Returning to High Infection Risk Job with Vulnerable Person at Home - any options for staying home?

theoretica

Her employer might actually welcome putting her on unpaid leave, if their business is down or they can't have as many customers in the shop.

You have probably thought of this, but one or other of you could look for alternative living arrangements - with friends, family or rented.

Splatfoot

poppy12345 said:

Lots of people have worked all through lockdown and they live with extremely vulnerable people. Your wife will have to take extra care and stick to strict hygiene rules when returning home from work. This will include removing the shoes she wore to work before entering your home, removing her clothes and putting them in the wash. Wiping all surfaces down that were touched and shower/bath before going anywhere near you. It can be done and people who post regular on here have continued to this with no harm done to the person they live with.

I totally understand that, my mother's husband works in a hospital and does this every day. However, surely it won't protect anyone if the person working has caught the virus but doesn't yet know? Unless they distance and separate when they are indoors? I suppose people are doing this but this must be incredibly difficult. 

jimkelly

Opticians will be similar to a dentist in terms of PPE provision, so I expect the employer will be on top of this, even more so if it's a national chain.

unforeseen

It's not, it can be done. It just takes discipline. It is rare that I get within 2m of my wife. During the day i only leave my room to get meals. The bathroom is mine, she is confined to using the downstairs loo. When she needs to use the bathroom for shower/ hair wash then she cleans it afterward. Similar routine in the kitchen. 

calcotti

Digital_Dan said: I did receive a letter advising me to shield.

In which case you are ‘extremely vulnerable’ rather than ‘vulnerable’. Doesn’t affect the answers in respect of your wife’s situation though.

Splatfoot

unforeseen said:

It's not, it can be done. It just takes discipline. It is rare that I get within 2m of my wife. During the day i only leave my room to get meals. The bathroom is mine, she is confined to using the downstairs loo. When she needs to use the bathroom for shower/ hair wash then she cleans it afterward. Similar routine in the kitchen. 

Ah okay. I don't think many realise they should do this though. 

suki1964

Splatfoot said:

unforeseen said:

It's not, it can be done. It just takes discipline. It is rare that I get within 2m of my wife. During the day i only leave my room to get meals. The bathroom is mine, she is confined to using the downstairs loo. When she needs to use the bathroom for shower/ hair wash then she cleans it afterward. Similar routine in the kitchen. 

Ah okay. I don't think many realise they should do this though. 

Id have thought after living through lockdown the past 12 weeks and watching the news they may have caught on by now

OP, its scary for a lot of people being told they have to go back to work after being home the past 12/13 weeks being told the most dangerous thing you can do is go outside, totally understand your fears and they are normal

Mum who isn't extremely vulnerable , but can barely breath walking the length of herself has been shielded ( she lives with me and Mr s ). I was working till two weeks ago when I got furloughed. I work in a place where social distancing can not be observed due to the nature of our work. We haven't had one bit of PPE.

Not one of us has taken ill, nor has anyone within our families. As Unforseen says, it does take some discipline with hygiene 

Anyways we in NI are emerging from Lockdown faster then you in England and Mum decided she would pop down the doctors to put her script in and then pop to the shop, Ive been doing everything for her so far. She got to the doctors and came straight back home again and was white and shaken .  Nothing had happened, it was just the nerves of being out that over took her. I think it will be a while longer before she ventures out again, its only been the past few days that she's come as far as the garden

A week back in work for your wife and she will relax. There will be protocols in place that the staff will have to follow. All our opticians are open and from what Ive seen they have the visors and masks, even the staff on the reception, and sanitiser just about everywhere. If she follows the protocols as well as doing the change of clothes, showering, not wearing the shoes she was out in indoors, cleaning all surfaces she may have touched as she came in, you really should be ok

purple12

I don't know how helpful this will be but I've worked the whole way through (I work in a hospital) and access to PPE is on a completely different scale to what it was like in March/April - so I expect a lot of places which were struggling will not be struggling now. Best luck with it. 

Splatfoot

suki1964 said:

Splatfoot said:

unforeseen said:

It's not, it can be done. It just takes discipline. It is rare that I get within 2m of my wife. During the day i only leave my room to get meals. The bathroom is mine, she is confined to using the downstairs loo. When she needs to use the bathroom for shower/ hair wash then she cleans it afterward. Similar routine in the kitchen. 

Ah okay. I don't think many realise they should do this though. 

Id have thought after living through lockdown the past 12 weeks and watching the news they may have caught on by now

OP, its scary for a lot of people being told they have to go back to work after being home the past 12/13 weeks being told the most dangerous thing you can do is go outside, totally understand your fears and they are normal

Mum who isn't extremely vulnerable , but can barely breath walking the length of herself has been shielded ( she lives with me and Mr s ). I was working till two weeks ago when I got furloughed. I work in a place where social distancing can not be observed due to the nature of our work. We haven't had one bit of PPE.

Not one of us has taken ill, nor has anyone within our families. As Unforseen says, it does take some discipline with hygiene 

Anyways we in NI are emerging from Lockdown faster then you in England and Mum decided she would pop down the doctors to put her script in and then pop to the shop, Ive been doing everything for her so far. She got to the doctors and came straight back home again and was white and shaken .  Nothing had happened, it was just the nerves of being out that over took her. I think it will be a while longer before she ventures out again, its only been the past few days that she's come as far as the garden

A week back in work for your wife and she will relax. There will be protocols in place that the staff will have to follow. All our opticians are open and from what Ive seen they have the visors and masks, even the staff on the reception, and sanitiser just about everywhere. If she follows the protocols as well as doing the change of clothes, showering, not wearing the shoes she was out in indoors, cleaning all surfaces she may have touched as she came in, you really should be ok

As long as you social distance as well whilst you're indoors.... re, your first sentence Suki, I do agree but lots of people haven't been at work for weeks so haven't really had to do this.. Also, nobody ever mentions this when they give advice to people on this site. They say, take clothes off etc wash, wipe surfaces but they don't then also say, stay two meters away from your wife/husband whatever, use different bathrooms, don't share anything., sleep in separate beds. Not so bad if it's  your mother, but if it's your partner, it could be a little trickier. 

hb2

OP, I would like to thank you for taking on-board the information given without getting angry or defensive. We have had similar questions countless times and you are one of the few who has continued to respond politely when hearing things that are probably not what you hoped for.