‘Shielding’ vs ‘Vulnerable’?

[aWeaponCalledtheWord]

more confused than ever now.

i though the isolation for 12 weeks group would broadly include everyone eligible for NHS flu jab (as in those people advised to have it).

the new ‘shielding’ group doesn’t make any mention of this at all.

i have 2 autoimmune conditions, i take methotrexate, my thyroid needs removing (failed op in January) and frankly, i’m fat.

will i be getting the Golden Ticket letter from the NHS? what about people who don’t get this advice, but are immune suppressed and have the NHS flu/pneumonia jab recommended to them?

so confused. and scared. can anyone cleverer than me help me make sense of this?

[AuntieClare]

Hi, my sister is looking for a support group with other mothers who are shielding, as she is shielding with her husband and small children, and finding it really hard. Any ideas welcome!

[NotEverythingIsBlackandwhite]

Better to be extra cautious than not cautious enough. If you don't receive a letter stating you are in the most vulnerable group, then there is nothing to stop you self-isolating for as long as you wish to allay your fears.

[aWeaponCalledtheWord]

the Shielding group, that is.

[aWeaponCalledtheWord]

bbc website now says the group includes ‘people on immunosuppressive medication’. i’ll be waiting for my letter then!

[jeanralphio]

Not sure how we're meant to stay safe during chemo appointments whilst also not leaving the house at all.

[YoursTunbridgeWells]

Aha I am fostair - apparently this will make me very high risk.

[ClientQueen]

@iVampire I actually have a telephone appointment on Tuesday which is good timing! They're trying to figure out how to get me my meds as only dispensed by hospital pharmacy
They sent me an email after I asked which says "serious condition, high risk of infection leading to neutropenic sepsis" cheery news

[iVampire]

ClientQueen Haem departments are likely to be pretty efficient because so many of their patients will be in the cocoon group

If you think you should have been included and haven’t heard by the end of the week, get in touch with your unit and ask

[Wejustdontknow]

Does anybody know if coeliac disease falls into any of the categories, I have the flu jab each year for it and it can cause spleen problems but they are not specifically tested for, I work in retail so still working at the minute but obviously social distancing except for work. I can’t seem to find anything online that can tell me one way or the other how at risk I may be

[ClientQueen]

I'm under the "rare disease that significantly increases the risk of infection"
However my GP doesn't even send me a flu jab letter so I don't know how this will work! I'm under haematology though at the hospital

[ShowYourself]

There’s a vulnerable list (flu jab) and there’s an extremely vulnerable list; organ transplant recipients, severe lung disease and significantly immunosuppressed.

More guidance will come on what’s considered “significantly immunosuppressed”

We are advising those who are at increased risk of severe illness from coronavirus (COVID-19) to be particularly stringent in following social distancing measures.
This group includes those who are:

aged 70 or older (regardless of medical conditions)
under 70 with an underlying health condition listed below (ie anyone instructed to get a flu jab as an adult each year on medical grounds):
chronic (long-term) respiratory diseases, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema or bronchitis
chronic heart disease, such as heart failure
chronic kidney disease
chronic liver disease, such as hepatitis
chronic neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), a learning disability or cerebral palsy
diabetes
problems with your spleen – for example, sickle cell disease or if you have had your spleen removed
a weakened immune system as the result of conditions such as HIV and AIDS, or medicines such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy
being seriously overweight (a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or above)
those who are pregnant
Note: there are some clinical conditions which put people at even higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19. If you are in this category, next week the NHS in England will directly contact you with advice about the more stringent measures you should take in order to keep yourself and others safe. For now, you should rigorously follow the social distancing advice in full, outlined below.

People falling into this group are those who may be at particular risk due to complex health problems such as:

people who have received an organ transplant and remain on ongoing immunosuppression medication
people with cancer who are undergoing active chemotherapy or radiotherapy
people with cancers of the blood or bone marrow such as leukaemia who are at any stage of treatment
people with severe chest conditions such as cystic fibrosis or severe asthma (requiring hospital admissions or courses of steroid tablets)
people with severe diseases of body systems, such as severe kidney disease (dialysis)

[iVampire]

I’m quite looking forward to the Army forcing Ocado to let me have a delivery slot!

The Govt said about a week ago that there would be further precautions announced for the exceptionally vulnerable from this weekend.

I haven’t got my letter yet, but know I will because I am clear-cut in one of the categories. So I’ve had a few days to get my mind round the whole idea.

[mynameiscalypso]

From what I've read online, I don't think methotrexate on its own will qualify but biologics might. I'm waiting to hear from my rheumatologist (Humira) and my dad is going to speak to his (he's on methotrexate).

[YoursTunbridgeWells]

I'm theoretically on a biologic - when it was prescribed I was told it might make me a little more susecptible to infections. I agreed to take it BUT never did. The whole lot is sat in my fridge. I feel extremely guilty about the cost but I felt bullied into it at the time.

I really hope don't want to get a letter in case it has implications for triage if I get ill. (Sorry don't want to upset anyone that does concern me though.)

[vintagechick43]

I'm also really concerned about this as I'm on methotrexate for RA . I'm also classed as a key worker as I work in retail for a large health and beauty retail shop
We have seen a large volume of shoppers over the last 2 weeks, we are more busy than we were at Xmas and I'm feeling vulnerable.
Doesn't help that the only safety measures they have put in place is hand gel for staff.

[aWeaponCalledtheWord]

i also have a gigantic substernal thyroid goitre which has squished my trachea to one side. i guess this is all on my record, if that’s how they’re doing it.

i assumed they’d just do lookups for certain conditions and medications and use that info. but my medical record shows that my situation is more complex than that.

i had a failed thyroidectomy in January, as the anaesthetist couldn’t keep me oxygenated enough to be safe, and there was no ICU bed available. this will also be on my record but how much time do the NHS have to do the digging?

[aWeaponCalledtheWord]

thanks for all the responses. i guess the only way forward is to wait to see who gets a letter. my other worry is that i take a large dose of Etodolac every day, which is an NSAID and there’s conflicting advice over those.

even if i don’t get the letter i think i’ll carry on as i am, which is isolating and asking friends/neighbours to top up my electricity key and collect my medication every 2 weeks.

[mynameiscalypso]

Sorry, for the sake of clarity, I was looking at the original guidance on gov.uk on social distancing (that came out last Monday); not the most recent update on the extremely vulnerable.

[mynameiscalypso]

Ah bugger, @MitziK, I was looking at the guidance on gov.uk which said different as the NHS website which just said to call your treatment team if you feel unwell. I don't have EDS but have another underlying risk factor plus the PsA and Humira combo. I have a feeling that I won't get an NHS letter as the vast majority of my treatment is private. I might drop my rheumatologist an email and see what he says - I can share any response if it's helpful? Hope you feel better in the morning

[Topseyt]

I can't understand it either. I thought that all types of diabetes were supposed to be on the list (I have type 2) from what I had seen before, but it seems maybe not?

I also have Graves Disease. It was controlled some years ago by zapping my thyroid with radioactive iodine and then using replacement thyroxine. It has caused my weight to yo-yo over the years, and now I am settled in an overweight category, which I try hard to do something about.

I am acting as if I am vulnerable and self-isolating as much as possible bar going to buy food or get my medication and will continue to do so, but I am really not sure where I come in this. Has the comprehensive list been published yet?

I have a parent with COPD (I know in the extremely vulnerable category) and another with severe osteoporosis (so very immobile, not sure which category). Both probably very high risk as they are in their eighties.

It is confusing.

I

[MrsMGE]

Thank you for explaining on this thread 💐 I was specifically looking out for this information and would like to think I'm not the dimmest bulb in a box, but this press conference has managed to confuse me as to the two categories!

[Orangeblossom78]

Yes there was something about higher risk of more than one. DH won't be happy he's still planning on going into work. 12 weeks is a long time if self employed :-(

[Orangeblossom78]

Just checked Chrons and Colitis Uk and it says yes, vulnerable if on immunosuppressants.

[MitziK]

Thanks for the support - I'm taking point 5 of their list -

People on immunosuppression therapies sufficient to significantly increase risk of infection.

And then the use of biologics is automatically high to very high - add in connective tissue disease (EDS) to the active PsA, Humira and steroids and I think I've probably got all the bells ringing.

Already ill, anyhow. So guess I'll find out soon enough. I'm not coughing or have a fever, but I'm wheezing just like if you have a URTI, so I got automatically kicked out of the NHS 111 online site, especially as there is no way of saying you're one of the lucky few. It's still not bad enough to panic about it, but hopefully they'll be able to take the additional risk into account by the morning.

[Allihearischasemarshallskye]

I too have Graves’ disease @slipperywhensparticus . I’m not sure if it falls in the government’s at risk category but I’m taking precautions. Also my 2 year old has had x8 hospital admissions for viral wheeze , he takes preventer inhaler and montelukast, he’s not going over the door .
Batten down the hatches