a small supermarket but am very wary of anyone getting to near and always sanitise hands after touching things or going in shops masks are not for me unless it was compulsory as I think they only stop you spreading it if you have got the virus just my opinion but do what you think is safe for you Good Luck and Take Care x
I think going for a walk is fine so long as you stay alert for people coming up behind you and glance around. They are pretty good round here about say stepping out into the road to give good clearance except for some young men, so it’s best for you to give the wide berth in those cases. Swinging a stick out might be useful if there are many joggers in your area! However if your roads are busy with traffic again it would be more difficult to social distance, two metres is surprisingly wide. My friend came to my garden to visit and brought a mask and 1.80 metre stick as she had been with her family, due to a death(accidental, not virus). All this said I have only walked to post letters and live in a quiet area. Good luck as getting out does make life feel a little more normal.
Hi gr95 I have been walking daily for the last week. I walk in the park and ensure I avoid people I don’t wear a mask but keep one with me at all times and gloves and a sanitizer. I walk away from people to avoid them. It’s been great so far but please keep your distance if I feel anyone too close I walk away or if there are many people on footpath I stop and let them pass. I am crossing roads all the time to avoid people but it’s so great to get out after being in for 11 weeks. Be careful and you will be fine. I
Hi there, I’m on mtx, biologics and heart meds and I go out regularly for walks and a cycle. I don’t go shopping or in close proximity to anyone, get yourself out and just be sensible. I’ve been stuck in for long enough and Scotland’s first Minister announced that shielding is extended till end of July in Scotland, I will continue to go out but be sensible and avoid people.
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