No more shielding

It’s her decision, tbh.

I think it varies from area to area. There have been no new cases for days where I am and I know people in areas where there have been no cases for weeks.

Good that she's keen to return to work. The problem is when people don't feel ready to go back and yet they'll have to when shielding comes to an end.

People cannot be shielded indefinitely. Life has to go back to some kind of normality. The government take their advice from medical experts.

I think it’s for your sister to decide, some people are very fearful, some are not so, some just want to get on with things each has to make their own decisions

The ‘shielding letter’ was couched in very direct and frightening terms, designed to ensure that the rules were followed to the letter. Now that the scientific measures are showing less of a risk it’s only right that the shielded (of whom I am one) are allowed more flexibility.
It is personal choice of course but we cannot stay at home forever.

The scientific advisors yesterday pointed out that they advise but the government decides. Which was, IMO, their way of saying the government were going against their advice. Which, IMO, they are. I just wish they’d be more open about a la Jonathan van Tam.

Life would be able to go back to normal sooner if people were forced to suffer short term pain, not the half-hearted lockdown we had with people making all kinds of excuses.

Going from official shielding to back to work with a commute on crowded public transport is a big jump. Personally, I'd be unhappy to make that jump, but it's up to her. Hope she doesn't get caught out.

grantothree

Personally I'm very suspicious of this. I haven't heard any scientific evidence to prove this is safe and I'm extremely worried about my sister who is now dead keen to return to work (requiring a busy, packed commute) from the beginning of August. She has been shielding until now - and surprisingly to me! she's usually very headstrong - has been quite good about it. Thoughts?

Will it still be a busy, crowded commute though? My son works in London and has to travel on the underground at peak times owing to the nature of his job, and says trains are no longer busy and everyone wears a face covering throughout the journey. He takes hand sanitiser and all precautions. It’s become normal for him.

I don’t know if your sister can travel at quieter times (flexible working hours?) but workplaces which are open have to show themselves to be Covid-secure. I think the world to which your sister is returning is a safer one than when lockdown began.

Those who have been shielding can become fearful so I do applaud your sister. If she is “dead keen to return”, being at home has clearly had a negative effect on her and she is wanting to return to a more fulfilling life. I’m sure she will have assessed the risks

My eldest daughter received her 'shielding' letter very late. Indeed, in her offices, several of her colleagues has already contracted, and recovered from this virus, and she had worked throughout the big London surge.

Then she was told she was not permitted to go in to work, has continued to work from home, which she hates. She is very healthy and fit, but had her spleen removed some thirty years ago.

She has a holiday arranged for last week in July- and, I assume that she will be able to return to work after that. She drives to work, has her own office, and normally is the first person to enter the building very early in the morning directly after the cleaners have left. She has always taken her own packed lunch and coffee with her.

I am so happy for her as I know how really fed up and down she has felt at being forced to work only from home.

PinkCakes is spot on.