I'm ECV , husband just tested positive.

[llovetheshippingforecast]

Hi all. Wondering if anyone out there has been in the same situation. I was shielding since Feb/March. Have been notified again to shield when we went into Tier4.

Husband has been doing the chores and errands. 4 days ago he started to feel unwell. He had a home test and today the result came back positive. I have been contacted and told to isolate. I have no spleen. Which means very compromised immune system. I am terrified. DH is quarantined in the spare room which has an en-suite. I have washed every service he could of touched but I have shared a house with him between test and result..
Anyone out there ECV who got the virus ? How did you get on ? Did you need hospital? Have you got after affects /long Covid ?

What do CEV/ECV mean please?

Clinically vulnerable and Extremely clinically vulnerable

@Saylethewayles

Clinically vulnerable and Extremely clinically vulnerable

Those with the following conditions fall into the clinically extremely vulnerable group:

solid organ transplant recipients
people with specific cancers:
people with cancer who are undergoing active chemotherapy
people with lung cancer who are undergoing radical radiotherapy
people with cancers of the blood or bone marrow such as leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma who are at any stage of treatment
people having immunotherapy or other continuing antibody treatments for cancer
people having other targeted cancer treatments that can affect the immune system, such as protein kinase inhibitors or PARP inhibitors
people who have had bone marrow or stem cell transplants in the last 6 months or who are still taking immunosuppression drugs
people with severe respiratory conditions including all cystic fibrosis, severe asthma and severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
people with rare diseases that significantly increase the risk of infections (such as severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), homozygous sickle cell)
people on immunosuppression therapies sufficient to significantly increase risk of infection adults with Down’s syndrome
adults on dialysis or with chronic kidney disease (Stage 5)
women who are pregnant with significant heart disease, congenital or acquired
other people who have also been classed as clinically extremely vulnerable, based on clinical judgement and an assessment of their needs. GPs and hospital clinicians have been provided with guidance to support these decision

Those in the following group count as clinically vulnerable:

are 70 or older
have a lung condition that’s not severe (such as asthma, COPD, emphysema or bronchitis)
have heart disease (such as heart failure)
have diabetes
have chronic kidney disease
have liver disease (such as hepatitis)
have a condition affecting the brain or nerves (such as Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis or cerebral palsy)
have a condition that means they have a high risk of getting infections
are taking medicine that can affect the immune system (such as low doses of steroids)
are very obese (a BMI of 40 or above)
are pregnant

But a lot of people seem to think they are CEV and are not.

Keeping my fingers crossed for you OP. Hope you don't get any more symptoms.

I have one of the conditions listed. I didn’t realise that made me ECV.

@Buzztothemoon

I had COVID in March & DH is CEV as he’s got no spleen. He didn’t actually catch it off me. But I was able to get expert advice at the time. The main risk factor for asplenics js secondary complications - ie. bacterial pneumonia/ septicaemia. So you shouldn’t be at particularly higher risk of becoming unwell, but if you do it’s important the medical team know so can consider defensive meds.

when I had covid they put me on two courses of prophylactic antibiotics to prevent secondary bacterial pneumonia. Maybe this is an option for @llovetheshippingforecast to discuss with their doctor?

@HermioneMakepeace

I have one of the conditions listed. I didn’t realise that made me ECV.

It is not necessarily everyone with those conditions.

You would probably know if you are classified as CEV as you will have had endless dramatic sounding letters, emails, texts and phone calls from Matt Hancock, your local council and your doctors. It all gets a bit much!

@Sparklymouth

Hey up, I understand your worry. My husband has no spleen either, we are just waiting for test results too. I dont know if this is right but when I tried to look into it it looked to me as if the lack of spleen wouldn't effect the covid itself. That the lack of spleen is only relevant if or when there is a bacterial infection. So it's possible that if you or my husband got Ill with covid that you might be given antibiotics to ward of secondary pneumonia. But I dont know. Which is why if he comes back positive we would get in touch with his dr or 111 straight away for advice. I hope you and your husband stay as well as can be.

Thanks so much for your post. No spleen is quite a rare thing - and even some medics are unfamiliar with the link towards predisposition towards Pneumonia, Sepsis etc.. (although to be fair , most are) So good to hear from someone in the same boat.

I don't know about anyone else on the ECV (Extremely Clinically Vulnerable) register - but the sheer volume of emails/texts/letters I have received both at the start of the pandemic and also since moving into Tier 4 - have probably just heightened my fear that this thing will make me very ill or kill me.

Thank you all for your kind support. I will update with a result as soon as received.

Thank you . Yes I will call the GP tomorrow.

I'm CEV, and had it. I've had worse colds.

RelightmyPfizer you see this is the problem with the 'list' . It doesn't seem to be standardised. In your list asplenic patients aren't even mentioned.. yet on the Gov.UK website we are in the top tier.

I am sure that the case for a lot of other health conditions. But why am I not surprised that even the list is in chaos ?

Sorry to hear that OP, DH is CEV due to an organ transplant and I know his anxiety is heightened when all the texts and letters appear so this is not good timing.

The fact that your DH is in another room with an en-suite is ideal. How are you feeling?

My elderly grandfather is CEV and he caught it, he felt a little out of whack for a few days but recovered absolutely fine, no signs of long covid either. I have everything crossed for you that all is well, try and keep your house ventilated and try and remain calm, and keep chatting with us for company whilst your husband is isolated in the spare room

My sister is triple immunocompromised, lung transplant recipient, on chemo drugs (not cancer) and long term nebulisers, has a central line as she is TPN fed, she went into hospital with sepsis from the central line and caught COVID from the hospital in September. She's still in hospital, but she's alive. I am also CEV, due to Cystic Fibrosis and long term steroid treatment. Told to shield, had an antibody test that came back positive! Much to my surprise, when I've had it I've had no symptoms whatsoever, can't even pin point when I may have been sick? So it really does vary, keep an eye on your temperature and try not to let your brain psych you out. Any concerns contact your spleen clinic and ask for their advice! Sending flowers your way, and good thoughts and luck to your DH.

PS. More and more studies are showing that low vitamin D is the major cause for severe illness, so if you don't already take it (you may due to the spleen?) consider getting a prescription for it from your GP (cholecalciferol is so much better than the over the counter stuff), if not, high dose Vitamin D from your pharmacist.

I think viral load is crucial. If you catch it whilst wearing a mask you will have inhaled fewer particles so your body has a chance to overcome it.

That’s why I am confused why many vulnerable people are not wearing masks.

You would probably know if you are classified as CEV as you will have had endless dramatic sounding letters, emails, texts and phone calls from Matt Hancock, your local council and your doctors. It all gets a bit much!

Not necessarily
My DF was in active chemo and radio but wasn’t put on the sheik song/ecv list until I chased it. He is still on the revised list

GPS did it originally and so missed some conditions that had been under hospital card for a while with no gp involved. my Df has been having on/off chemo for 6 years

@QueenOfTheDoubleWide

Kate Garraway interviewed some experts recently and one thing I remember being amazed at was that if someone catches Covid, the risk of a partner who eats, sleeps and lives closely with them catching it is around 35%

Wow!

@RelightMyPfizer

You would probably know if you are classified as CEV as you will have had endless dramatic sounding letters, emails, texts and phone calls from Matt Hancock, your local council and your doctors. It all gets a bit much!

Not necessarily
My DF was in active chemo and radio but wasn’t put on the sheik song/ecv list until I chased it. He is still on the revised list

GPS did it originally and so missed some conditions that had been under hospital card for a while with no gp involved. my Df has been having on/off chemo for 6 years

Amen to this.

Probably why I have been so freaked out by DH testing positive. I have had letters, emails & texts telling me to shield . Even a phone call from local council asking if they can be of assistance ! (Which of course I am very grateful for. Despite having great neighbours friends /family. So isn't necessary. )

@RelightMyPfizer

I am CEV, have been from the beginning, still am, letters, texts, emails, phone calls,

But i have something else that isnt listed on the CEV list

@llovetheshippingforecast

Theres a shielders thread on here, not sure if it would be helpful, but worth looking for it, I think its under ‘coronavirus’

I’m CEV and got probable Covid just before the March shielding. I had long Covid for 7.5 months but didn’t require an inpatient admission.

Hope you stay well and your DH recovers quickly.

Shielding thread link in case you want to join us:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/4100883-Thread-4-Shielding-chat

NEGATIVE !!!!! Phew ... what a relief. I shall never let my guard down again.

DH feeling really rotten but also so relieved for me. He was feeling guilty about possibly 'giving it to me' ..

I am truly grateful for being in a privileged position that we are with a spare room with en-suite (sounds posh but in fact just a shower cubicle and loo DH put in an old walk in wardrobe) .. how on earth do people manage with the pretty standard single bathroom with loo in whole house ?

Thanks for links to shielding thread. I will come and join you. I still have to quarantine as one of DHs contacts .. but won't make much difference as am staying put !

Good news! My Mum aged 86 in a care home and CV caught Covid recently and had only mild symptoms of headache and tiredness. There really is no knowing how anyone will be affected.