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Original poster

Do you think I should have had a text/letter and be in the shielding group?

33 replies

Bluesheep8 · 08/04/2020 07:30

I was expecting to receive a letter. I was diagnosed with MS over 20 years ago and haven't received one. I'm advised to have the flu jab every year.

OP posts:
Clymene · 08/04/2020 07:34

No, because you're not in the shielded group. Look in the gov.uk website for who is considered extremely vulnerable and should shield. MS is not on the list

RoLaren · 08/04/2020 07:40

My family member has MS and is in the shielding group due to the immuno suppressant medication she takes. She had a letter from her GP.

horlicksbabe · 08/04/2020 07:45

You can presumably do it without the letter if you think you need to.

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Original poster
Bluesheep8 · 08/04/2020 07:46

Thank you. I was going to ring my neuro's secretary to check but the act that I'm not taking any drugs for it answers my question. Thank you

OP posts:
Original poster
Bluesheep8 · 08/04/2020 07:47

The FACT

OP posts:
zafferana · 08/04/2020 07:51

Just because you haven't had a letter, it doesn't mean that you're not in the shielding group. According to the list, my DF is in the shielding group and is classed as vulnerable. He did not receive a letter or a text telling him this. My DSM found out from her consultant that she is in the most vulnerable group of all and should not leave their house/garden, but she also didn't receive a letter or a text! If you're in doubt, contact your consultant and ask.

RingtheBells · 08/04/2020 07:52

I imagine you will be in the same group as over 70s, pregnant women and other people who get the flu jab who have to be more careful than most but not shielded, so can go out with care.

BatSegundo · 08/04/2020 07:55

I have MS and received my letter from my consultant at the end of last week. I'd get in touch with your neurologist or ms nurse and ask as shielding status is more to do with what medication we are taking than the ms.

BatSegundo · 08/04/2020 07:58

Just seen your update - have you taken any of the 'big hitters' (campath, hsct) in the past as you may still need to be shielded?

ChasingRainbows19 · 08/04/2020 08:07

My dad has two lung conditions and diabities type 2. No letter as they arent classed as severe eg he isn't on o2.

However we have had him shielded for weeks. Not risking it he wouldn't be a priority for a ventilator I'm sure and due to his lungs I doubt he would cope well with ventilation and the awfulness of covid19 anyway.

We had similar with my mums illness so seen it all before covid19.

Original poster
Bluesheep8 · 08/04/2020 08:25

batsegundo thank you for considering this. I have never been prescribed any medication for my MS (diagnosed 21 years ago with RRMS)

OP posts:
Harrysmum2020 · 08/04/2020 08:40

My sons got a primary immunodeficiency we received the letter but was pre warned by his consultant to pull him out of school and start shielding 2 weeks before schools shut

barberousbarbara · 08/04/2020 09:10

This is the criteria for people identified as needed to be shielded:

  1. People who have had an organ transplant who remain on long term immune suppression therapy
  1. People with specific cancers - people:

with cancer who are undergoing active chemotherapy or radical radiotherapy for lung cancer

with cancers of the blood or bone marrow such as leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma who are at any stage of treatment

having immunotherapy or other continuing antibody treatments for cancer having other targeted cancer treatments which can affect the immune system, such as protein kinase inhibitors or PARP inhibitors

who have had bone marrow or stem cell transplants in the last 6 months, or who are still taking immunosuppression drugs

  1. People with severe respiratory conditions including all cystic fibrosis, severe asthma and severe COPD. Severe asthmatics are those who are frequently prescribed high dose steroid tablets.
  1. People with rare diseases and inborn errors of metabolism that significantly increase the risk of infections (such as SCID, homozygous sickle cell)
  1. People on immunosuppression therapies sufficient to significantly increase risk of infection
  1. People who are pregnant with significant congenital heart disease

If you don't fall into the categories about you may still be classed as vulnerable just not shielded. I'm in the shielded category for having active chemotherapy and taking a PARP inhibitor.

Cosmos45 · 08/04/2020 09:13

What letter does your surname begin with? Not joking but my friend said yesterday they are sending them alphabetically so for instance my surname that starts with a Y means that my letter will take longer to get here than say a surname beginning with B. She is an NHS radiologist. I am not sure if that is something you may need to consider?

perniciousdot · 08/04/2020 09:22

The flu jab has nothing to do with sheilding.

If you haven't needed medication for the whole 21 years since diagnosis i would say it's unlikely you will be in the sheilding category.

Call your GP maybe, but have a good look at the sheilding information and MS society site before you do, they should be able to answer your question

Original poster
Bluesheep8 · 08/04/2020 09:53

Thanks everyone. My surname starts with one of the first few letters of the alphabet. Pointless ringing GP as I was categorically told when I registered that MS was a specialist area they were not equipped to deal with. Yes, really! Guessing it's to do with not ever having had any drugs.

OP posts:
QueenoftheIceAge · 08/04/2020 10:12

Can I ask (without wanting to sound goady- I just don’t know the answer) what receiving a text or letter offers you, apart from advice to self-isolate longer? Is there some monetary benefit or priority food delivery slot? It’s just I have a friend who keeps posting on Facebook angrily about not having received her letter and how she keeps chasing it up but it still hasn’t come. It’s clearly making her very cross but I don’t understand why, and as I can’t ask her am asking you guys instead 😂

Original poster
Bluesheep8 · 08/04/2020 10:31

queenoftheiceage it's purely so that I know I'm doing/not doing things in the right way. For example I am going for a walk each day and taking it in turns with DP to go to a shop when needed. If I was in the shielding group I would not do those things. Plus, my work have asked. I am already WFH though.

OP posts:
Original poster
Bluesheep8 · 08/04/2020 10:33

And I'm certainly not cross about not getting a letter

OP posts:
QueenoftheIceAge · 08/04/2020 10:55

Thanks for replying. I didn’t mean to imply you were cross at all, it’s just that as she was so passionate about getting a letter I was wondering if it contained some exciting benefit in addition to the info!

Thighmageddon · 08/04/2020 11:01

I'm on two immunosuppressants, over 50 and have high blood pressure but I'm not in the shielding group.

Neither is my mum on three immunosuppressants, nearly 80, high blood pressure along with many other co-morbids.

AlunWynsKnee · 08/04/2020 11:04

MS here too. The medication I am on for it doesn't put me in the Extremely Vulnerable category. That's the category who are getting letters and can register on the gov.uk website. The vulnerable (flu jab etc) can't and should practice stringent social distancing but don't need to isolate.
It's confused people and the help for vulnerable people is actually only for extremely vulnerable people.
So you won't get a letter.

Original poster
Bluesheep8 · 08/04/2020 11:15

Thanks all Smile I'm clear on the fact that I won't be getting a letter now. queenoftheiceage I know you weren't implying that I was cross Smile I can't understand why anyone WOULD be cross, tbh - I can't see that there is anything to be gained by having a letter, I just wanted to ensure that there hadn't been a mistake and that I can just carry on as I am.

OP posts:
Clymene · 08/04/2020 11:16

You get a food parcel from the government and priority delivery slots @QueenoftheIceAge

But you can't leave the house at all and you're not even supposed to go outside

Dreamersandwishers · 08/04/2020 11:19

@QueenoftheIceAge to your point as to what a shielding letter gets you - I am in Scotland so it maybe different but the chief difference I see is that I can text the central number and they will deliver me emergency food, and they will put me in touch with local volunteers if I have no-one , or if my support network fails.
I got a letter last week and was shocked they considered me that vulnerable, but very impressed at the thought and work that’s gone into it.

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