To be gutted re vaccine groups and asthma?

[1starwars2]

I have been generally positive and very careful throughout, but I feel really thrown by the news that asthmatics have been removed from group 6 of the Covid vaccine schedule.
I have been literally checking my phone for a text invite as our local surgery announced they were starting vaccinating grp 6 and sending out text invites.
Now I will not be in any of the first 9 groups, and my asthma has been crap for the last year.
A lot of asthmatics have been voluntarily shielding, and looking forward to vaccination and it seems a bit unfair to kick us out of the vaccination schedule now.
I would like to be pleased that it looks like asthmatics might be at no more risk of dying, but I don't feel that would apply to me, and am surprised at those findings.
I generally develop a chest infection, (I have had pneumonia and pleurisy in the last few years) with any cold. I am scared of covid, and it's a genuine fear not anxiety.

Last week there were rumblings along the lines of ‘anyone with a steroid inhaler will be group 6’. Now this today. It’s come across as quite disorganised!

DH and I are both asthmatic. I’m happy to wait because (apparently) the vaccine programme is intended to reduce deaths, and if this new research is to believed we are at no greater risk of death. I couldn’t ‘take’ a vaccine away from someone who does have a higher risk of dying.

BUT the same research does say that asthmatics are at higher risk from Covid, including complications such as long covid. This is ver concerning, and I am struggling to see why we are being lumped in with ‘general population’ if this is true. Surely the cost to the NHS of treating long covid, the economy of extra sick days etc would justify vaccinating at the end of the priority groups.

As a result, I remain very concerned about Covid due to my asthma, and we will continue behaving with extreme caution until we are both vaccinated.

YANBU. I've been waiting too. It's quite galling when you think that an asthma drug (dexamethasone) is one of the main covid treatments, therefore the two illnesses must have similar effects on the body. I think there's just too many asthmatics (8 million) for them to handle vaccinating them all.

My understanding is that if you’re invited for a flu vaccine due to an underlying condition then you’ll be invited for the covid vaccine under the clinically vulnerable group.

I think the guidance has been clear that unless you have the brown inhaler you are no more at risk than anyone without asthma. I've had pneumonia and l don't have asthma; l don't see why you should be ahead of the queue because you've had it as well.

I have my vaccination later this week. Only been in hospital once with asthma and that was about 20 years ago. Will admit I was surprised to get my appointment but happy to take it.

I am no where near the current age brackets being vaccinated so it must be due to my asthma.

I'm really worried for a friend of mine who has chronic asthma, is on steroids and teaches in a secondary school.

I know they are really anxious about being sent back before being vaccinated. This just feels like a kick in the teeth to them.

Humpty they have just excluded asthmatics that do not meet certain criteria like hospitalisation for asthma at any point in your life (so will pick up people who had been hospitalised as a child but since grown out of it) and also people that have had frequent oral steroids - but longer or regular courses of oral steroids.

@Humpty11

My understanding is that if you’re invited for a flu vaccine due to an underlying condition then you’ll be invited for the covid vaccine under the clinically vulnerable group.

I don't think that is the case. It does seem as though different areas are using different criteria. It is really hard, but it is great that it is moving along pretty quickly. I have asthma, get the flu jab and have been hospitalised for it in the past, but wasn't on the shielding list, my friend has a similar level of asthma and was on shielding list. I think there has been a lot if difficulties ascertaining shielding, risk and vulnerabilitiy and just hope the pace of vaccinations keep up. I feel for people who have learning disabilities and a far higher chance of dying who are not in any priority group and cev children who won't be vaccinated until the end of the year at the earliest.

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Pneumonia and Asthma... Why Should I Worry?
Protecting yourself from contracting common lung infections caused by bacteria, viruses and fungi is something every asthma patient must do.
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by Editorial Staff | January 10, 2020

Topics:
Asthma
Health & Wellness
Lung Health and Diseases
More than 25 million Americans are living with asthma, 19 million of whom are adults. Management of your asthma may vary slightly from another person depending on the type of asthma you have. However, protecting yourself from contracting common lung infections caused by bacteria, viruses and fungi is something every asthma patient must do, regardless of your asthma type. Asthma and pneumonia are two diseases that affect your lungs and can share some symptoms such as experiencing shortness of breath, coughing, or having an increased pulse and breathing rate. Understanding pneumonia, how people with asthma have an increased risk for developing pneumonia, and how to prevent getting pneumonia are important aspects of managing your asthma.

What is Pneumonia?
Pneumonia is a type of lung infection that can be either viral or bacterial. It is often spread via coughing, sneezing, touching or even breathing. The infection causes the lung’s air sacs (alveoli) to become inflamed and fill up with fluid or mucus. This makes breathing more difficult and may reduce oxygen levels in the blood, which can be fatal.

Viral pneumonia can be caused by viruses that infect the upper respiratory tract, such as the flu in adults or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in children. Although most viral pneumonias are not serious and last a shorter time than bacterial pneumonia, it can be very serious for people living with asthma and other lung diseases.

The most common type of bacterial pneumonia is called pneumococcal pneumonia which can occur on its own or after you’ve had a cold or the flu. It occurs when Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria spreads from person to person through coughing or close contact. When the bacteria reach your lungs, symptoms of pneumococcal pneumonia can come on quickly and may include chest pain from difficulty breathing or coughing, excessive sweating, a cough with phlegm that persists or gets worse, a high fever with shaking chills and fatigue. Certain symptoms, like cough and fatigue, can last for weeks or longer. In serious cases, pneumococcal pneumonia can even put you in the hospital and be fatal. More information on what causes pneumonia can be found here.

Why Should I Worry About Pneumonia?
People with asthma have a higher risk of developing pneumonia due to previous lung damage or weakness of the lung tissue caused by asthma.

@LadyTiredWinterBottom2

I think the guidance has been clear that unless you have the brown inhaler you are no more at risk than anyone without asthma. I've had pneumonia and l don't have asthma; l don't see why you should be ahead of the queue because you've had it as well.

I thought everyone with asthma had a brown inhaler? No?

I have a blue and a purple one.

I have asthma but rather mild, I only need to use an inhaler a few times a month when my breathing gets bad. For me I wouldnt expect to be any further up the vaccine list and honestly thinking autumn is when I will be offered it.

Our children are at nursery and will be going to school when they open.

I think it depends on how managed your asthma is and what triggers it. For people where it isn’t managed well then I think they should be well before me. Should be done on a risk assessment approach rather than blanket statement

@Humpty11 that was what I thought too until I read the news this afternoon.
It's great some asthmatics have already been invited, but if you haven't already got an appt it looks like you are out of group 6.
The criteria is not clear though. Are any asthmatics in grp 6, or are they shielding and therefore grp 4, or nothing?

I thought everyone with asthma had a brown inhaler? No?
No. There’s umpteen different kinds of inhalers, not just the blue and brown ones. My daily steroid and bronchodilator are red and white and blue and white. Still steroids.

I was told today the criteria (for Essex) was- prescribed steroids in the last 3 months or on 3 types of medication for asthma. I assume there might be more but I’m them two so the doctor only mentioned those to me

@PrivateParty many asthmatics manage on just a blue reliever inhaler.

Others take a daily preventer / steroid inhaler, which can be brown or purple, these people are usually on the list for an annual flu vaccine. Up until now these asthmatics were classed as clinically vulnerable and were expecting to be in group 6 for the vaccine. Now they are not.

I’m on pink inhaler (fostair) grey inhaler (spirivia) and montelukas

"Up until now these asthmatics were classed as clinically vulnerable and were expecting to be in group 6 for the vaccine. Now they are not"

Yeah, and have been shoved into group 10 in many cases where we basically wait to see if there are any doses of the vaccine left before they have to start the programme all over again.

I've got a heart condition and have today found I've been missed off the list. The result has been a day of calling the doctors and being fobbed off and told "we know what we're doing, just because you get a flu jab you don't qualify any longer for this. Just like the asthmatics"

I'll be going into the surgery first thing but have just read that all the clinics this month have been booked up today.

I’m with you OP. The part that doesn’t make sense is saying those on oral steroids are at higher risk than those on inhaled steroids. Steroids are steroids, doesn’t matter how you ingest them, they will lower your immune system. So, to me, if they were going to divide asthmatics up it should be a steroid group before a steroid free group specifically because steroids impair your immune system and DO make you higher risk for Covid complications up to and including death.

I received vaccine invite text on Friday and it's booked for this week.

I have controlled "medium" asthma. Never hospitalised but has been uncontrolled at one point in recent years. Under consultant care and discharged last June. Have had 3 steroid tablet courses within 3 months but that was 2 years ago. Currently take symbicort inhaler, lowish dose.

So not sure why I was invited due to this new news....

Last time I was weighed at GP I just in the obese BMI range so I wondered if that was it. But they didn't call to check my current weight.

I will ask my surgery if I am in group 6, but I am not hopeful.
I last had steroid tablets in July.
I don't think asthmatics on strong steroid inhalers (because otherwise they wouldn't be able to breathe) are at all comparable to the poster who has had pneumonia once and thinks we are making a fuss....

Yes me too I am very disappointed but hopefully we will all have vaccine by end of April anyway

YANBU OP. I'm in the same boat. For the past year asthmatics have been told that we are clinically vulnerable to covid and to take extra precautions. To be suddenly told that you aren't a priority for a vaccine, at such a late stage, is really upsetting and feels like a kick in the teeth.

My understanding is that death rates for asthmatics aren't significantly higher than the general population, which is of course great news. This could however be a result of asthmatics following the government's advice to take extra care not to catch covid in the first place.

I think the latest data shows that asthmatics are more likely to be hospitalised, and more likely to have long covid.

Plus as an asthmatic you already know what it feels like to struggle for breath so the thought of getting covid is very frightening.

I suspect that the decision to remove most asthmatics from group 6 is because of the number of people with asthma making it difficult to meet the vaccination target if we are all included.

Just worked out why I'm included. Ever been prescribed 3 courses in 3 months.

From asthma UK website

and we now have an update:

If you were sent a shielding letter, you will be in priority group 4.

If you have ever had an emergency hospital admission for your asthma, or ever been prescribed three courses of steroid tablets in a three-month period, you will fall into priority group 6.

If you do not fall into either of these groups and are under the age of 50, you will be vaccinated after the first nine priority groups.

DD2 is asthmatic and has already had her first jab. Her surgery said they were prioritising people who qualified for a free flu vaccine.