I have just received a shielding letter (TODAY) andI am I’m a bit pissed off.

[RickiTarr]

Presumably as a result of the CEV list doubling last week.

I got my invitation for the vaccination a couple of days ago, also presumably due to being reclassified.

Luckily I did my own amateur risk assessment last March and decided, because I have several mild to moderate health conditions, including asthma, and because I’m slightly overweight, to shield informally.

So I have been doing this since March 2020, only going out for medical appointments and exercise, WFH, all of that.

Now in mid Feb 2021 I finally get a letter saying “Actually yes we’ve worked out you’re CEV and not just CV, so shield until March 31st 2021.”

At first I was unmoved by this, but over the last couple of hours I’ve started thinking that they really should have been able to do this maths earlier.

Then it struck me that some people will have died because of this and this was all rather obvious.

AIBU to be a little bit pissed off with the government? (The letter is from the Department of Health & Social Care, and the NHS - both logos are at the top - but not from local NHS- this is governmental.)

What "maths" were they supposed to do before they had evidence of how it affected different conditions?

FWIW the "maths" now shows that mild asthma doesn't make you more likely to die.

My husband has just received 2 of these letters, Op. 3 weeks after I had to question the GP why he wasn't being considered vulnerable in terms of priority for the vaccination. He has now had the vaccination. Like you he did his own risk assessment almost a year ago and has spent a lot of time since then shielding.

I got one this morning too. Kind of feel like they announce the start of the relaxation of rules and then say "but not you, you can stay in" . I had a good idea that I was CEV rather than CV despite not having a letter due to various medical conditions. I cant breathe well on a normal day let alone if I caught covid.

I guess until Covid was better understood then they did their best but I understand why you are angry.

I received the same letter today! I've had Covid last September and have also had my first vaccination and thankfully I have been fine with both.

Contacting me now telling me I am CEV and need to shield will make no difference to my life but does seem frustrating-thankfully shielding is optional and it is now my choice to shield or not.

FWIW the "maths" now shows that mild asthma doesn't make you more likely to die.

Yes fine, but mine is not mild and if they applied last year’s criteria at any point between 2014 and 2019, i would have made the list last year on asthma alone (because of regular exacerbations and rescue packs of ABs/prednisone). So that’s a flaw, I think. In the methodology. Or isn’t it?

However, my main point, is surely they realised having lots of mild to moderate conditions from the list have a cumulative risk? Even if none of them individually was sever enough to put you over the threshold?

I don’t mind for myself. I’m fine. I chose to be uncharacteristically cautious. We are all good here, thank goodness. I am also grateful to be having the vaccine this week.

I do mind for others who might have been through the mill or even died because they weren’t told to shield.

OTOH, I’m very happy to hear scientific or medical opinions that I am wrong to worry about that.

The more time passes the more they get to know the profile of those who are hit harder.

It is better to do this and warn people than ignore the risk factors when they become apparent

@Motnight

My husband has just received 2 of these letters, Op. 3 weeks after I had to question the GP why he wasn't being considered vulnerable in terms of priority for the vaccination. He has now had the vaccination. Like you he did his own risk assessment almost a year ago and has spent a lot of time since then shielding.

Two? Like buses!

I’m glad he’s getting the vaccine. You must be relieved.

I hadn’t realised how worried my DH and older DC were about me until me just had a WhatsApp conversation about this letter. They all expressed relief, bless them.

@Sirzy

The more time passes the more they get to know the profile of those who are hit harder.

It is better to do this and warn people than ignore the risk factors when they become apparent

Yes, I know, and mostly I am grateful.

I just think certain elements of this were easier to work out than others.

Also they’ve switched from list method to more sophisticated risk calculation which is multi factors. Surely that aspect could have been devised earlier l? The multi factors approach?

Are all people who are being called for the vaccine in the 16-64 group at the moment all being told to shield or is it just for specific things within that cohort of conditions that make them qualify for the vaccination? They haven't made it very clear what the new criteria is.

I think there's been an element of political correctness about not wishing to categorise the obese, ethnic minorities and those living in deprived areas. Those three factors have been mentioned from very early on so not a new discovery...odd that they have now decided to advise shielding for these people. Maybe it is to encourage vaccine uptake in these groups?
The asthma thing is odd...it seems that initially asthma was thought to increase risk, then they changed their minds and said it didn't, but now it does again.

@SnackSizeRaisin

I think there's been an element of political correctness about not wishing to categorise the obese, ethnic minorities and those living in deprived areas. Those three factors have been mentioned from very early on so not a new discovery...odd that they have now decided to advise shielding for these people. Maybe it is to encourage vaccine uptake in these groups? The asthma thing is odd...it seems that initially asthma was thought to increase risk, then they changed their minds and said it didn't, but now it does again.

You’re explaining myself much better than I am @SnackSize

@WannabeGilmoreGirl

I got one this morning too. Kind of feel like they announce the start of the relaxation of rules and then say "but not you, you can stay in" . I had a good idea that I was CEV rather than CV despite not having a letter due to various medical conditions. I cant breathe well on a normal day let alone if I caught covid.

I guess until Covid was better understood then they did their best but I understand why you are angry.

Thanks @WannabeGilmoreGirl it’s nice that some people understand my feeling. I’m glad you sound like you’re keeping well.

I am really grateful for the vaccine and for all the NHS efforts. Honestly I am. I just wonder about these criteria.

I had shielding email last week and a letter today. I had Covid just after the new year and my vaccine because of my age on the 3rd Feb so the notifications were a bit late. I had a phone call yesterday to offer me help which I don’t actually need but in my conversation with the caller they agreed that having the shielding email was to make sure that people like me with diabetes needed to be pushed up the vaccine queue.

The only good thing to have come out of the email is that I am now on Tesco’s priority list so that I have a delivery tomorrow when otherwise I would have had to wait a couple of weeks for a delivery slot.

@Heidi1976 there is something in the (five page) letter that might partially or fully answer that. Just led me read through properly and find it for you and I’ll post it.

I think they were conservative about the list initially because if there were too many people on it, the support services would have been over-stretched. (Help from LA's, food parcels, volunteers to run errands, preferential slots at supermarkets, benefits for those having to shield instead of working.)

I was on it because I was in the middle of chemo, whereas a friend who had finished chemo 3 months earlier did not get a letter. I'm still on it, even though it's 10 months since I finished.

Originally, you were advised not to leave the house at all, not even to put rubbish in the bin. I had to talk to my grown-up dcs out of the upstairs window, like Romeo and Juliet, on Mother's Day last year.

It's just a question of having more data rather than guess-work.

It says ”The easiest way for us to ensure your early vaccination is to include you within the list of people who are clinically extremely vulnerable” @Heidi1976 so that is relevant to your question, sort of.

However, it clearly isn’t only for that reason, because it goes on to explain in great detail that I should shield and exactly what that that entails (so only leaving the house for exercise and medical appointments).

I received a letter today too. I'm somewhat surprised as I'm not sure what the criteria is to receive a letter.

I've emailed it to my employer so will see what happens.

I've emailed it to my employer so will see what happens.

That’s the other thing. I’m self employed, which was lucky because it gave me the choice to shield off my own initiative. You didn’t get that choice.

Hmm, nice of them to tell you twelve months into the pandemic!

May I ask what level of asthma you have?
Initially, DH was very worried, last March, but his is well managed, and he just has a brown inhaler not the steroidal ones, so he relaxed a bit about his risks thankfully, as he was making himself ill

Me, too. I got one today, totally unexpected.
I also wonder why we weren't included before. Diabetes has always been on the list of a higher risk.
I'm not complaining, although very shocked.
Looks like we all have threads today

@haba

Hmm, nice of them to tell you twelve months into the pandemic!

May I ask what level of asthma you have?
Initially, DH was very worried, last March, but his is well managed, and he just has a brown inhaler not the steroidal ones, so he relaxed a bit about his risks thankfully, as he was making himself ill

Moderate asthma. Usually several rescue packs per winter. I just happened to have a freakishly good winter immediately before this all kicked off.

However, I also have other illnesses that might be relevant so I’m not assuming this change is just due to the asthma. (Although it might be, Ive had prednisone several times this winter just gone for chest infections and exacerbations. It’s all so opaque.)

I got one of these today too. It's a joke. I rang my GP to ask if I could have the vaccine (I was expecting to be done soon as I'm in group 6 due to my health conditions anyway) and was told they 'might' be able to fit me in. My friend has sent me the link to bypass doctors and book direct.

I'm just going to carry on like I have been, not shielding but not going round licking doorhandles either. Apart from the daily dog walk I've not been out anywhere else for weeks. When schools go back it will be a different story.

Looks like we all have threads today

Oh have we? Has MN search got crapper or just my ability to use it?

I'm just going to carry on like I have been, not shielding but not going round licking doorhandles either.

I've had this letter today too. Luckily I'm able to work from home and have been massively cautious throughout anyway (and the whole family have taken the piss out of me for it, but still). I don't really see why they've sent this out without an option to book a vaccine as that would seem like the obvious thing to do.