How is someone decided to be in the shielded group?

[LivinLaVidaLoki]

Sorry this probably makes no sense, I'm just sat musing while trying to wfh.
When the vulnerable/high risk letters went out from the nhs last week I was a bit confused.
I have a brother who is asthmatic, has type 2 diabetes and a high bmi. He also has a multitude of other health issues stemming from a life of alcohol and substance misuse.
Looking at the government guidance that was released last week, I thought being diabetic and asthmatic and having a high bmi would have put him in the shielded group?
However, he has been advised that he isnt and so has been going to work and shopping and out to work etc.
He has now developed a cough and a sore throat. He has been prescribed anti biotics
and told he has a chest infection.
I know I'm being silly but it worries me (though I do seem to constantly worry about him anyway), and I know it more than likely will be a chest infection, but I don't understand how he wouldnt have been in the shielded group.

My dh is on the list as has crohn's and taking immunosuppressive meds plus type 1 diabetes. When dh was talking to his consultant he bluntly told him if you get this virus it will kill you. That's when he finally came home and stopped working. Until then he'd been going out but distancing himself.

If the shielding list is for those most likely to die if they get it, I don't understand why cardiovascular conditions and diabetes aren't on on it. They're the comorbidities with the highest death rates.

There's a difference between the vulnerable and the shielded.

Have a look at the government website and its all listed on there.

The vulnerable list is basically anyone who is offered the flu vaccine.

@mrshoho. I’m glad he paid attention! 🌷

@darnedsocks

Because then half the NHS staff & others Boris wants to keep working wouldn’t be able to.

Hoggle that's fine for people who can work from home but until the government issue official guidance there will still be many diabetics having go to out and work (in response to your endocrinologist comments).

It's also worth mentioning that they're not separating type one and type two diabetes in those figures. Most (not all, I know) type two diabetics will be older, overweight and with other underlying health conditions. I suspect if they're separated t1 and t2 then type one would be much, much lower down the list. 90% of diabetics are type two.

Also as preciously mentioned those with poorly controlled diabetes should have received a letter from the GP advising them to shield. These are letters that went out after the original ones that were sent to the very vulnerable.

Exactly Amelie they need us working still.

Sadly you're right @AmelieTaylor. It seems morally wrong to not protect them. Particularly as frontline staff don't have enough PPE. Lambs to the slaughter.