why are carers in group 6?

[Tacono1]

I have been really surprised by the inclusion of carers in group 6 as we have been told the list is driven by medical risk but surely this is delaying getting the vaccine to those in greater medical need. It also seems odd that if caring responsibilities are to be taken into account, caring for a child especially as a lone parent isn’t considered equally crucial.
I’m in group 6 due to congenital heart disease so will hopefully be called soon although my GP is just starting group 5. I also have a history of hospitalisation with pneumonia and lung infections. I’m also a parent( lone as their father died) to 2 children. I have basically shielded as much as I can mainly out of concern for my children and what would happen if I was to become seriously ill or worse.
There must be many in my situation but without clinical vulnerabilities. It seems strange that it is not taken into account in the same way as being a carer to an adult. Mainly though I accept that the list needs to be driven by medical risk which is why I have been surprised by the inclusion before all cv have been vaccinated.

Is it not to do with the people they are caring for being vulnerable/higher risk? Same as flu, the vaccine isn’t 100% effective so by vaccinating those who also care for them they are further helping to limit the risk?

Or the people they care for requiring a particular type of care that is more difficult to replace even for short periods?

It is practical. A carer gets covid and becomes seriously ill means that a vulnerable person needs social care. It isn't that hard to understand.

@cansu

It is practical. A carer gets covid and becomes seriously ill means that a vulnerable person needs social care. It isn't that hard to understand.

This. What are all the vulnerable people receiving care supposed to do if their carer becomes seriously ill or dies? Will the state step in adequately? I don't think so!

Oh, and it's not just carers to adults. I'm a carer to my child, I am in group six.

It 'adult carers' as in carers who are adults, not carers who care for adults.

1. They are caring for someone who is vulnerable and could be at higher risk or harder to treat and its part of their protection.

1. That as terrible as it would be if you were ill or died, the number of people able to foster your children or care for them is greater than those who could manage to look after someine who needs a carer. Some of it is very specialised and requires training.

That does make sense in those circumstances.I should have been able to figure it out! I just got a bit concerned reading another thread where someone was advised to try to class themselves as a carer. I expect the GPs will be rigorous in applying the criteria. Personally, I’m really worried that the children will be sent back before they reach all the cv and we will be vulnerable as a family again.

I'm disabled but not clinically vulnerable. My husband is my carer. He will get the jab before me. Even though 6 out of 10 deaths from Covid have been people with disabilities. It should be clinical need, to save lives, not convenience to save care costs if an unpaid carer gets it.

I am a carer to my child who has classic ASD (ASD plus learning difficulties) and other countries-morbidities. He has a diagnosis, and receives middle rate Disability Living Allowance. This was enough for my Go surgery to amend my record to show that I was a carer, and now I am having the vaccine next week. My worst nightmare is what would happen to my child if I were to get ill, he is so complex and vulnerable.

"I have basically shielded as much as I can mainly out of concern for my children and what would happen if I was to become seriously ill or worse"

So you have done the same as a carer, particularly a parent carer, which is why you are in the same group as them.

@brunetteonthebus I didn’t realise that
@MildredPuppy I take a bit of issue with your point 2 having already witnessed the after effects of traumatic bereavement on children.

It is important to know that many carers have been pretty much shielding so that they can protect the person they are caring for and are fit and well to perform their caring role.
That puts them in a similar position to many in group 6.

It also seems odd that if caring responsibilities are to be taken into account, caring for a child especially as a lone parent isn’t considered equally crucial.

Caring for a child and caring for a disabled child are not the same. I wish people would think.

@dontbefatist
That is true but I also have actual medical risk so it is not really the same.

Plus many carers in group 6 are actually over 65 and will have been vaccinated before their turn comes in group 6, which will cut numbers down.
Plus some carers will be in group 6 due to their own medical conditions as well.
Plus as mentioned many have been effectively shielding due to their caring responsibilities since last March so are in a similar position to the other CV people in Group 6.

But it doesn't disadvantage the other CV in Group 6 for certain because the carers are not necessarily going first in Group 6.

It is down to the individual GPs what order they select people in Group 6.

My surgery is certainly not calling carers in yet.

I would worry more about the underuse of the mass hubs which could enable all of group 6 to be done in about 2 weeks apparently.

It’s interesting
My mum thinks there should be a separate category for widows/widowers.
My biggest fear is leaving my child.

[quote Tacono1]@brunetteonthebus I didn’t realise that
@MildredPuppy I take a bit of issue with your point 2 having already witnessed the after effects of traumatic bereavement on children.[/quote]
Im not trying to cause offence. Of course it would be traumatic and would have huge repercussions. I mean that most people could keep my son alive if I were to perish. My friends son is tube fed, doesnt speak and has kidney failure which requires very careful management, with fluids - he can decline very rapidly. I couldnt keep him alive if my friend dropped him off for the day.

@Veuvestar I understand ( all too well).

@dontbefatist

It is important to know that many carers have been pretty much shielding so that they can protect the person they are caring for and are fit and well to perform their caring role. That puts them in a similar position to many in group 6.

This is me. I have effectively been shielding to protect my elderly mil who lives with us and has dementia. (English isn't her first language either so we have been terrified of the thought of her being hospitalised and us not being able to visit)

Did I miss this announcement? Cant see anything about it on gov.org

Sorry just found it!

Who knows.

I'm getting the vaccine because I care for my vulnerable son and believe me it's a 24/7 thing. I'm the one who keeps him safe when he wakes in the night and wanders around. I'm the one who keeps him safe when he's on his way to and from school. The one who makes the call when that pesky common cold has exacerbated his asthma and he may need to go to hospital. And countless other things. If I'm ill then he is even more vulnerable than usual and it makes sense to keep me well.

Meanwhile my partner is a carer for his elderly, housebound, disabled mother. He does all her shopping, he provides personal care, he does everything except medical care. If he were laid up for a week with covid, then who would care for her? If he was asymptomatic then he may well infect her (she has been jabbed but there is still a chance she is one of the small percentage that doesn't get antibodies)

I'm severely asthmatic (yet to be vaccinated) and my lovely friend who is a carer to her autistic child was vaccinated today.

She's her sole carer and if she became ill her daughter wouldn't cope, this in theory would put pressure on other services and the knock on effect of this all over the country would add a lot of extra strain to an already pressured system.

Disabled dependents whether they are children or adults are reliant often on a single care giver. There is no plan B, no social services to bridge the gap. The systems we have in this country are thinly stretched as it is.
There is no funded respite care now it's all been cut. It's just the sole carer, struggling to juggle caring, trying to earn to get by as the allowance from the government would hardly pay for food.

It's rough and thankless, carers are given the flu vaccine each year to prevent a break in the vulnerable persons care.

They live in fear of being incapacitated and not being able to look after their vulnerable loved one. There is no one to pick up the pieces. It can take weeks for services to even return a phone call, what hope do they have if they become ill with covid.

The reality is the police would be called as an ambulance takes the carer to hospital and an extremely distressed vulnerable person would remain in police custody until a placement could be found.

Much better to try to prevent this wherever possible.

I agree with carers getting the vaccine. ASAP.

@dontbefatist

But it doesn't disadvantage the other CV in Group 6 for certain because the carers are not necessarily going first in Group 6.

It is down to the individual GPs what order they select people in Group 6.

My surgery is certainly not calling carers in yet.

I would worry more about the underuse of the mass hubs which could enable all of group 6 to be done in about 2 weeks apparently.

I hope you are right and there is priority for clinically vulnerable ( especially with the prospect of schools returning)and that is a good point about the hubs. I think there is a large group of the clinically vulnerable who are also carers/ parents so are in quite a precarious position with talk of school returns.

I understand that carers do a huge and important job. I do find it odd that some are comparing temporary breaks in care, which I understand are traumatic, with the real risk of children being left without parents permanently.