Covid19 - Shielding and self-isolating for vulnerable people - policies and issues

Yeah, if I'd given my landline number when signing up to the government list I would definitely have assumed something fishy. It may still be hackers/scammers got that somehow, although I don't know how - I didn't think the supermarkets were given anything more than names and addresses, if they were then that's really bad.

I would be surprised if scammers were to leave a message and give their mobile number for a return call though, as they usually like to catch people off their guard and not allow them time to get advice from friends or family.

 

Throughout this pandemic the government has been completely indifferent to the serious issue of exposing not just the average person, but the most vulnerable in society, to potential fraudsters and criminals. I've written on other threads about how bad the NHS Coronavirus Responder scheme is in this regard.

I was listening to Alexis Conrad on the radio on the weekend and he has written about his concerns with the track and trace programme potential to be used by fraudsters to glean personal data from members of the public that aren't vigilant to this possibility. At no time has the government written to me as a vulnerable shielded person explaining the steps I should take to protect myself from potential covid scams. Not surprising though, because potential harm is built into their NHS volunteer scheme.

https://www.wired.co.uk/article/nhs-track-and-trace-scams

 

There was guidance issued to LA's on what the government was doing for shielded people. I haven't read it yet but plan to later.

 

This is exactly the reason I’m happy to be not in any vulnerable group. Right from the start this is exactly what I didn’t want to deal with. I’m sorry this happened. I’d definitely change my number.

 

I think one side effect of the public starting to think things are 'getting back to normal' is that it seems to be increasingly hard to get a supermarket delivery slot in my area. I've noticed that my fit, young and healthy, 2 car family with only one daughter (whose dad has shared custody of her) next door neighbours have now gone back to getting their weekly deliveries from Tesco or Asda (as they did prior to the lockdown). The only way I can get even a priority delivery slot with Tesco is to log on just after 12 midnight and book a slot for 4 weeks' time (just the one day is available and both the fixed and priority slots are gone by the next morning). There was actually more slots available just a few weeks ago!

Edit: I know they are healthy and not 'shielding' - they have both been going out a lot since lockdown has been eased.

 

“I feel forgotten.”
A submission to the Women and Equalities Committee about the impact of coronavirus on people with chronic illness.
https://inclusionproject.org.uk/blog/i-feel-forgotten

 

Previously there was a constant message from supermarkets to leave online shopping slots for people who were either isolating or unable to get into the shops (for example due to disability). This messaging now appears to have been forgotten, healthy people don't want the hassle of waiting in queues so now online shopping has increased in demand and the needs of disabled people (not just those shielding) seems to be even less of a societal concern. I don't think this pandemic has 'brought out the best' in society at all. If it requires constant government and media messaging to keep vulnerable people's needs in the consciousness of the public, that's not indicating genuine change in attitudes.

 

It didn’t even occur to me that this would happen. I stupidly presumed ordering online would get easier so I was also dismayed to see how difficult it was to get a slot the other day even with priority ordering. Not as bad as a month wait though.

This is the first time I’ve had a basic thing missing from my order too. The only reason I placed the order was because I ran out of bread and too ill to make it. I ordered 3 loaves; all different types to make sure I got one. Spent £100 on shopping (was only shopping to get the bread) and not one loaf arrived! Even during lockdown I got bread.

 

It can be 'annoying'.

I've done similar shopping orders, of a similar size, selecting entire categories and allowing subs, and had 70% of the order not arrive, with the delivery not having anything in the one or two categories I placed the order specifically to get.

Can't say I've had a problem with generic bread tho, other than from ASDA of course, but they don't often seem to sell food - which may be why it's relatively easy to get a slot from them. Looks like they need to work on their supply chains, but ATM that's likely to be 'problematic'.

 

Just checking were either of these shops you mention @Hell..hath..no..fury... or @Wonko , from Sainsburys orders?

We’ve had a similar issue with Sainsburys. Sometimes half the shop is missing! However so far Ocado has been really good - telling us at checkout if something is not there, and I think we’ve only had a couple of substitutions, if that. We always got our eggs, (sometimes different brands), and staples etc.

 

Yes, that was sainsburys - I'd shopped there for over 17 years but have now stopped, even if they have now got stock levels on most things back up they just leave my shopping in the street which is of no use to me. It's actually 'harmful' to me as I am not up to hauling it up the stairs before it goes walkabout. Was taking me weeks to 'recover'.

Sainsburys, often had eggs, and diary (although I did have a delivery where they claimed to have no milk, of any type, fresh, skimmed, semi ,or full, no UHT of any type or brand, no dried either - at the same times as the media awas announcing a milk mountains as all the places that normally buy it, restaurants etc, weren't). Often no tinned stuff of any type, often no cleaning products/bleach. Often no pulses, beans, rice or pasta. Never any hand sanitizer. Huge online order values to try and get £20-30 worth of stuff, resulting in £40-50 worth of stuff, over half of which was useless subs (e.g. one I will never forget, 2 small tins of minced beef and onion subbed for a 200g bag of peanuts - the peanut butter made from this sub would not have been very good) - with my still not getting the primary aim of my order. Just to add to the experience they then started leaving my shopping in the street - time to find somewhere else to get shopping.

Asda, good for some veg, good for tinned meats/fish/fruit (not always great quality but it exists and turns up), in 3 shops I have not had a single egg from them, no flour or baking ingredients either. Good for pulses, lentils, cous cous, etc. (small quantities only). Their green veg is 'odd' when compared with sainsbury's of the same name, and cabbages, one or 2 portions only, sainsburys ones often do 4 portions, sometimes more. But it does exist, and has remained so throughout - the same can't be said for Tesco or Sainsburys.

Tesco, normally have eggs, although you may be mucked about a bit whilst ordering, they have most things, other than flour and baking ingredients. Although last time I got 'sneaky' and ordered polish cake flour as they had no plain flour - same thing, most people don't seem to know it, so finally, I got some plain flour. I also managed to get baking powder, from a UK supermarket, not something I have achieved in, judging by expiry dates, at least 4 years. First order, in months, from anywhere, that was delivered as ordered, with no omissions or subs. It was a 'surprise'.

 

Ocado will always find it a bit easier as they (as I understand it) have no stores, so all their online orders are shipped from a warehouse, so when you put an item in your online basket it goes off the shelf - so they can keep a closer eye on their stock, there are no pesky customers in the shop buying them. When you have an online order being picked from a store, you have customers going round & picking off the shelves in competition with the pickers for the online deliveries, so while it may have been available the day before it isn't any more.

Morrisons used to do all warehouse like Ocado as well, no store based deliveries, so a missing item or substitute was very rare, it was marvellous, but then they changed it to partly store based & they are just as unreliable for items as everyone else now (except Ocado).

As to the deliveries, Morrisons have got plenty of slots in my area, but I do do all my orders a few wks in advance anyway - I currently have 4 wks worth of orders checked out. so every wk i'm booking a slot for in 3-4wks time.

 

There are plenty of priority slots available with Sainsburys in my area. But given that they only offer a very reduced range for online delivery (not sure if this is everywhere or just my area) and other people's reported problems and that I am fortunate enough to have a healthy daughter who can occasionally do an instore shop there for me, then I'm avoiding them. The difference between Sainsburys and Tesco in my area is that Sainsbury's store offer the click and collect service (with a full range of items) and Tesco doesn't do this, so people who regularly use Tesco are more likely to want to get the online slots from them.

 

https://www.hsj.co.uk/news/exclusiv...h-risk-patients-to-be-dropped/7027857.article

Registration required to access the article, but I quoted it in full as it's very basic information at the moment.

 

So 4900 new infections a day not including care home infections, is low, is it? According to our govt it is.

 

It's not been officially announced. I was just looking up what the state of play is when I came across a Sun article stating the above and decided to see where they got the information from. The HSJ is somewhat more reliable as a source than the Sun and it's interesting to read the comments from healthcare professionals.

 

Following a link from the first HSJ article, I read the shocking information below. I think this may be relevant to members on the forum who have been left off the shielding list despite having other severe conditions.

 

Interesting reading one of the comments to the above article. One lady's healthy husband had been put on the shielding list whereas she had been left off, despite meeting the criteria. This is what happened to me with my daughter being put on the list instead of me. I think they must have been picking up carers (as the letter implied) but then insisted you needed to be the one named on the NHS letter to receive support or exemption from work. Bizarre...