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.

If they had meant long term oral steroids it would have been as easy to write as courses of oral steroids. Did they say when people will get a letter and will it be from PHE or from your gp? My local practice is a shambles as the best of times.

And yes those with serious asthma should be listening to the advice. This virus is linked to causing respiratory problems

Of we start following the rest of world. The lockdown will be legally enforced.

It’s not going to be easy. I hate going into isolation. But when the alternative is risking my health when the nhs is running out of beds and the equipment to aid breathing, id rather stay away.

I also don’t want my conditions flaring up because it involves hospital and well, not somewhere I want to be when the staff aren’t getting tested.

Can I ask why none of you got in touch your your gp or asthma nurse weeks ago when this started going around?

My asthma nurse was laughing it off as a big joke last week!

@FourTeaFallOut my gp is too. I didn't even get the text telling us the surgery was closed to all but telephone appointments for the next four weeks! But my Dsis and Aunt did. I have triple checked they have my phone number on multiple occasions as I always seem to get missed!

Does anyone know about pay from work if we were to be off for 12 weeks?

I don’t know if anyone else has posted this yet but BBC breakfast posted this as a brief guide to the new guidance. They are using the ‘flu jab’ as shorthand as a pointer for those who come under the ‘underlying health conditions’ umbrella.

I expect you’d need to speak to your employer about that one, @Russell19, but it is a worry.

At the moment talk to your place of work to find out what they are going to do.
I know some people who will have to go onto SSP. Whereas others who are lucky will still be paid by their employers.

Does anyone know about pay from work if we were to be off for 12 weeks?

I'm hoping to get guidelines from work covering this, whether we will get sick pay or not?

Can I ask why none of you got in touch your your gp or asthma nurse weeks ago when this started going around?

I was at the Gp for a different reason around 6 weeks ago but she also asked to check my peak flow and how I was getting on with my asthma, it has actually been really well managed and she told me I could stop getting my prescription now, but I said I'd rather still have them as precaution.

Generally at that time though, I wasn't so concerned about my asthma, but 3 years ago I was hospitalised with suspected sepsis after a chest infection so the news last night has made me very anxious to be going to work to face the public

Yes the steroids in the critical list is for the tablets when you are given a course after a bad flare up/attack. I had them regularly in my childhood but not as an adult.

This is not referring to the brown preventer inhalers. I still take these every day and become very wheezy if I don’t.

However, reading between the lines (and this is just my opinion), anyone with reasonable asthma should take their own actions now. We are severely at risk from this virus. I am self employed and have closed today. My livelihood and business which I have put my heart and soul into, effectively gone over night. But health is most important.

Call me hysterical if you like but I’m capable of making my own decisions and for us in this group it looks like it’s very serious indeed. I urge you to not take this lightly. All my humble opinion of course.

I’m wondering what the nurse was thinking downplaying this.

It attacks the respiratory system. Controlled or not, you are at serious risk. Mild or severe.

Getting blue lighted for a “normal” asthma attack is bad enough. Imo now it will be a whole lot worse once you get to hospital. That is of course if you make it there.

I'm worried about my ds who doesn't get company sick pay and as a transplant recipient may have to self isolate for 12 weeks.
What are people supposed to live on?
He is in the middle of buying a house and he a gf is pregnant. The govt surely need to be looking at helping people or we will have a big homeless crisis on our hands .

I suppose in a way they have as they are using SSP.
Then there might also be other benefits on top depending on the circumstances.

I have just got a new job that I start end of the month. I’m in the vulnerable group and I can’t risk losing my new job so will have to go to work.

I've just got to work and burst into tears, I've been made to feel awful and selfish for not wanting to be in work right now and being concerned about my health.

I have an appt with my asthma nurse on Friday. They actually asked me last week to come in an be assessed and coded. I reckon my surgery were thinking ahead. So what with that and any letters being issued next week from NHS, I'll know where I stand.

What about things like getting prescriptions? If I have to self isolate I’m going to die anyway without insulin. Honestly I feel like jacking it all in now

Most local pharmacies can drop off to your door step

Can I ask why none of you got in touch your your gp or asthma nurse weeks ago when this started going around

I haven't had an asthma review in a couple of years but made a point of going a couple of weeks ago. So glad I did as she gave me some really useful advice.

Hi does anyone know what to do if they have a nursery kid with asthma? Should I take him out of nursery? Hes on brown and blue inhalers, buthe gets the flu jab anyway. Nursery is non essential contact- should I be taking him out for 12 weeks? Theres nothing anywhere about this so I'm panicking a bit!

This is one of the big problems with expecting people with serious health conditions to work.

Now, we are faced with many, many people who appear to be at high risk but are unable to comply with the advice because their employers won't support them and they are reliant on their wages. This is utter chaos. Why on earth didn't the government figure out the practicalities before making this announcement? It's like yelling "fire" in a crowded theatre

Prescriptions you will need to contact your gp.
Leaving it until the last minute is a bad idea imo, as what happens when the surgery or chemist has to close down? Or because people will start to panic and get meds for a couple of months, stock might run out.

Can I ask where the 12 weeks comes from?

@Alunnwynnsknees. Was it methotrexate??