Identifying as 'Extremely Clinically Vulnerable' in the community

Hi , interesting thought and obviously everyone will have their own thoughts.

I for one would not wearvanything that makes me stick out in the crowed. As long as I am happy that my family and I are controlling our environment and following the guidance then great.

I have been in this situation twice before following both my Stem Cell Transplants where catching a simple cold was as dangerous as coming in contact with COVID.

My first lockdown was 6 months and the second was 12 months and yes, despite all the precautions I was still 5 times back in hospital (31 days) ICU x 2, Chest Infections, Lung Fungal Infections, the RSV Virus, Pneumonia x 2, Sepsis x 2 and A Fib but I am still around and doing great.

Lymphoma Action produced Distance Aware Badges during the first lockdown but don’t know if they are still being produced.

https://lymphoma-action.org.uk/distance-aware-badge

Take care - be safe.

This is a very deeply personal question and a personal response. I am sure that some people (the vulnerable and non-vulnerable) will see the positive in this. Others whose natural inclination is not to seek out attention will not be so positive. Some will find that it marks them in a negative way, in a similar way to AIDS or HIV did before it was better understood, bringing about judgement and not caring. My personal view is that I like and respect your idea and agree its a good one to have a nationally recognisable emblem that is voluntary to use. Hopefully before too long its need will be negated once the vaccination programme is well under way. May that day come soon.

Thank you for the insight Mike.

I originally leant towards your thoughts on not sticking out, and preferring to control the environment. I previously found this more achievable, as we lived in a quieter area. There I could get out to a park early in the morning and there would be no-one else around.

For my treatment, we moved into London and it feels impossible for me to get to any open space and keep clear of people. Hence the silly looking Hi-Vis.

Thank you for the link to the Lymphoma action distance aware badges. I didn't know about them. My thought was to try for something more universal (it's not just Lymphoma or even Cancer that makes someone vulnerable). I also figure this is good for everyone (not just the vulnerable), as if it can reduce the number of people severely affected by COVID, it can reduce stress on NHS, etc.

Thanks.

Thank you Teega. I really agree about the double-edged nature of something like this. The feeling of sticking-out vs asking for recognition is very personal. My thought/hope about this was: if enough people wore something like this (or there was enough of a marketing campaign behind it), then it would be a tool available to people if they wanted it. People could have that choice. At the moment, I don't really feel we have that option to choose.

Hi Mike, regarding the Distance Aware badge from Lymphoma Action. I just read into this a bit more. I didn't realise that this was a wider initiative, and backed by NHS. Seems like it was promoted in Wales, but maybe not so much elsewhere? - unless I missed it.

Blood Cancer UK have their own Shielding Badge and I am sure that a lot of the other main cancer charities will have their own versions. So there are tools available without reinventing the wheel.

shop.bloodcancer.org.uk/.../shieldingbadge

Thank you Mike. In this case me reinventing the wheel would actually make the wheel worse (dilute the message).

On something you mentioned in an earlier reply: when you went through your STC you mentioned how you and your family controlled your environment. Do you have any practical advice on what you did (maybe you have a link to it in other posts, I know you're quite prolific)? I'm curious because I hope to get to a STC soon, and maybe you have some non-obvious things you, and your family, did to reduce risk?

It will be more straight forward due to the COVID restrictions in place but we basically controlled everyone who came into the house and who we came in contact with in any place.

All our family and friends understood that if they had the slightest symptoms they stayed away.

We did go out and about but went to places where there were no crowds, open spaces, on line shopping when it was not a ‘thing’

I was actually wearing masks going in and out the hospital during both my lockdowns getting odd looks!!

Todays hype about cleanliness and hand sanitisation was part of our life so this did not come as a problem during the COVID lockdowns.

Eating a good balanced diet

I see you have joined our supportive Stem cell transplant group if you go down this road.

That's great. Thank you very much Mike.