Visiting family while COVID-19 circulates

[Jayden99]

If this isn't the right place for this then feel free to move/delete. I'm currently at home in Glasgow visiting family for the second time since restrictions have eased. This is the first time, however, that I've seen my grandparents who were (and still are to an extent) shielding. Despite the fact that I almost definitely don't have COVID, not having even the slightest symptoms, I found that I was extremely anxious around them whenever I had to go closer than 2 metres, and couldn't bring myself to go inside. It's a good thing the weather was nice yesterday or I wouldn't have seen them at all. Does anyone have any similar experiences with vulnerable relatives, and things you've done to combat it?

 

[farci]

This is the current Scottish Govt advice on people shielding:

"Our advice is to keep shielding until 31 July 2020. You can now choose to:

• meet indoors with up to 8 people from 2 other households with physical distancing
• meet outdoors with up to 15 people from 4 other households outdoors with physical distancing
• use public transport wearing a face covering unless you are exempt
• go to pubs and restaurants with outdoor spaces
• use formal childcare providers – this does not apply to children who are shielding

You can also choose to go into shops and leisure venues, wearing a face covering. This includes:

• shops, pharmacies, garden centres and indoor markets
• hairdressers, barbers and other personal retail services
• museums, galleries, libraries, cinemas and other visitor attractions

This is in addition to previous guidance on:

• stopping physically distancing from the people you live with or who are in your extended household group
• using toilets in other people’s homes and allowing other people to use yours at home
• travelling further than 5 miles from home, as far as you want
• booking all types of holiday accommodation or travelling to a second home – this can now involve people from another household
• visiting outdoor public gardens"

https://www.gov.scot/publications/covid-shielding/

 

[High Dyke]

Hadn't seen my 81 year old mother for nearly 4 months, and she only lives about half a mile from me. However, she'd had a pacemaker fitted in February and was understandably shielding. My brother is now her live-in carer, but at the start of all this he was suffering with a cold. I helped by doing some shopping for the first few weeks, and leaving it in a safe controlled matter. It was just a bit weird calling round there, but only being able to wave through the window to them both.

Luckily, the situation in England eased enough to at least visit last month and sit out in the garden. Something that was beneficial for us all.

 

[BJames]

I completely understand your anxiety around vulnerable relatives. One of my relatives is vulnerable (dementia alongside other pre-existing conditions) and is in a care home. We went to visit the other day. We had to sit outdoors, with face masks on and the chairs were probably around 2.5 metres away from her. I felt that all the reasonable precautions had been taken, our temperatures were checked, and our visit was time limited to under an hour. But it was great to be able to see her again - dementia patients really need to be able to engage with relatives or there is a real risk of a downward spiral.

My advice to you would be that it sounds like you're taking care, so don't worry too much - although sensible mitigations for vulnerable people remain that you should keep two metres away and ideally be outside (I'm not the biggest social distancing fan, but I agree with it in its entirety here - there is no getting away from the fact that vulnerable people are at bigger risk and the correct mitigations should be followed where at all possible).

 

[Jayden99]

I completely understand your anxiety around vulnerable relatives. One of my relatives is vulnerable (dementia alongside other pre-existing conditions) and is in a care home. We went to visit the other day. We had to sit outdoors, with face masks on and the chairs were probably around 2.5 metres away from her. I felt that all the reasonable precautions had been taken, our temperatures were checked, and our visit was time limited to under an hour. But it was great to be able to see her again - dementia patients really need to be able to engage with relatives or there is a real risk of a downward spiral.

My advice to you would be that it sounds like you're taking care, so don't worry too much - although sensible mitigations for vulnerable people remain that you should keep two metres away and ideally be outside (I'm not the biggest social distancing fan, but I agree with it in its entirety here - there is no getting away from the fact that vulnerable people are at bigger risk and the correct mitigations should be followed where at all possible).

Thanks, it just really caught me by surprise because I'm not a particularly anxious person, and I haven't been massively committed to social distancing beyond the minimum when out and about at home.

 

[Domh245]

When I went to visit my Grandparents (both ~90) in mid June, I was quite apprehensive about it and was planning on going inside and talking with them, but staying far enough away to be 'safe' - this promptly was abandoned when I went through the door and was given a hug! I think they're both in the "enjoy life whilst we can" mindset, so they felt comfortable taking the risk of me having COVID for the benefit of it being a normal visit (first in 6 months!)