Can someone clarify the asthma situation?

[Iremembertheelderlykoreanlady]

At first people with asthma were in group 6

Then they weren't

Now apparently people who use a brown preventer inhaler are back in group 6.

I used to use a brown inhaler but was using my blue one too much (asthma was not controlled) so they moved me to symbicort which is a combined inhaler.

So am I on the list for group 6 or not, as I don't use a brown inhaler anymore.

Does anyone know or could link to the guidance?

I take DuoResp, which is equivalent to Symbicort, and while my asthma is well controlled, (because I manage it properly) I certainly hoped to be in group six. Now I will have to wait until late April to be vaccinated while DP who isn’t asthmatic will get his jab before me because he is a couple of years older. It’s fucking ridiculous.

I have been ultra, ultra cautious for almost a year, since well before the first lockdown, and now I have to accept that I won’t be able to go anywhere or do anything until the middle of May. I could cry.

@AgeLikeWine

I take DuoResp, which is equivalent to Symbicort, and while my asthma is well controlled, (because I manage it properly) I certainly hoped to be in group six. Now I will have to wait until late April to be vaccinated while DP who isn’t asthmatic will get his jab before me because he is a couple of years older. It’s fucking ridiculous.

I have been ultra, ultra cautious for almost a year, since well before the first lockdown, and now I have to accept that I won’t be able to go anywhere or do anything until the middle of May. I could cry.

@AgeLikeWine have you heard that you aren't? Might be worth asking

@MrsWhites only one overnight stay when I was a child yes. I'm on steroid inhalers. My asthma becomes uncontrolled when I'm around cats and have an allergic reaction, I used to use a nebulizer when it was really bad.
Really hoping that more GPs are like @needadvice54321 and vaccinated more asthmatics!

I’m a teacher with asthma taking daily steroids (inhaler). I contacted my GP today to be told that I didn’t qualify for group 6 as I’m not on steroid tablets. Meanwhile my friend who has no health conditions and who works from home has been offered a vaccine. It seems to be so inconsistent.

[quote Butmiss]@MrsWhites only one overnight stay when I was a child yes. I'm on steroid inhalers. My asthma becomes uncontrolled when I'm around cats and have an allergic reaction, I used to use a nebulizer when it was really bad.
Really hoping that more GPs are like @needadvice54321 and vaccinated more asthmatics![/quote]
She was brilliant! Not my usual GP (they aren't that helpful usually ) but she really put my mind at ease

“All those aged between 16 and 64 with underlying health conditions, as well as adult carers, are being contacted with the offer of a vaccination.”

This was in a BBC article I’ve just read. So Asthma is no longer considered an underlying health condition. That’s a relief!

That must also mean that anyone who dies of COVID who suffers with asthma, won’t fall into the category of “with underlying health conditions” but instead “no known underlying health conditions.”

I’m guessing we all no longer need the annual flu jab either...

[quote Butmiss]@MrsWhites only one overnight stay when I was a child yes. I'm on steroid inhalers. My asthma becomes uncontrolled when I'm around cats and have an allergic reaction, I used to use a nebulizer when it was really bad.
Really hoping that more GPs are like @needadvice54321 and vaccinated more asthmatics![/quote]
I’m certainly hoping that my doctor views it in the same way. I don’t take steroids anymore but mostly because my body doesn’t agree with them and during the winter I can do without them but my gp’s surgery won’t even discuss where I come on the vaccine schedule. I appreciate that there are lots of people much worse off than me, health condition wise but why send asthmatics like me a scary letter last year telling us to be particularly careful to avoid exposure to the virus to now at this point say that asthma doesn’t even qualify as an underlying health condition?

Asthmatics not being in group 6 was reported on in the BBC news at 10 tonight

My DD is 16 . Up to 8 doses a day of symbicort . Daily montelukast and we get through 1-2 ventolin inhalers a month . Daily exercises from breathing physio . Annual flu jab since she was 2. We haven’t heard anything . I thought she would be group 6 . But she doesn’t qualify because no oral steroids / hospital admission . So under this clarification she does not get a vaccination at all because no normal vax for under 18. Yet a cold can hammer her and lay her low for months so what will Covid do. And she has to go to school . It is insane decision which is really stressing me out. It is so unfair especially since we have been repeatedly told that asthmatics are at greater risk .

@Thisisconfusing

My DD is 16 . Up to 8 doses a day of symbicort . Daily montelukast and we get through 1-2 ventolin inhalers a month . Daily exercises from breathing physio . Annual flu jab since she was 2. We haven’t heard anything . I thought she would be group 6 . But she doesn’t qualify because no oral steroids / hospital admission . So under this clarification she does not get a vaccination at all because no normal vax for under 18. Yet a cold can hammer her and lay her low for months so what will Covid do. And she has to go to school . It is insane decision which is really stressing me out. It is so unfair especially since we have been repeatedly told that asthmatics are at greater risk .

That is awful.

They really should have considered a wider picture here or communicated very clearly to GPs that they have discretion to add people to group 6 if they needed a lot of meds or have frequent steroids but not the magic 3 courses in 3 months.

I still don't understand why they couldn't at least have included people who take add on treatments.

I had a call back from my doctor surgery this morning to say that the doctor personally wouldn’t be calling me to discuss because I don’t meet the criteria so won’t be on the list. I thought GPs could override the official list if they wanted to?

Anyway. Had a good cry earlier. I appreciate there are many people in much worse situations but it’s SO bloody frustrating to have been told we are clinically vulnerable (as it still says on the NHS website) and to have been extra careful for the last year to only just be told we aren’t a priority after all. Really is shit.

It's just so constantly confusing... I mean the vaccine minister is once again saying 'people with inhalers will get it in group 6'. See the last question on this interview (approx 44 minutes in)

I called my gp this morning as they started sending invites out 3 days ago and still nothing. They confirmed I'm down in group 6 but that's for the stroke rather than the asthma.

It is infuriating to be told you're vulnerable then not vaccine worthy. I was also told my stroke didn't make me any more vulnerable but that's why I'm getting a vaccine now.

@kittykarate that is frustratingly confusing to say the least! And also that it is a clinical decision for the GP as to what is severe.

I do think it's ok for politicians to get stuff wrong but the minister must have seen the controversy and so should have been better briefed.

Oh apparently he has since apologised and acknowledged he got that wrong 🙄

mobile.twitter.com/asthmauk/status/1361646755956346885

new update from asthma UK but doesn't say v much

Found this on Twitter, does anyone know if this is accurate? Its extremely worrying!

conversation
@asthmauk
and 2 others
3) Moderate asthmatics are at increased risk of hospitalisation, ICU admission/intubation, and long Covid. If supply limitations mean phase 1 must now be limited only to high mortality risk groups, what does that mean for plans to ease lockdown restrictions in April?
12:31 pm · 16 Feb 2021·Twitter for Android
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Jane Arbury
@ArburyJane

The comments are interesting on that twitter thread re: vaccine minister. More people saying they've been told their hospital admission wasn't recent enough so they are not entitled even though Asthma UK say it's people who have ever had an admission, not a recent one.

Someone has also been told that 'has ever had 3 courses of tablet steroids in a 3 month period' means 'has had 3 courses of steroids in the last 3 months'.

I think I may email my Drs and ask if they are able to use their discretion based on that tweet above...

Yes FeedMeSantiago - so much confusion and misunderstanding. No one seems to really know

I just had to call my GP surgery about a prescription issue, so I asked the receptionist about vaccine groups. She said that our surgery aren't administering any vaccines and so they have no record of who is in which group . She said that there is no way of knowing except to wait and see if I get a letter from the vaccination centre.

I'm not holding out much hope based on that.

@FeedMeSantiago
I've just found a letter from NHS to all GP's advising them in asthma (further down the letter) and exactly what qualifies as group 6.

It clearly states that asthma that has ever required an emergency hospital admission means a person is in group 6.

Many of you will be able to quote this when you speak to someone. You are included!

www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2021/02/C1124-Vaccination-of-cohorts-5-6-and-additional-funding-for-residential-settings-13-Feb-2021-1.pdf

@FeedMeSantiago

This clarifies ever having had an emergency admission for asthma;

www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2021/02/C1124-Vaccination-of-cohorts-5-6-and-additional-funding-for-residential-settings-13-Feb-2021-1.pdf

@Incrediblytired

Those of you who’ve been offered - do you mind me asking your age?

42...so no other reason for my being called early. I suspect it was a surgery decision and they bunged everybody into the higher category. They also called DH for a flu jab last year, which they have never done previously. He is over 50 but has no health issues.

39 and no other reason to be called in early. I had it today and got the phonecall booking me in on Saturday. I wonder if the GP hadn't had the latest guidance at that point or if they just decided to ignore it.

I emailed the BBC to thank them for highlighting the confusion, but also to request them to change how they report on group 6. That they should refer to “some clinically vulnerable” rather than just ”clinically vulnerable” when they reference it.