Who decides if I can sheild?

only_me_123

Hi,
I am classed as a vulnerable person due to kidney and lung problems, I was told to shield for 4 months earlier this year and received a letter from the NHS.

I have gone back to work for about 2 months now. I am now becoming more anxious about everything as cases are rising. I also have mild anxiety, although I don't think this is actually effecting me at the moment. I work as a customer advisor in a DIY store so I am always having contact with customers. As well as being worried about catching it myself, I also live wth 2 over 60's so I am worried about passing it on to them too.

My question(s) are: Am I allowed to shield again and if so, can I make this decision?  If so, for how long? I am worried my employer will take this opportunity to punish me and possible sack me. I am not in a local lockdown area at the moment (just outside of London). Should I contact my GP as ask them? Also, I know I will not be paid the taking time off which is a pain, but I would rather be safe.

Any advice would be great, thanks!

Aranyani

The shielding programme isn't currently up and running.  

You can choose to self isolate if you want to and feel that is right for you, but you would have no rights regarding your job. 

elsien

Shielding is not currently part of the government guidelines. No one is being advised to shield at present so it’s not an option. 

Being over 60 does not automatically put someone in a vulnerable group; many key workers continued to work while living with people who were shielding, so again that is not an argument you can use. 

Have you spoken to your employer about your concerns? 

Time2Go_25

The only way you can decide to shield is to quit your job. Outside that you need to speak to your employer and talk through your concerns. They may let you take unpaid leave, but they may not. If you need you can visit the Acas website or phone them on 0300 123 1100 for advice.

calcotti

All the guidance for employers is here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19

There is also guidance here https://www.hse.gov.uk/coronavirus/working-safely/protect-people.htm

For the extremely vulnerable the current advice here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19 says

The guidance for the clinically extremely vulnerable is that shielding has been paused. This means:

• you do not need to follow previous shielding advice

• you can go to work as long as the workplace is Covid-secure, but should carry on working from home wherever possible...

We are now having local lockdowns and the advice for the extremely vulnerable may be different in these areas.

Mrsn

Firstly have an open conversation with your employers, just to make them aware of how vulnerable you are feeling.

Secondly other than resigning from your role there will be no other way that I can see whereby you can effectively be able to shield as you did previously. If you feel this is an option you can pursue (you have already acknowledged the lack of pay) then that’s fine however you need to be realistic, this virus isn’t going away anytime soon and whilst having no pay currently might be “ok” so to speak is it still going to be ok in the longer term. I do not wish to be unkind with this (and I’m sympathetic to your health concerns) but hiding away forever doesn’t seem to be a long term solution to the situation. 

QuackQuackOops

There is nothing to fear with less than half a % of the pop even having the virus and 99.7% of them have no ill effects from it.

GDB2222

QuackQuackOops said:

There is nothing to fear with less than half a % of the pop even having the virus and 99.7% of them have no ill effects from it.

If you’re young and have no serious health issues, I agree that your risk is low. Some people in that category, around 60,000 of them so far, have had long term issues from Covid, even though they got better. However, the OP is not in that position. He says specifically that he has lung and liver problems. 

The number of cases is almost certainly far higher than the official figures show, as many cases go undetected. More to the point, though, the cases are doubling every week or so. So, even if the risk is acceptable right now, it won’t be in a few weeks. The OP is absolutely right to think about what to do.

One option may be some serious PPE, wearing a P3 mask and goggles. Whether that’s doable for a whole day, and you can still do your job effectively, those are questions worth thinking about and discussing with your management. They may feel that a customer adviser dressed up like that is not the image they want, even if anyone can understand what you are saying with the mask on.