Freedom Day? Really?

Our group had intended to organise, later this month, its first indoor meeting since March 2020. However, despite all of us having had both jabs we have changed our plans.

Even as early as February 2020, some members changed their plans including cancelling trips to London, given reports of the arrival of coronavirus. Most members later received shielding letters, being extremely clinically vulnerable,  and have been taking every precaution to avoid infection. There is a reluctance, given the high current infection rates, to return meeting indoors. So for the moment we will meet outdoors or via Zoom.

Whilst this is disappointing, we are not back to square one. The vaccinations continue to appear to give protection against severe disease needing ICU care. Speech and language therapists have developed some excellent strategies to ensure speech valve services can continue. We will be meeting together again, as usual, before long. In the meantime we will be staying in touch and supporting each other as best we can.

As well as looking to stay safe ourselves we are thinking of the nurses, doctors and SLTs who support us. They face many pressures if there is another wave of infection and our thoughts are with them.