Being 'vulnerable' does not make you part of the 'Shielded' group - if you're confused, see below

[Clymene]

At the start of the outbreak, many people were told they were in the vulnerable category. This includes people with asthma, pregnant women, the morbidly obese and people with MS and diabetes.

The full list 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

These people should be very careful with social distancing, ideally for 12 weeks.

The shielded group are people who are extremely vulnerable. They have been identified by the NHS and should not leave the house. These are people with cancer, organ transplants, cystic fibrosis and other serious conditions. This is why they have been issued with food parcels by the government. A full list of these people is here:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19

You cannot self-define as shielded. If you are vulnerable, take precautions. Use your local resources. But remember there are people who are much more vulnerable than you.

If you do not fall into either of these groups, please leave the resources to keep the vulnerable safe and well. Not only to protect them, but to protect all of us. Not to put too fine a point on it, but if the vulnerable clog up all the beds, there won't be any space for the outliers who randomly get very ill.

[Pandoraslastchance]

I've had my letter since end of March as I'm on immunosupressants as part of my breast cancer treatment, still not on any supermarkets list, no food boxes, nothing.I've been sitting up until midnight most nights trying to get a delivery slot.

I managed to get an iceland delivery for today. I've been ringing sainsburys customer line as per their Twitter but you either dont get connected or I'm sat in a queue for hours.

I have accounts with all the supermarkets, they all have the same correct email address and I've done the .gov website. Still nothing. I've had my letter for 2 weeks and still absolutely no help from the supermarkets/councils/government and I'm so sick of people saying that the supermarkets will give priority to the shielded because clearly not all of us are being added to the supermarkets lists.

[BeyondMymymymyCorona]

Thanks mrex, I'm okay for support here at the moment, just commenting that I still don't have my letter

[MRex]

@BeyondMymymymyCorona - There are loads of Covid-19 support groups in Wales, did you check the link I posted?
covidmutualaid.org/local-groups/

[aWeaponCalledtheWord]

nope, not a peep. secured an asda slot by virtue of being awake at half 12 this morning but no contact otherwise.

i did get a text from the government confirming i’d been registered as ‘clinical extremely vulnerable’ and to call the council if i need anything...

[BeyondMymymymyCorona]

Still nothing here in Wales. A friend of mine only got his letter on Thursday though, so they're clearly still being delivered.

And yes, I'm sitting out my back garden too. Well, just outside the back door!

[OrganTransplant123]

@aWeaponCalledtheWord have you heard anything about delivery slots yet? It took two weeks from me registering on the extremely vulnerable list to getting emails from Tesco and Sainsbury’s. I was already registered with both of them. If you are an existing customer, once they get an updated government list then you should get an email.

[CatkinToadflax]

I gather that the Asthma UK guidelines changed several times. The version I saw - before the information regarding high dose inhalers was removed completely - was that people should be shielded if they were taking the inhalers you mention, with/without Montelukast (depending on type of inhaler, as you said), and you have been on at least four courses of oral steroid tablets between July and December 2019. There were other scenarios requiring shielding as well, including taking tiotropium or biological therapy.

[feelsoshitnow]

Ivalueloyaltyaboveallelse what inhaler? It's really unhelpful and actually quite upsetting when people post such ambiguous things.

According to asthma UK's original guidelines, those taking a high-dose steriod inhaler, combined with a bronchodilator should be shielded, or those with a high-dose steroid inhaler and Montelukast. I take a high-dose steroid inhaler with bronchilator in it, and also Montelukast, which would almost certainly confer shielded status, but no... I have been intubated a few times, but still no.

Interestingly Asthma UK Org, now say that GPs are supposedly going through the list for those who may have been missed. I actually emailed my GP with the guidelines from Asthma UK, and they replied it was nothing to do with them. They are shower of shite anyway and as soon as this is over I plan to leave them.

They are still expecting me to go to see the asthma nurse this month, even though I don't want to... and don't see the point. I had an asthma review with my GP last month, and cannot see the point in putting myself in danger (and having to walk and right now my chest is very tight), when they refuse to take any responsibility .

[MRex]

If you need help, please contact a group through here:
covidmutualaid.org/local-groups/.

If there is a gap, please say where you are and what the gap is.

[Hagbeth]

My husband got terminal cancer but are not getting chemotherapy at the moment but an experimental type of drug for his cancer.
As far as I understand, you need to be given chemo to qualify. He didn’t get a letter. I treat him as shielded regardless.

[Oblomov20]

Friends have asked me if I'm self isolating, 12 weeks? Because I've had diabetes all my life. But if you are not considered vulnerable, so not in the top list, you won't get a letter, so can't get a supermarket delivery slot, no matter what, it makes it harder.

[Ivalueloyaltyaboveallelse]

My DC received a letter and text to shield due to asthma and type of inhaler. I did not register DC obviously because DC does not need to go out.

[feelsoshitnow]

@Nameofchanges being on Seretide doesn't confer shielded status. I'm on Seretide (or the generic version - FluSal - Fluticasone and Salmeterol combined), and take 250 (the highest dose in it), 2 puffs 3x a day. I also take Atrovent and Ventolin, along with Montelukast. I often also have to take Prednisone. I still woke up wheezing and coughing badly last night, and it took three hours of Ventolin and Atrovent to subdue it.

Despite this I haven't had a letter telling me to shield, so obviously Seretide is not a criterion.

[ClientQ]

@IrmaFayLear
Ok I'm in the NW and this is the situation I was in

No shielding letter, no text. Even after consultant both rang and emailed the GP. I did get a call from my consultant as my appointment had to be changed to a telephone one so he can arrange my meds to be couriered to me hopefully
One delivery from the food bank after I asked
No other texts, help offered, government food parcels or delivery slots
Sainsbury's recognise me as shielding but there's still no slots. Ocado and Waitrose I can't get on the site, Morrison's and Asda haven't offered slots. Tesco I got one but had to wait 25 days in between deliveries
I registered on the GOV website as soon as it appeared and put that I needed help with food/shopping (no local family, live alone etc). No contact. I've rung the council, the GP, my consultant, my clinical nurse specialist...

I know some people will say well you didn't receive a letter so you don't need to be shielding - I do, but for whatever reason I fell in between the cracks and I imagine I'm not the only one

[Egghead68]

@aWeaponCalledtheWord it seems to vary a lot by area. I was sent a food box within a few days of registering (and have since been sent or offered a further three, although I have now cancelled). A friend on shielding in a neighbouring borough has heard nothing. Good luck. I hope you get help soon.

[Clymene]

I started the thread because it was clear a lot of people didn't realise @AnotherEmma! 

And apology accepted @IrmaFayLear I started this thread because I completely agree with you! I have 2 family members shielding and I am so grateful that they are being supported to shield. And I get v annoyed when people complain too!

There's a huge difference between 'it would be better if you didn't get the virus' and 'it's probably going to kill you if you do get it' and there is a lot of panic.

In my experience, the seriously ill are pretty sanguine about this situation because they are on intimate terms with their own mortality.

[IrmaFayLear]

Ok I'll hold my hands up and admit I hadn't read the whole thread . Which is poor form since I have been on MN for... about 12 or 13 years...

Anyway, I can understand there is a bit of confusion about various degrees of vulnerability. I think the trouble is there is a difference between shielded, as in you are vulnerable to this virus (and will therefore be a pain in the arse to the NHS if you get it) and vulnerable as in being a person who is elderly/has SN/is in poor health.

As others have remarked, there is help out there. I am the very last person who would ask for help, but when I grovellingly contacted the local help group (card put through door) someone collected medicine for me and left it on the doorstep (I asked what they would like in return and I left hefty donation).

To get a priority delivery slot I filled out a form from govt and then I received texts from two supermarkets. I was very reluctant at first because I thought it was another step to getting myself on the "don't bother with a ventilator for this one" list .

Sorry if I was a overly-angry, but I have seen too many posts on here where people have been whining that they aren't considered "vulnerable enough" (eg a woman with a one-year-old, "But I'm a mother ") and others moaning about the contents of their parcel.

[Mazarinegreen]

@irmafaylear - sounds more like your council etc is very organised - my DH is on the shielded list (i.e.not just vulnerable plus has had the shielding letter) and has not received any of that support - and we can't easily access any online shopping slots. I agree with a pp though there has been a lot of confusion between shielded/vulnerable not helped in the slightest by confusing Govt comms.....

[MRex]

I think those who feel they aren't getting any help might have to just state what part of the country they are in so that others can suggest how they can get help. We've had the following offers of help:

1. Street email and WhatsApp group; open offers of help for shopping, we've also spoken to two neighbours who aren't in the groups themselves so they have numbers to call if they need anything. I have extras for 3 other households coming in my online delivery next week.
   
2. Letter from local council with phone and email if help is needed.
   
3. Leaflet dropped in for local group of volunteers, who also have a profile in a couple of Facebook groups offering help.
   
4. Email about some restaurant suppliers now doing deliveries, we placed an order for us and one for my parents in their area. My parents have since got themselves into a bigger restaurant supplies and farm delivery group, so they have a huge range of options now.
   
5. Many emails from supermarkets about how to contact them if you're vulnerable. Delivery slots are definitely available again after those couple of weeks where people panicked. We hadn't used it for ourselves in that period, but did get orders for both parents. The difference between shielded and vulnerable isn't huge, they're all in their 70s and 3 of them have health issues that are known to increase risks, they had every right to try to stay at home despite what OP thinks.
   
6. I saw one person on a Facebook group ask about help for a relative and he was given 3 different group details as well as multiple personal offers of help.
   
   The answer isn't for everyone else to march off to the shops every few days, it's to find help for those who need it. The world isn't normal, we need to help others to find help instead of just grumbling about what is or isn't available and pontificating about how others should manage their own risk. Those people who are struggling, please say where in the country you are (name-change if desired) and let people help you find someone to help.

[AnotherEmma]

"Which the people on the first list didn't realise didn't include them"

Well I realised and I can't be the only one.
I think a lot of people are just panicking and failing to apply common sense.
If you don't have any of the conditions on the "extremely vulnerable" list, you're not on the list.

[Clymene]

And perhaps you'd like to apologise for saying my post was absolute crap and I am lying @IrmaFayLear

[Clymene]

@AnotherEmma - I suspect the issue is that the government released the list of vulnerable first, made a lot of people panic, and then released the extremely vulnerable list. Which the people on the first list didn't realise didn't include them

So there are a lot of people who for example are pregnant like you but who are absolutely terrified of leaving the house even though you can if you're sensible and take precautions.

As @oxcat1 said, the 12 week isolation period doesn't apply to all over 70s but many think it does.

[AnotherEmma]

I think IrmaFayLear has entirely proved the point of the thread! Many people don't know the difference between "vulnerable" and "extremely vulnerable". It doesn't seem complicated to me but clearly it wasn't communicated well enough.

[CatkinToadflax]

Clymene I agree entirely. I am being shielded and have had a letter from the NHS, a letter from the government, 11 texts from NHS Coronavirus HQ and am getting regular shopping deliveries from Sainsbury’s. My mum is 73 and very frail but can’t register as shielding because she doesn’t fit the health criteria. In spite of being over 70 and therefore in the vulnerable group, and living alone, she’s been offered nothing at all.

[Clymene]

@IrmaFayLear - you've missed the entire point of the thread - that people who are classed as 'vulnerable' are not the same as extremely vulnerable. The shielded group are indeed being very well looked after and I am grateful to the government for ensuring they are able to shield.

Those who are merely vulnerable - so have been told to avoid contact with other people - have no support in place. They are scrabbling about, very worried, but they have to go to the shops or they won't be able to eat.