Shielding list to be virtually doubled

[Bonsa]

And go from 2.2 million to 3.9 million.

Breaking news...

My guess is that certain conditions or treatments make you more vulnerable to catching Covid ( like treatments that suppress the immune system) and those conditions make people ECV and some conditions are thought to make people more likely to get ill or suffer complications once they are exposed to the virus. ( the clinically vulnerable) However the most significant factor in how a persons body deals with the virus is age. Gender, obesity, health and local Covid rates are smaller factors, but if enough of the smaller factors add up with age and health ( the Covid score) then shielding is advised.
My fit young adult son has severe learning disability but got a score of 2! My equally fit husband with minimal health issues got a score 72- he was most upset!

@hophop26 how do you know you've not been put in group 6 as many people haven't realised until called for vaccine? If you have conditions on list you could ask Gp to add you?

I've been offered my covid vaccine due to underlying health issues but I'm only in my early thirties. I wasn't asked to shield but do you think I will be now?

@Egghead68

I suspect they’ve extended shielding to more people and to all us existing shielders for longer so they can start getting schools back.

How does that work - other than by increasing anxiety amongst all those newly shielding who have school age DC?

The way the news about those being added to the CEV is just bloody typical of how this government has dealt with the CEV all along. Never mentioned except briefly in press conferences when new restrictions/requirements are mentioned and left in limbo for days to find out what it all means. It is clear we are an after thought at every step of this pandemic.

It increases the anxiety levels to a maximum.

I guarantee the government is going to ask CEV to shield again at some point post March 31st. But the country will not lockdown again. Good luck to all of us who work and have mortgages to pay. No doubt we will be entitled to UC SSP. But the government has not thought what the long term implications of being sat at home shielding will do to our a) mental health b) physical health and c) employability. I do not trust this government to support us long term if we have been shielding our way out of the labour market. I bet they will turn around and say it was only ever voluntary.

Please, please to all CEV think very long and very hard if shielding is a route to go down. Way up all your own personal and unique risks and don’t leave your fate in the hands of an algorithm. I will soon have done a year and I am NOT doing it again. That said I’m sure some people will feel they need to shield and that’s fine too, but please know you and you alone know your own body and health better than anyone in the department of health!

DH has score of 82. He’s not been on shielding list so far but has several high risk factors and was diagnosed autoimmune before Xmas and is on an immunosuppressant. Ive tried to book him a jab through the online booking but says he’s not eligible. So does this mean that he is not one of the 1.7 million added to list? Have all the markers gone on medical records or is this being done over time?

I don't understand this - why add people to the list now. If they've not shielded for the last year what possible gain is 6 weeks now.

I understand updating the vaccination list... but not this.

@OpheliasCrayon

I don't understand this - why add people to the list now. If they've not shielded for the last year what possible gain is 6 weeks now.

I understand updating the vaccination list... but not this.

Yep. If you've muddled through so far 🤷‍♂️

I think there're gearing us up next week for the announcement. Things aren't going to be quite as peachy as many of us hoped.

@FigDate records should be updated by next week. Even if your DH doesn’t get a letter his GP can go through the risk factors with him over the phone and the GP can add a flag to his record if the GP thinks it’s clinically indicated

I wouldn't be surprised if there was a 'Shield the vulnerable, let everyone else out' scenario going on which would be deeply unfair but none of this makes much sense.

I score 67...does that mean I’ll be added to the list?

It increases the anxiety levels to a maximum

Looking at SAGE's comments right from the start, I thought that was the idea?

It'll be a bit difficult to produce a "sudden increase" in the figures this time, so I'm fully expecting some issue around "new variants"

@Blacktothepink

I score 67...does that mean I’ll be added to the list?

I doubt it if it just goes by that number alone or else pretty much everyone over 60 would be on it, especially if they were male. DH scored 69 at age 60 with just being slightly overweight, BMI 26 and very mild asthma, I was scored 64 with no conditions at 63

@FigDate

DH has score of 82. He’s not been on shielding list so far but has several high risk factors and was diagnosed autoimmune before Xmas and is on an immunosuppressant. Ive tried to book him a jab through the online booking but says he’s not eligible. So does this mean that he is not one of the 1.7 million added to list? Have all the markers gone on medical records or is this being done over time?

Can you discuss with your GP, over the phone if necessary?

@LemonSherbetFancies

I wouldn't be surprised if there was a 'Shield the vulnerable, let everyone else out' scenario going on which would be deeply unfair but none of this makes much sense.

It's deeply unfair that some people have been far worse affected by lockdown than others, especially when they are not at risk from covid. My life and relationships have been wrecked by lockdown, whilst the shielding people I know are still fine with partners children etc...

There is no other area of life where everyone is expected to suffer for the few. I'm happy to voluntarily do it to some extent, but this is too much.

I’m type 1 diabetic and had recent hospital admissions.

Thanks @KaleJuicer and @herecomesthsun. He has previously asked GP to reassess him after his diagnosis but GP said, “I haven’t a clue, ask rheumatology”. We have asked rheumatology department but they haven’t as yet replied. Going to wait for next week then, as you suggest, and see if he gets a letter. Then we’ll ask both again.

I am 63 on the list. After using my own data, I experimented with putting different data into the calculator, such as lower and higher BMI and a postcode in a wealthy commuter town. BMI only started to push the figure up at 35 plus. The changed postcode knocked 7 points off. So with no known underlying conditions, for me it's mostly about age and a little about my location.

I know shielded people whose family lives have been utterly utterly wrecked, with them having to make a choice between a) trying to stay 2m away from their household or b)allowing their household to go out to school etc and having great anxiety about this or c)keeping their whole household shielded including children, confined to their house and possibly garden for months on end.

All of those options put a great strain on relationships.

@FigDate

DH has score of 82. He’s not been on shielding list so far but has several high risk factors and was diagnosed autoimmune before Xmas and is on an immunosuppressant. Ive tried to book him a jab through the online booking but says he’s not eligible. So does this mean that he is not one of the 1.7 million added to list? Have all the markers gone on medical records or is this being done over time?

@FigDate - could that be because he doesn't fit the criteria at the moment? When I login it only lets those over 65, H & SC workers and those who are critically extremely vulnerable book. I'm hoping the system is just trying to catch up 🤞

I just put in some expensive area postcodes and it returned a higher score (up to 5 points higher) than our very average Northants town so who knows what criteria they use for that

I agree ohyoubabbadkitten. Shielding has the strong potential to wreck mental health in many ways, not least the lack of understanding from a good never of people.

Anyone in doubt, try replacing "shielding" with "abandoned" and you'll be much closer to the mark.

NHS has got a list in order of impact on the score
digital.nhs.uk/coronavirus/risk-assessment#how-qcovid-works

Diabetes (1 or 2) is one of the 1st ones mentioned

Asthma one of the last ones

Fabulous. I guess I'm getting a letter then judging by that list

Thanks though EasterIssland interesting reading.