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?

Found it online for £6.69 - www.mypharmacy.co.uk/product/volumatic-adult-spacer/

So will probably do that.

I get my prescriptions delivered by my local pharmacy as I have so many and some are in large boxes so they're difficult to carry.

I don't want to buy one over the counter in person as I haven't been to a shop or pharmacy since 15 March last year, have done everything online.

@Ferrylights

I was diagnosed 45 years ago with asthma which has hospitalised me a few times although not for the past 15 years. I've had pneumonia 4 times in the past 6 years, many courses of pred and take Fostair 200 and salbutamol. My asthma is reasonably well controlled until I get a virus and I'm poorly for weeks and my peak flow can be as low as 150. I wasn't told to shield the first time round, yet my daughter who has very mild allergy triggered asthma, on low dose of Clenil was on the original shielding list. She didn't get a letter for the second round though. I think the whole thing is a bit of a mess. My 80 year old mum who has terminal lung cancer and COPD and was receiving immunotherapy (paused atm) has only just been called for hers although she is currently in hospital and can't be vaccinated until she is discharged. The hospital she is in won't do it there. She's not well enough to sit in a vaccine centre and I've no idea how to request a home visit vaccine service for her.

@Ferrylights you should be able to do this by calling her GP surgery.

My grandmother is 92 and was invited for her jab at a centre. We called the GP surgery and said that she is housebound (she lives independently, but has daily assistance from family) and they immediately agreed to add her to their home visit list.

I hope they get to you both soon .

I mentioned earlier that my husband who has mild asthma (occasional ventolin only) has been called but I haven't (am on clenil and ventolin and occasional oral steroids). He had the jab and then rang to ask why he qualified - he was told it was for bronchitis. Which he hasn't had for 35 years. I get it fairly regularly and have done since childhood - last time was 18 months ago. So I am still none the wiser as to why he would qualify in group 6 but I wouldn't.

@Smellybluecheese have they actually told you you are not in Group 6?

Just because they haven't called doesn't mean you aren't - it's a huge group.

@Nanuki yes, I called them earlier. I think they must have him down as having chronic bronchitis in error as that counts as COPD apparently. (He does not have chronic bronchitis).

@CaffiSaliMali

Found it online for £6.69 - www.mypharmacy.co.uk/product/volumatic-adult-spacer/

So will probably do that.

I get my prescriptions delivered by my local pharmacy as I have so many and some are in large boxes so they're difficult to carry.

I don't want to buy one over the counter in person as I haven't been to a shop or pharmacy since 15 March last year, have done everything online.

Your local pharmacy would probably take payment over the phone and deliver with your other meds

mobile.twitter.com/asthmauk/status/1362387039732322307

Asthma UK have written to ministers and asked for asthmatics who didn't get vaccinated in group 4 or 6 to be prioritised for a vaccine in the next wave of vaccinations

Think they have left it a bit late to write to them now, from what I have read in the media the JCVI already met on Tuesday to discuss the next phase!

@Eccle80

Think they have left it a bit late to write to them now, from what I have read in the media the JCVI already met on Tuesday to discuss the next phase!

Sounds about right given the saga we have had with this issue to date!

I hope other health charities have written to ministers to urge them to prioritise people who have underlying conditions but weren't included in priority group 6.

@FeedMeSantiago I know at least one that has. I also follow the ME association as I have a long history of CFS.
meassociation.org.uk/2021/02/matt-hancock-on-me-cfs-covid-vaccine-priority/

Just received an email from Asthma U.K. They have today launched a petition calling on the government to prioritise asthmatics for the next vaccine roll out.

action.asthma.org.uk/page/76527/petition/1?locale=en-GB

About time! Will sign.

Signed also and bumping...

I have signed

Fingers crossed it makes a difference.

Feeling a little nervous about schools going back etc when so many of us are still pretty vulnerable!

I've signed too.
My hospital admission 20 years ago automatically put me into group 6 and I have my vaccine this week. I'm very aware that it's very different for many and I hope they get this sorted out as fast as possible.

Also signed.

I've signed too. The NHS site still lists non - severe asthma as being in the moderate risk (clinically vulnerable) category. I wonder whether asthmatics are the only clinically vulnerable group who have been excluded from the first nine groups? And will the government claim that the vulnerable have all been vaccinated once group 1-9 are done?

I was hospitalised several times as a child but haven't been put in group 6. I don't know if maybe it was just too long ago. Over 30 years. I have had flare ups in recent years after each child and my asthma is often very bad after a virus so I'm nervous.

I have had a previous hospital admission but have not been put into group 6 by my GP. My brother has been put into group 6 despite having much milder asthma and he’s never been nebulised, unlike me. It’s a crazy situation.

My brother was hospitalised several times vas a child and we had a nebuliser and a supply of steroids at home. His GP said he’s not in group six.

I'm seeing quite a lot of posts online from people who haven't been included in group 6 despite a previous hospital admission or previous need for 3 courses of oral steroids in 3 months, like BunsyGirl and Bilgepumper's brother.

Some have been told by GPs that their steroids or hospital admissions were too long ago to count. One person even said their GP said the 3 courses of steroids in 3 months only counted if in the last 3 months.

So despite the 'clarity' it seems people eligible are still being missed.

I still think it would have been simpler to just vaccinate anyone with asthma or those asthmatics on the flu vaccine list. Much less work for GPs to identify eligible patients.

My GP surgery said that it would have to be a 'recent' hospital admission, although they couldn't define recent.

My current GP has no record of a health problem that I had 20 years ago when I lived in a different part of the country. I guess that if you have been registered at the same GP for your whole life then your records stand a better chance of being complete than someone who has moved around. Younger people might be at an advantage if their childhood medical records are all online compared to older people with paper records which might not get transferred across when they move.

I saw in today's news that they are considering offering a combined flu/covid vaccine in future. It would get very confusing trying to work out who is eligible for either or both vaccines. I guess it will be simpler for them in the long term to offer both vaccines to the whole flu jab list.

@Peakedin1997 @FeedMeSantiago

I've found page 7 of the letter sent by the NHS to all GPs about 10 days ago. In it it clearly states than anyone, who has ever had an emergency hospital admission for asthma is to be in group 6.

The original guidelines before this were within 12 months but this changed.

Can you write to your asthma nurse? They should be a bit more up to speed.