Shielded, what does it really mean?

suziewoozie I can't get a delivery slot with useless Waitrose even after pleading with them and having had a shielded letter.
We used to shop weekly at Waitrose but I doubt they will have my custom again after this is all over.
They are officious and unhelpful.

Daddima that film was shot from a distance and everyone was, we are assured, distanced from others and those standing together were in family groups.

Oh, how deceptive the camera can be.

Lizbethann, Perhaps your friend should check with her GP, as a fair number of letters and texts were sent in error.
It seems abit draconian for someone, who apparently has no other health conditions.

If some are receiving letters suggesting you cannot even go in the garden, it surely means that there are different variations of the letter coming from the different UK governments? That is very confusing.

My 64 year old friend has had "the letter". She had breast cancer 17 years ago. Completely recovered and has never had a recurrence. She has never married and is fiercely independent, leading a very active social life with many friends. She is also a passionate gardener with a greenhouse full of tiny plants. On top of that, she has a very active puppy and cares for her elderly aunt who fortunately moved into a home for a short stay just before all this started and has stayed there. My friend's letter says that she isn't even supposed to go into the garden but can open a window! Yet George Alagiah, who has stage four cancer is still reading the news!! No wonder my friend is not impressed!

missdeke, I have read the two sheilding letters I have received and no-where does it suggest getting fresh air through open windows or getting someone to put bins out.
I'm quite puzzled by this.

I have scanned the part of the letter, which talks about getting fresh air.
You can go out in your garden or step out onto your doorstep for fresh air as long as you stay away at least two metres at from other people

Megs, you asked for advice and some, who are sheilding, have offered their interpretation of the letter. Please believe that posters are only trying to be helpful and suggesting how you could make your life more tolerable.
It is up to each of us how we interpret and follow the guidelines in the letter, as long as we are not putting ourselves and others at risk.

I am 75, go for a walk at about 7am each morning to buy my newspaper and milk, speak on FaceTime with my family each evening, and am slowly going mad through lack of human company. Then I see people meeting up in the park, etc. Ughhh.

I meant live together but love is a good word too

DH has had the letter and as we live in a flat and can’t sleep separately or have separate bathrooms, I am staying in with him. That way we can continue to love together as we always have without causing him any risk. Neither of us have been out since the lockdown. Shopping is delivered or sons collect for us and leave stuff outside. All shopping is disinfected (not sure whether there’s a point to that or not) .
I agree with others there is no reason to have separate beds if all in the household are staying in totally and not mixing with others in any way at all. Not popping out or shopping etc.

Megs36 Surely the draconian shielding rules are for people who live with others who are leaving the house to work, exercise or shop etc. It makes sense, under those circumstances, for the extremely vulnerable members of the household to sleep separately and use a dedicated bathroom if possible.

If neither of you has left the house or had any other human contact for seven weeks, you can't possibly have caught the virus or infect each other. At that rate, (taking careful precautions with deliveries to the house), there surely can't be any reason to isolate from each other by avoiding physical contact and sleeping apart.

According to the rules we can now drive to exercise as long as we exercise for longer than we drive. I'm 76 but no health problems and live on the edge of a National Park. I drive about ten minutes to get there and then walk my dogs for a couple of hours and very rarely see anyone - this must be good for overall health. I also go to local town on my bicycle (electric!) for shopping where we queue outside 2 m apart - so supporting local shops and buying fresh food not ready meals. Hopefully we will all come out of this fitter than before. I'm a widow so used to living on my own, but Zoom is a great boon at the moment. We must try and stay positive for the sake of our mental health. I've been listening to audiobooks of P G Wodehouse to take my mind off the news!

Well said Joesoap, I'd like to add my support for all the alone and the lonely gransnetters and a big clap to you all, we will get through it, we absolutely will, hang on in there.

Meg I’m not the only one who says you are misreading the letter. You are, That would be fine if this wasn’t a public forum and your wrong interpretation could mislead and upset others. For the avoidance of all doubt , a household where everyone is shielding can share beds, kitchens, bathrooms , hugs and rampant sex if so inclined. If you want to make life more awful than it is Meg that’s your choice but don’t mislead others and maybe worry them.

Thank you Rufus - don’t get many compliments these days

Although I remember being at Chatsworth Flower Show two years ago, taking Hattie with me. I was standing in the orchid marquee when I heard a male voice say “Hello, aren’t you a beauty”
I turned round and he was stroking Hattie’s head and ears.
Ah well!

You're right, others are being rather stupid and selfish.

I would like to clap for all people living on their own, and others in flats without any outside space.You are "silent heroes" keep safe and healthy.

I am Shielded and have the letter. My specialist nurse told me to stay at home and if I do really need to go out then to wear a mask. I am very careful of parcels and foodstuff that comes into the house, and my partner who stayed at home to start with has returned to work and is isolated at work, so I feel relatively safe. It annoys me that the general public who are supposed to be socially distancing are not, which in turn could put us 'vunerable' people at more risk.

I'm sneezy too, missdeke!

missdeke there is nothing in the letter I had about not leaving the house and only getting fresh air through open windows.
We're lucky enough to have a garden so I've been out gardening most days and walking round it a few times.
The information must have been given by the local health board to the Chief Medical Officer.

And as for not sharing a bed, kitchen, bathroom, if possible surely that is if another person in the household has to go out of the home for work or other essentials?
If both, or everyone is staying at home, the only way a virus could be transferred is on groceries or deliveries.

People need to use a degree of common sense.

I had a letter from my local county council saying they had reason to believe, from information they had on their records, that I may be one of the “vulnerable”giving all sort of advice on self isolating and useful support contact numbers! I’m was a little confused by this as, apart from my age, over 70, I have no health issues that would cause me to totally self isolate. They agreed with my decision to stay home and stay safe, only shopping online and taking the minimum exercise once a day, practising social distancing and not seeing other people, including family, was the right thing to do!

I am over 70 , live alone and have had the letter. It told me I shouldn't leave the house, only fresh air through open windows, get someone else to put the bins out etc, etc. If I lived in a town or city I could understand, but I live on the outskirts of a small village, I can leave my small bungalow, in a cul-de-sac, without going down to the main road, I go onto the fields that are 25 yards from my door. I touch nothing, nor do I come within close distance of anybody if I go out for a walk. I think we have to use our common sense, the letter is standard and quite naturally, your own circumstances are not taken into consideration when they are issued.

Mind you at the moment a walk over the fields is out of the question, my hayfever has gone through the roof!!

And I fear we now know what is in store for our declining years
MawB Now cheer up! You're not declining! Saw your pic. recently (btw. liked your specs; would suit me!) and you looked AOK. for more than a few more years yet.
Speaking from personal experience I can assure you that there will be nothing to fear even when your decline sets in, provided you maintain your healthy lifestyle which shouldn't be hard to do with lockdown!
Apropos of nothing, wasn't it Mark Twain who said he'd rather decline two beers than a German verb!
OoRoo

DH and I are both 71. We’ve had no letter although my son had a general letter from Boris just after the lockdown was announced. I drive to my local supermarket once a week to shop in the seniors hour. Last week it was so quiet I didn’t even have to queue to go in. I walk the dog once a day so that’s my exercise. Haven’t seen my grandchildren for weeks apart from a wave through the window a few times. I speak regularly by phone and have a weekly Zoom chat with friends. One of them who is in her late 60’s said she had had a lovely day on VE Day with son, daughter in law and children - who don’t live with her. She then added but don’t tell anyone as I suppose it was wrong ?

I haven't had 'the letter' but am self isolating. I have asthma and I am diabetic.
I haven't been out since lockdown (apart from to hang washing out when no neighbours are in the communal garden) and I have shopping delivered as I would normally, as I am disabled.
I haven't seen my dd or grandkids since apart from video chat and right now I would give my right arm for a cuddle ?.
My meds are delivered by the pharmacy aswell.
I live alone. The isolation is crippling. My mental health is really suffering.
I am also missing my the man in my life.

My dm is one of many who's 'letter' never arrived! She is definitely on the list, has had food parcels (despite trying to cancel them because she is getting supermarket deliveries). She is home with her husband. He isn't leaving the house either.
I'm concerned now that there may be information on the letter that mum should have??

Anyone analysed the differences between the initial 'shielded' and the subsequent 'shielding'?

I found the thought of shielded rather comforting initially. Here was government trying to protect me from a dread disease.
Then Shielding followed which seemed to reflect the truth more adequately.... that we elderly and infirm should keep/ be kept out of harm's way to avoid further pressure on the NHS
Have regular Skype contact with family and good neighbours in a newly-awakened community but fear that I have already become used to living in this fashion. If the 'shielding' continues then my newly discovered good neighbours might be somewhat less interested in doing my shoppng in 6 months' time
We shall still be old, though and suffering from auto-immune and other conditions and institutionally house-bound. What then?