Adults who require a flu jab for any chronic illness to self-isolate for 12 weeks

[NewChapter11]

My ds 20 and I are both asthmatics who require an annual flu jab - do we fall into this category then? And what is even the point if dh is out working everyday in contact with the public.
None if this makes sense - what a bloody nightmare.

The guidance is here

www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-social-distancing-and-for-vulnerable-people/guidance-on-social-distancing-for-everyone-in-the-uk-and-protecting-older-people-and-vulnerable-adults

Just because the schools aren't closed, doesn't mean that you can't keep your kids off school if you feel it is necessary for your family's health. The press conference this afternoon made it clear that the government are expecting people to use their own judgment.

And for the record, my dd is still going to school as normal until things change

I think they’ve totally changed what they said between what was said in the Boris and friends press conference and then later what Matt Hancock said in the commons.

The bbc are quoting the press conference as having said;

"Pregnant women, people over the age of 70 and those with certain health conditions should consider the advice "particularly important", he said.
People in at-risk groups will be asked within days to stay home for 12 weeks."

To me that’s saying those in the at risk groups (and he then waffled on about flu jabs) need to stay at home, ie self isolate for 12 weeks.

They didn’t specifically say asthma. They said chronic heart or kidney disease. See the speech link below at approximately 18 minutes in.

However, I keep seeing references to people who get the flu jab with underlying health issues.
My head has just asked me to take medical advice before coming in to school tomorrow. Where can I get that now?

I don’t think the issue here is the comprehension of the U.K. people but more the waffly, unclear and constantly changing and contradicting statements the twat politicians keep making.

The press conference this afternoon made it clear that the government are expecting people to use their own judgment.

That's fine, I'm happy to isolate the kids with me if necessary but we can't risk them losing their school places.

I think we need to wait for an official announcement from PHE.

The guidance is clearer

This is just so unclear.

Avoid large and small gatherings, avoid seeing family and friends but carry on going to work??? Get friends or neighbours to do your shopping - but carry on going to work???

@NewChapter11 do you have a link for this please ?

Hmmm. Just a note that asthma carries the second highest death rate (heart disease is #1) from CV according to the WHO. So just because various politicians don’t say it, doesn’t mean you are not in the high risk/vulnerable category.

Anyone who gets the flu jab FOR FREE is in the at risk category and should isolate for 12 weeks

If you have children at school, keep them out as it is too high risk. OHs to work from home if possible. Do what you need to do to protect your own health and at the same time you will be helping others by not taking up a bed in ICU. Not self-isolating if you are high risk is selfish.

I have just found this on the Epilepsy Society FB page which is taken directly from the NHS website:

The NHS will contact you from Monday 23 March 2020 if you are at particularly high risk of getting seriously ill with coronavirus. You'll be given specific advice about what to do.

Do not contact your GP or healthcare team at this stage – wait to be contacted.

The info that @mrs2468 posted seems the clearest of all the myriad of sources I’ve been reading. I’m on immunosuppressive drugs for arthritis and therefore get the flu jab. There’s a summary table at the bottom of the guidance that seems quite clear (I think?!) feeling totally clueless to be honest

Thanks @mrs2468

To be fair the guidance is to work from home as much as possible and avoid bust times on public transport if you have to go in

I’m not technically eligible for the flu jab, which my pharmacist was simultaneously surprised, confused, and furious at, last autumn. He ended up giving it to me for free himself. I have epilepsy (fever a known trigger for me and I’ve had status epilepticus before), cluster headaches where I rely on oxygen for treatment, and I had sepsis last summer (where despite a barrage of tests they couldn’t find the source of the original infection). I also had pneumonia a few years ago which apparently scarred my lungs.
I can’t help but feel that this means a respiratory illness would not exactly be easy for me. Yet I’m not classed as high risk, which I think means I won’t get work protections etc. Great.

@GlassCollectorAnnie Me too. So we social distance but don't need to stay in for 12 weeks?

Thank you for sharing the link @mrs2468 I can't work out which category my asthma falls into but I'm sure I'll find out.

I have to say this announcement made me cry, I live in a really small flat and I just don't know how I'll cope for 12 weeks.

So it says anyone with a health condition listed below (ie anyone who gets a free flu jab on medical grounds).

DD’s condition isn’t listed. But she gets a free flu jab on medical grounds.

She has coeliac disease, 30% of peop,e with coeliac disease have a spleen problem but they don’t test to see which ones.

The list does say problems with your spleen (which she may have) but then says eg sickle cell or had your spleen removed. While those are only examples I feel coeliac isn’t as serious?

@Mlou32 Yes they specifically mentioned pregnant women were included

I watched it live.

It was Dr Chris Whitty who talked about people who get free flu jabs being in the at risk group, after BJ and PV spoke.

Chronic hypertension is not on the subsequently released list.

Yet I get a free flu jab for chronic hypertension. And it is always mentioned as a Covid-19 morbidity and mortality risk factor in all reports from other countries.

Bewildering.

@Wildernesstips could you link to that guidance? I want to send it on to other friends who are affected.

I'm unsure what to do. The place I work is really pulling out the stops to get staff in. My husband and children are already in self isolation and I'm six months pregnant. At present they have said come in but I'm thinking I might just phone in sick until they catch up with the real world.

That table at the bottom is useful - ish.

So if I'm in a high risk category, which I am, and social mixing in the community is strongly advised against, does that mean I should keep my children home from school?