Anxiety over COVID volunteering

Yes you need to talk it over with him- maybe he is hoping that as a volunteer he will receive vaccine quicker?- and that he can get you one if theres any leftover at end of day, as some have said? Which, as a general idea, would be to your advantage, but if its not a certainty, then he may need to think it over more?

My husband is helping on Car parking duties at our local Hub. They Lateral flow check him and all helpers each duty and they have vaccinated all volunteers.They are all marked up and keep a distance.
Something like that you and he will be fine.

They are very organised and very conscious of who are volunteering. They will not be putting any volunteers at risk as the negative publicity would be incredibly detrimental.
He will be given proper PPE and training. If he is marshaling outside, car windows have to remain closed and the only thing he will have to cope with is the wet and cold. If he is inside it will be diligently spaced.
He won't be 'up close and personal' with anyone as it's trained healthcare staff actually completing the injections and administrativestaff who will be checking details - usually behind plastic screening.
I can totally understand his need to both help and be busy. I can also understand your concerns and worries. I think sitting down with a brew for a forthright discussion is needed. Good luck!

I would ask him to stay at home until you have both had your second jabs and the right number of quarantine days after that. There are already more volunteers than roles for them to do. He is needlessly putting you both at risk. Of course the situation changes from day to day, but today they have recorded the highest number of deaths for yesterday since the crisis started. You could ask him to book into a B+B for the duration of his volunteering and the necessary quarantine days to follow. That might wake him up but he has no right to put your life at risk so that he can satisfy some urge to be seen to be doing the 'right' thing.

Yes but we don't know how soon the vaccine will protect us from catching the virus - or being infectious to others. I have a serious underlying health condition (a blood cancer) and my husband gave up his volunteering work for my protection - I am grateful to him for doing this. Also just retired from nursing role at large district general. Would love to volunteer but (although I have had the vaccine) it is too risky.

I’ve volunteered too but haven’t heard anything yet. Just feel I should be contributing something.

I am 69 & retired from the NHS last year after 40 years.I have just applied to become a vaccinator & hope that in doing so will have the vaccine a little bit sooner. In my area they have just started to vaccinate the over 75's so hope is on the horizon for us all.

lm a keyworker and have been vaccinated. Surely we should be vaccinating these volunteers. No one should take the injection if they have Covid but as we know some people dont know they are positive. Volunteers will have training and any questions should be brought up and discussed

You say that he's volunteered, but has he actually been accepted and if so, what is he actually going to be doing? If you knew more perhaps your mind would be put more at ease. Sit him down, explain your worries and ask him these questions.

I looked into volunteering and made sure I emphasised my age to the co-ordinator. In this area (East of England) she said anyone over 65 would be put onto lower risk jobs, most likely outside for safety. You have to be able to do a five hour shift. I decided not to do it in the end, due to potential risk and also having to stand up for five hours outside in all weathers. I doubt there would be hot tea or the chance to warm up giving the risks of of people gathering together.

The age limit for vaccinators is 69...I offered and am too old.I think the best volunteering we can do is stay out of trouble.

If you’re husband volunteers at a vaccination centre I’m sure he will be offered the vaccine before he starts . Good on him , we are in a National emergency . My husband and I have gone through the training and are waiting for the next stage , we both are retired from healthcare so feel we are doing our bit.

I have chosen not to volunteer due to being 70 and not being vaccinated yet ! It is too dangerous for me to consider having got this far !!

As a volunteer, I expect he will be given the vaccine with any left over.

Working outside with mask on is a great compromise I feel. ??

At our surgery there are volunteers outside, with masks, and well distanced. Just pointing people to the correct entrance.
Not too risky IF just outside. But is he really needed? Surely there are enough younger people to do it?

I feel guilty that I’m not volunteering but, having shielded for months to protect myself and others I’m not prepared to risk catching the virus now. I’d be prepared to do telephone work but even that would probably involve having to work at a local surgery. I worry that vaccination centres could become superspreader events I’m afraid.

I wondered about the age thing too, Fanny. I thought 70 year olds as were classed as vulnerable. It's nothing to do with fitness, but with immune systems.

I'm very surprised that they are letting people 70 or over volunteer.
Sounds like a daft idea to me.
Either some age groups are vulnerable or they aren't?

Depends what he’s doing, my friend is marshalling cars.

Hmmmmmmmm.......not good news NS...??‍♀️

After the 1st dose, new information is showing only 30% reduction at 3 weeks against not having a vaccine. It won't be till after the 2nd dose that the big difference shows up.

That is probably three or four months away at the moment so your 1st dose being "so close" is not really an issue here. I think I'd want to discuss the whole idea with him some more.

Good luck.

Personally I think that your husband is being selfish in wanting to help others but ignoring your health.

You can’t say that volunteering is a great thing to do, when your wife is being put at risk, speak to him about it and let him know how uncomfortable you feel about it,
Maybe he wants to be seen to be doing something useful.