Lockdown easing for vulnerable?

Here in Scotland we are expecting an announcement tomorrow. Since we are shielded and have had a second letter to tell us to continue until the end of July, I can only think we are to be allowed out for a walk - at last.

I have been seeing people, at a distance, in the garden and have been for a couple of short drives including trips to hospital and to the doctor.

For the rest of the population, our FM may ease on shop openings. There is a lot of pressure on her to do that despite the dreadful infection figures.
It seems strange to me that in NZ, when they have 2 cases, the army is sent it whereas here - well some people seem to be ignoring any rules.
Keep safe.

I’ve read this morning that people who are shielding won’t have to wait much longer - the end of July. People can at least make up their own minds then as to whether to be out and about, or not.

Whatever the advice I think we'll carry on with our own precautions and although it will be lovely to go out we'll still avoid supermarkets and crowded places.

I'm really looking forward to a trip to a garden centre though.

Here in Nottingham there is tension in the city centre. After the first rush of customers to primark on Monday apparently it is quieter. My middle sister whose immune system is compromised is very anxious about going out. My brother in law works in a men's clothes shop they have had few customers. Strange times.

I have had three letters, two phone calls and a text. After six weeks I started to feel quite weak as I rely on walking to stay as healthy as possible. We drove to the local rugby field and walked round that as we could see that there were no people near us.

A neighbour, a nurse, told us of a nearby prom which was not crowded. We didn't go at the weekend but drove there early in the morning and parked. It was quiet so we went for a walk next to the river and it was lovely. We didn't touch anything or go near anyone and took our shoes off in the porch when we got back.

By the way, Asda have been absolutely brilliant and have looked after us with a weekly delivery. They have also delivered my medicines.

First of all can I say how much I detest the word ‘normalcy’. What’s wrong with ‘normality’.

I don’t see how you can be shielding one day and going out meeting others and shopping the next. It has to be done slowly and methodically.

This is so hard and I think decisions may have to be made on the risk individuals are prepared to take.
My first thought was very cynical and that it would save the government money/resources. I do wonder if they have made such a mess of things they have just given up on trying to protect peoples health,or maybe they were never that interested to start with. It makes no sense to me that indicators are the virus is still very active but people are rushing back to "normal". Yes,I do realise the economy is dire. From my personal experience:
My GP told me recently that this situation is not going to be anywhere near normal for a year at least.
A friend who braved the bus for the first time yesterday said that people were allowed on without masks and many took them off when on the bus.
My future son in law is working at one of the test sites. He says that the R rate is much higher in the area than we are told as many people who are experiencing symptoms carry on as normal as cant afford not to work and are not badly affected. Of course that doesnt mean they cant give it someone else.
I think what should be in the fore front of peoples minds is that those who are killed by the virus or greatly debilitated by it are almost exclusively over 70 or have underlying conditions. How valued has this group been in recent years?
Do your own risk assessment but think very carefully. What does concern,but not surprise me is that once not shielded resources/support will probably be taken from these groups and some will have no choice but to put themselves at risk.

Here in Wales those that are shielding ,as both of us are,the next date we have been given to expect changes is Aug 15th .........which after been already in this position since 20th March seems an age away!!!!

However we are very mindful that the virus still exists here in our GB and we yet have the borders to be opened when our seaside resorts will get extremely busy.............so although the end cannot come soon enough,on the other hand we remain very fearsome.

Most places with folks around will be avoided for the forseeable.

A mindfield for sure

The two cases in NZ has to me highlighted how pathetic the UK efforts has been regarding movement of people. Never heard protests about travellers arriving and having to go into controlled quarantine for 2 weeks. Here there is an uproar about having just to declare an address and give a promise you will comply and stay in. UK is an island just like NZ, isolation should have been strictly in place at the beginning with borders closed. We are far too liberal and people are worried now about their two week holiday to Spain. Beggars belief. Had I been in the shielding group I would not be venturing out until there have been no new cases reported for several days.

I agree with much on this thread and I want to add that it is only up to the individual how much risk to take. I have had a couple of people TELLING me that it is OK to do this and that and I tell them that what I do is my own business. I am very conscious that people are going without cancer treatment and that is so wrong. The fewer people who get this virus the sooner people and children with other illnesses get proper treatment.

What I dont understand is why the military were tasked with building hospitals in "no" time at all and succeeded and then they were not used. If all covid 19 patients were put in the Nightingale hospitals built for them then other illnesses could be treated timeously.

Yesterday I had n exciting day - I drove to the surgery for blood tests - have to admit I nipped into a couple of shops which was all a bit weird. Back to Lockdown for me. I shall be quite wary of going to the hairdresser, podiatrist and dentist (all necessary).

NanaHev As I understand it, if patients were moved into Nightingale hospitals, staff also have to be moved, so the original hospital loses staff, so is unable to treat as many patients.

The Nightingales could be used as convalescent homes for those who don’t need full time nursing But are too unwell to go home or to nursing homes... fewer staff, less loss for hospitals.

I had a telephone call from the practice Nurse at my GP surgery just to check on how I was coping. She stressed in no uncertain terms not to think that I had to go out when shielding was eased, but to stay in for the foreseeable future and if I did go out to ensure I wore a face mask and maintained social distancing and above all avoid any crowds or public transport. She also said it would be safest, unless the R number dropped to around 0.2, to wait until there was a Vaccine available before I even considered a return to the old way of life in terms of going out and meeting people etc.

I will be taking her advice.

UK is an island just like NZ, isolation should have been strictly in place at the beginning with borders closed. We are far too liberal and people are worried now about their two week holiday to Spain. Beggars belief.

Exactly 4allweknow ...!

What does concern, but not surprise me is that once not shielded resources/support will probably be taken from these groups and some will have no choice but to put themselves at risk.

And employer’s will expect these people to return to work as they are no longer shielded.

I am hopeful that by the end of the year there will be treatments available to help those who get it badly or to prevent them becoming so unwell in the first place and vaccine trials may lead to something useful sooner rather than later.

Silverhippy your Practise Nurse has repeated my own thoughts exactly and it will be the route my husband and I shall follow,so thank you for sharing.It emphasises that my own method was the right one.

4allweknow
NZ is slightly bigger than the UK but the population is just under 5 million people compared to the UK 67 million people there abouts, quite a difference don't you think in managing a country.

Together with my husband, we have stuck since March, to all the advice given to shielded people in Wales. Like Dreamkeeper we still have a long way to go until August, though recently we have been able to enjoy a daily walk. When I see the way some people are reacting to shops opening, and others on demonstrations ignoring social distancing, I am quite happy to carry on for as long as it takes. Of course we miss close contact with the family, but hairdressers, eating out and shopping for non essential items are low on our list of priorities. Whilst understanding fully, the need for the economy to receive a boost, the risks are too high. I think that we too will be following the guidance of Silverhippy’s Practice Nurse.

People who are shielding have been advised to stay in. As far as I'm aware its not law. So really if you want to go for a walk you can - its a risk you take.

Our Nana, 90 years old, is so upset to see her 88-year-old neighbour letting different family members into her house every day. This has been happening since Lockdown. On Monday the neighbour was whisked off in a relative's car, no masks on, presumably to go shopping. I have now been talked in to taking Nana to the Garden Centre, she is so happy and excited. We will wear masks, and take every precaution we can think of, disinfect trolley handles, and visit at a quieter time of day. The way we see it, there will probably be a rise in cases in a few weeks, with all the shops opening, so there is a small window of opportunity to get Nana out of the house which has become her lonely prison, for a treat. She knows the risks, but we all know that her mental and emotional health is suffering.

I have been more or less housebound for two or three years so the lockdown hasn’t made much difference to me. In fact it has been good as I have found that shopping via the internet is better than having to rely on my daily help.

Ilovecheese

Point taken but if that is so why were the Nightingale Hospitals built in the first place if there was not enough staff?

The numbers still seem to be fairly high so I don't think I will change anything for a while, although it's going to get difficult if we have a hot Summer.
I really have to get a bus to get anywhere worth going and I don't feel like doing that any time soon.