Vaccine - category 6 16- to 64-year-olds with serious underlying health conditions

[NotABeliever]

Hi
Just wondering if anyone knew what is meant exactly by category 6 "16- to 64-year-olds with serious underlying health conditions" of the vaccine rollout?
I' 45 and I have asthma but wouldn't know if it's classed as severe or not. I need steroids at least once a year but have never been hospitalised. I'm eligible for the flu vaccine.
Thank you

Basically if you are entitled to the flu jag then you are deemed to be in the under 65yrs "at risk" category. So if you are normally eligible and get called for a flu vaccine then you should be called for a covid vaccine. When (hollow laugh) it happens

That'll teach me to not read properly - I hate the app as can't see the op whilst typing!
Yes, you should get it

I think it’s people who get the flu vaccine who didn’t fit into any of categories 1-5.

No - the list for the covid vaccine is smaller than the flu list. You have to have 'severe' asthma to qualify, which England are categorising as 4× oral steroids in 6 months. I believe Scotland are saying 4 courses in a year, however.

@SchrodingersUnicorn I may be wrong but I think that is for category 4 not category 6?

Category 6 is not flu jab list. My DH gets a flu jab for asthma (he's on 2 inhalers) but isn't on the covid vaccine list.

From GOV UM website: Certain underlying health conditions may result in a higher risk of serious disease and mortality. Such conditions may include:

solid organ transplant recipients
haematological cancers
certain neurological conditions
chronic kidney disease
immunosuppression
dementia
stroke
poorly controlled diabetes
chronic pulmonary disease
obesity (BMI greater than 40)
malignancy
liver disease

@SchrodingersUnicorn I think that is the criteria for being CEV - which is different to the more general "at risk" group

Can you look at asthma UK or similar to see if they have published guidance?

The list @Twilightstarbright details is the criteria for being in the CEV category, not the "under 65's at risk" category.

I should clarify further, the list for CEV as above - won't mean everyone with those conditions qualifies - just that some of them will be eligible because of that condition. So someone with chronic kidney disease stage 1 won't be CEV but someone with stage 5 is.
No wonder folk are confused - it's so confusing!

You would be 6 in the priority list, qualifying for a " flu jab" underlying conditions encompass this list
I have Cerebral Palsy, which although I'm physically well, this is an underlying neurological condition
This is different from CEV which is priority 4

That is the definition for category 4, but all asthma other than severe has also been removed from category 6.
If you google 'covid vaccine green book' there's a table with who is eligible. It is a cut down version of the flu jab list, moderate asthmatics are not on it.
I don't think many people realise this.

@SchrodingersUnicorn thank you - my head may now burst as have clearly missed this in the many (many,many) emails!

Here you go: assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/948757/Greenbook_chapter_14a_v4.pdf

Table 3 details who would qualify under category 6.

Thank you. It would appear that I won't come under category 6 as a course of stereoods once a year arguably doesn't constitute "continuous or repeated use of systemic steroids".

I'm in vaccine group 6 because I'm coeliac - I'm really surprised, didn't know I was more vulnerable because of iit. Only reason I know I'm that group is I saw it on my medical record at a recent doctors appt, so group 6 might be a bit more widespread than the list on the gov website.

cev are in group 4, group 6 is different

Surely "continuous or repeated use of systemic steroids" means those who take a maintenance preventer inhaler daily, I believe mine is classed as a steroid inhaler and therefore I take systemic steroids continuously.

Tablet steroids would surely put you in the CEV category for "severe asthma"

twitter.com/asthmauk/status/1341347829374197761?s=19

Do you use a daily steroid inhaler, OP? AsthmaUK asked for clarity from the government regarding asthmatics in the priority 6 category. Both priority 4 and 6 state 'severe asthma', which confused a lot of people with asthma, but it has been confirmed that asthmatics who are prescribed steroid inhalers will fall under priority 6.

That document says Category 6 includes epilepsy. That’s surprised me - epilepsy doesn’t qualify you for a flu jab even. Now I’m wondering if I should be more concerned (I’m epileptic). I wonder if it’s all epileptics, or just those with uncontrolled epilepsy.

@rtgiv

Surely "continuous or repeated use of systemic steroids" means those who take a maintenance preventer inhaler daily, I believe mine is classed as a steroid inhaler and therefore I take systemic steroids continuously.

Tablet steroids would surely put you in the CEV category for "severe asthma"

Isnt an inhaler topical steroids rather than systemic? Systemic steroids are when you take them orally or intravenously and then they circulate systemically throughout the body rather than being applied in the location required (eg. Inhaler, cream or localised injection).

I’m not on the list at all despite having a severe auto immune condition

NotAnotherUserNumber no idea really but AsthmaUK have interpreted it this way, guess we'll find out in many months time.

Seems logical to me though, Severe Asthma (Nebuliser/Steroid Tabs/Hospital) in group 4 as CEV.
Asthma with steroid preventer inhaler daily (or not quite in CEV, but you'd probably be managing your asthma with preventer steroid inhalers anyway if your nearly CEV) in group 6, and
Asthma where you're a bit wheezy every so often so GP gives you some Ventolin is not on the list

@4amWitchingHour a third of Coeliacs have problems with their Spleen which is part of the immune system and makes you more prone to infection. I think that's why. That's why we get a flu jab. I also wonder whether it being an Auto-immune disease makes you more vulnerable as that causes inflammation and a lot of the harm Covid can do is linked to inflammation, but the later is just me speculating.