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.

[Zacromagnons]

But they didn't tell the people who fall into category two that they didn't meet the category one criteria. @Clymene

Except, they did. Clearly. Repeatedly. Often.

The advice is very, very clear.

[LittleLittleLittle]

Asda have the government data!

[goodbyestranger]

No idea what the position is for anyone issued with a letter in error. I have been so hope that doesn't mean that I'll be denied a ventilator if it comes to it (assuming any are left that is). I guess my estate could always sue.

[Helenshielding]

I'm assuming it wont be so clear cut and your medical history will be taken into account. But who knows.

[LittleLittleLittle]

Sorry my post seemed random but I just got an email from Asda indicating they have the government list of extremely clinically vulnerable people.

[goodbyestranger]

I was in the first wave of letters. Now I have a second one telling me to sign up on the government website to confirm I'm extremely vulnerable, which I assume is also used as a self declaration that I don't expect a ventilator and am happy to have a DNR notice stuck on my bed.

It's possibly not good enough to say that those issued with these letters in error should simply ignore them. The whole thing has other implications for medical care.

[goodbyestranger]

I'm quite curious to know if anyone else has a letter issued in error?

[SquashedFlyBiscuit]

I signed up to the gov list because I thought based on the asthma uk list Id be shielded. We are shieldig but we arent on the actual shielding list. I thought it was a list for help bot a DNR :(

[Nameofchanges]

I am in the vulnerable group and probably will not be in the shielded group. I await the conversation with my GP.

I don’t want help. I just want the government to clearly state to employers that people in the vulnerable group should not have to attend the workplace if they are concerned about the health consequences.

Because it is outrageous if the government can use asthma as a reason to deny someone medical treatment but also expect asthmatics to undertake additional risks by going to work.

Also, the medication lists are a load of bollocks. Many asthmatics were taken off seretide for cost reasons. I agreed to come off it and on to a different medication for that reason. Had I known then that decision would be used as the dividing line between vulnerable and highly vulnerable in a pandemic, I wouldn’t have done it.

And all this skirting around the issue, can the government not just give us the stats? What percentage of asthmatics do they expect to die?

[LonginesPrime]

I was told I was shielded and left to it. I live alone and no food delivery

@ClientQueen have you registered on the gov website as extremely vulnerable and ticked to say no-one can get you food?

They will send you a care package which is week's worth of food if you do - they have started delivering them already.

[LittleLittleLittle]

@goodbyestranger I think the reason there are two issues of letters is they have modified the department who did them.

My first letter had my GPs practice on it while the second letter was from Department of Health and (don't give a fig about) social care plus the Department of Housing, Communities and Local Government. The text messages have also changed as coming from some random number to Gov UK

[Helenshielding]

which I assume is also used as a self declaration that I don't expect a ventilator and am happy to have a DNR notice stuck on my bed.

I think this is unhelpful, it isnt how DNRs work and signing up as vulnerable isnt going to automatically mean you have one.

[TheHobbitMum]

The updated advice on care prioritising is scary reading as someone shielded with a high BMI

Not everyone who needs shielding will automatically get a letter or text, I didn't get either so I contacted my GP who forwarded my letter.

[Helenshielding]

Do you have a link?

[BlueBrian]

I had the letter, registered on the website, and have had one food parcel, but still haven't heard anything from Tesco, or Asda, both of whom I am registered with. The food parcel is better than nothing, but you can't realistically live off it for a week, there's just not enough stuff in it to make 7 days worth of meals.

[cinammonbuns]

@goodbyestranger you are catastrophising. That is not how dnr letters work. I don’t think it’s helpful to post things like that when it is completely untrue.

[vdbfamily]

I think it was unwise to label vulnerable as had made people very fearful. I work in an acute hospital and have asthma. On our team of 10 therapists, 4 of us are asthmatic. It does not mean we get to stay at home.... there is a job to be done. Our non asthmatic staff will be on the Covid wards and we will take the non Covid wards but many of our non covid patients are being diagnosed after a few days in hospital so we are now all wearing masks whatever ward we are on.

[Shmabel]

Because it is outrageous if the government can use asthma as a reason to deny someone medical treatment but also expect asthmatics to undertake additional risks by going to work.

Also, the medication lists are a load of bollocks. Many asthmatics were taken off seretide for cost reasons

Couldn't agree more. It's an outrage. My brother has what we always considered to be asthma that was severe. Turns out it's not technically "severe asthma" by the precise standards. His work won't allow him time off because he lacks the all important letter. Even if an asthmatic isn't all that likely to die, it is extremely likely that covid will prompt asthma attacks in many which will require medical intervention (i.e. urgent need of stretched resources). If nothing else, it's very short-sighted.

[SquashedFlyBiscuit]

The hobbit high bmi wasnt enough for a shielding letter was it? I thought it was vulnerable rather than shielded.

[Shmabel]

@vdbfamily

I'm not sure that many asthmatics needed to be told that they were vulnerable to a virus that affects breathing. I think it would be silly to suggest that they're not vulnerable without evidence. As it happens, there is evidence that respiratory problems such as asthma are a factor in whether a person is likely to die of covid, so really it is only transparent and sensible to make this clear.

I'm sorry you have to work in an environment in which you're exposed as an asthmatic. Doesn't make it right.

[SquashedFlyBiscuit]

Ive been really confused by the asthma lists.

[SquashedFlyBiscuit]

Havjng asthma itselfnwouldnt be a reason not to treat would it? I thought the friality score was mainly older people who couldnt walk or look after themselves...

[NaturalBornWoman]

I’m shielded and have an anytime smart pass and cannot get a delivery slot. The reason for the unprecedented demand is that lots of people don’t want to go to the shops even though they could. I can’t. Have you seen the threads on here about what is acceptable to ask a volunteer to buy for you? So not only am I confined to my house for three months, I can’t even eat and drink what I like because I should just be fucking grateful that someone who’s going to the supermarket anyway is willing to pick me up the bare essentials and will judge me as a CF if I ask for vine tomatoes or decent marmalade.

[Cherrytangfastic]

I agree OP. I have a close family member who is claiming to be part of the shielded group. They are not. They regularly lie about/exagerate their health conditions and love being 'vulnerable'. Drives me mad.

Especially when said person's lovely next door neighbour has cystic fibrosis! It's an insult to those who are genuinely suffering in this.

[Nameofchanges]

Shmabel, it was never the case that all asthmatics were on the vulnerable list. Everyone is vulnerable to Coronavirus.

Asthmatics who were given the seasonal flu jabs were on the vulnerable list, and within that group, some were then placed in the shielding group, based on a criteria list which is still being debated. Asthma U.K. keep having to update on who is in and out.

So before the shielding list came out, the vulnerable group of asthmatics, not all asthmatics, were sent home by employers. Now we are potentially being sent back because we’re not on the shielding list.