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'We Want Our Lives Back': How It Feels To Be Shielding Again

Shielding has returned during the third national lockdown – and it’s come as a blow for those considered clinically extremely vulnerable to Covid-19.

Once more, the advice for people in these groups is to stay at home as much as possible, avoiding shops and work, and to keep contact with others to a minimum, even outside.

The latest announcement won’t make a huge difference to the day-to-day lives of many, because they’ve largely maintained shielding since March. But hearing the advice renewed is still a difficult pill to swallow.

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Emma Friddin, 33, from London, has been at home since March, aside from attending medical appointments. She takes an immune suppressant medication for Crohn’s Disease and Arthritis, which makes her vulnerable to Covid.

“It’s weird when I think it’s been 10 months and I literally haven’t even been to a supermarket or restaurant or a shop or anywhere!” she says. “I have family and friends I haven’t seen for all this time, which is really hard because I am used to seeing my friends very regularly.

“I’ve never gone this long without social contact.”

Emma Friddin
Emma Friddin

Five of Friddin’s close friends have had babies in the past year and she’s not sure she’ll get to meet them before their first birthday. She also has a two-year-old niece and a three-week old nephew, and is missing the opportunity to spend time with them.

“Although I can legally be part of their support or childcare bubble, I can’t because it’s too risky – and it breaks my heart,” she says.

The latest lockdown announcement marks more of the same, but it’s still hard to deal with. “I’m gutted as it will soon be a year since we started shielding and it isn’t clear how long this will last for,” she adds.

Shani Dhanda, a 33-year-old from Birmingham who’s now based in London,...

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