Hi @Quercus, you must have been very confused with the letters and their message.
I agree one size doesn’t fit all, but I don’t see a way around it in a way. Actually I just don’t know the way forward it is nearly a world problem not just this country. Take care and keep posting so we can support each other through this.
It’s a difficult situation. I shielded when I was told to but couldn’t shield entirely as I live with other people. I made my personal decision to get out and about when shielding was paused as I can’t bare being shut up. I’m also back to on site working as well as working from home part of the week. On the whole it works for me but I appreciate that everybody’s circumstances are different and not everybody will feel comfortable getting on with things.
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I am two years post diagnosis with CLL. My husband and I shielded from March when we received the official letter. We were lucky that we had friends who could shop for us and as time went on we gradually started to go to local shops. We had isolated walks from the start and still do. I think l am about to start treatment but will find out on 9th November when I will have a face to face consultation as opposed to telephone ones since March.
I get great comfort and help from the CLL support group and Health Unlocked.
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Hi @Kitchengardener2, a great big welcome to our forum, I find I get great comfort and help from this forum too.
I expect you are also feeling anxious about the unknown and feeling in limbo till the 9 Nov face to face consultation.
We are all here to support you and if you would like to talk to someone you can contact the wonderful Blood Cancer UK Support Services Team on 0808 2080 888 10am-7pm Monday-Friday and 10am to 1pm Saturday and Sunday or via email at support@bloodcancer.org.uk.
Please keep posting and let us know how you get on with the 9 Nov consultation.
Hi @Kitchengardener2. Good luck with your consultation on the 9th. It should at least make your situation clearer though you must be very anxious about it. Let us know how you get on.
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Hi @Vindicatrix how are you doing? I hope you don’t mind me merging these two topics as they’re similar. A warm welcome to the forum! Really hope your consultant meeting goes as well as it can today. It’s good to hear you’ve been doing lots of risk assessments and doing what you feel is right for you. Glad you’ve found this forum!
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I shielded from March until the 1st of August, when the Government temporarily paused shielding. Since then I have been into shops, had a dental appointment, an opticians appointment and, most importantly, a couple of visits to my hairdresser. Obviously, I have been careful and will continue to be so but I’m not keen to go back into full shielding. I have felt much better since I have been allowed to go out but I do appreciate that some people are anxious and nervous.
I am retired and don’t need to worry about having to go back to work but I don’t want to have to cower in the house. This virus could be with us for some time. Currently I am in remission and need to enjoy some quality of life without putting myself or anyone else at risk.
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Hi, @Chrissy, perhaps another visit to your hairdresser is in order before Thursday.
I felt so sad when I read your words ‘cower in the house’. Yes, this virus could be with us for a while and perhaps we will need to minimise external contacts to ensure we stay safe.
However what we can also do is support each other through Covid lockdown on this forum.
Keep posting what it is like for you.
Hi, I received a shielding email on Wednesday regarding my vulnerability, see below, this may help;
On 31 October, the Prime Minister announced new national restrictions to help control the spread of COVID-19. We are writing to you because you have previously been identified as someone thought to be clinically extremely vulnerable and at highest risk of becoming very unwell if you catch COVID-19. This letter contains important advice on how to protect yourself and how to access further support.
Coronavirus cases are rising rapidly across the whole of the UK, and that is why, from 5 November until 2 December, the Government has taken the following action:
- Requiring people to stay at home, except for specific purposes.
- Preventing gathering with people you do not live with, except for specific purposes.
- Closing certain businesses and venues, like hospitality and non-essential retail.
The new national restrictions are rules that apply to everyone and which everyone must follow. The full details of these rules can be found online at https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus.
In addition, the Government is issuing new guidance to clinically extremely vulnerable people. This is set out in the following pages. Whilst this is not a return to the very restrictive shielding advice you may have followed earlier in the year, you are strongly advised to follow these extra precautionary shielding measures to help keep yourself safe. This remains advice, not the law.
You should stay at home as much as possible but are encouraged to go outdoors for exercising and attending health appointments. You are strongly advised to work from home. If you cannot work from home, then you should not attend work. You may be eligible for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (furlough). This letter is a formal shielding notification and can act as evidence for your employer to show that you cannot work outside your home until 2 December, including for statutory sick pay (SSP) purposes.
The new national restrictions, and this specific advice will apply across England for four weeks up to Wednesday 2 December. At the end of this period, we expect to return to guidance that is specific to your region, based on the latest data. We will write to you again with further information before then.
Please remember that the NHS is open, and we urge you to continue to access all the NHS services that you need. It is safer for you to use the NHS than to try to manage alone.
If you are concerned about the impact of COVID-19 on your health, speak to your GP, hospital clinician or use NHS111. Further information on how to access help, including how to register for support, can be found in the attached guidance.
We know that this is a difficult time and many people are making significant sacrifices. Thank you for your efforts to keep yourself and others safe.
Yours sincerely,
MATT HANCOCK
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
ROBERT JENRICK
Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
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Oh @Billy1mate, thanks so much for thinking of us all and sending us a copy of ‘the letter’, it was very thoughtful, how are you feeling about lockdown and how are you anyway?
I haven’t recieved an email or letter yet, however my school were sent the updated advice and have said they would like me to work from home -on full pay. Very relieved.
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They sent me a copy of this yesterday. I must say I didn’t read the signatures until today. 
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Hello everybody. Has anyone received the Matt Hancock letter through the post yet? I’m not sure anyone relevant has his e-mail address to send it that way.
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…not sure anyone relevant has my husband’s e-mail I mean.
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Hi Jill1,
Last time when shielding came in, my husband received his letter through the post and a text saying he should shield. I have no idea how they have addresses and mobile numbers for people but they do. Its a bit like Big Brother!!! So I wouldn’t worry, just hang tight for a bit and I’m sure the letter will arrive. My husband is on the clinically extremely vulnerable list and still hasn’t had any personal notification of the advice - no letter, email or text. But his workplace have been informed he is not to work as they phoned him a few days ago and told him to stay at home. Its all a bit weird and a bit topsy turvy. I guess some employers will need to see the letter before they’ll allow people to stay off work so I wish the government would get their act together.
Best of luck with it, I hope the letter arrives soon for your husband.
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Hi @SP7, I expect the receiving of letters will be patchy like the last time and that is a great result with your school, what a relief, please let us know how you get on.
Hi @Jill1, my letter arrived by email. Let us know how you get on.
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Hi @Mandypandy, as I said just now I expect the receiving of emails/letters will be as patchy as the first time. Blood Cancer UK have the guidance details on their website. I am glad that your husbands employers have told him to stay at home. How are you doing?
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I received my letter last time by post about three weeks late. This time I got the email! I assume they are emailing everyone that they have contact for. My school is also very good and I’m working from home. Although not looking forward to live streaming five lessons a day.
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Hi @Groves1103, live streaming 5 lessons a day is definitely a new way of working, let us know how it goes.