Just received a shielding letter but no one knows why!!

[theviewfromhalfwaydown]

I’m freaking out a bit that there’s something wrong with me I don’t know about. I received a shielding letter but have no idea why I have it. I’m slightly overweight but haven’t been weighed by a dr in 10years and that was just after I’d given birth to my youngest. I have no underlying health conditions I know about and I’m only 38. All I can think of is that I had gestational diabetes but that was years ago. I’ve already had the first jab as I work in healthcare but I’m worried they know something I don’t. I’m not going to shield as I don’t think I need to and I want to work but it’s still thrown me quite a bit.

I think I was newly in group 6 having got the email yesterday. But it didn’t work this morning on the national booking system, and did this afternoon. So worth keeping on checking

Is anyone else filled with dread and fear now? I really want some clarity on the situation, otherwise this means we have just found out that a bunch of young mothers are vulnerable to a virus for the rest of our lives.

But do we think it's only working for those who got the shielding letters...and not for those who already knew they were Group 6, but haven't been asked to shield? That's what I can't understand. Thanks.

I've just been able to book my vaccine for tomorrow morning. Got my shielding letter yesterday

Well I have had GD multiple times, I had no letter and the GP has confirmed I don't have to shield. There must be other factors on people's medical records. Even if they think there isn't.

Or maybe it’s something on your medical records itsasecret? Eg if your practise has a policy of “closing off” the GDM episode (I don’t actually know that this is a thing), which means your record isn’t coming up on the data. I really think this isn’t going to make sense for every individual.

@doireallyneedaname

Is anyone else filled with dread and fear now? I really want some clarity on the situation, otherwise this means we have just found out that a bunch of young mothers are vulnerable to a virus for the rest of our lives.

Even if that's the case, that's why we are being prioritised for a vaccine now. The letter did stress that they are erring on the side of caution by including us in the ECV group. I know not everyone who has had GD has been contacted which makes me think on its own it's not a particular risk. So I think if you didn't get a letter there is no cause for dread and fear. As a pp said even those of us who don't think they are in any other risk group must be for the algorithm to pick us out. In my case I'm assuming it's because I'm also in medication for an under active thyroid even though that's not a listed risk factor. Must be the combo of the two things - or something else I haven't though of entirely!

I am following Partha Kar on twitter. He worked with the team that developed QCovid and was head of the team supplying diabetes data. This morning he was saying that prior GD data was not included when the algorithm was developed. He seemed pretty surprised by these letters and by the published confirmation it wasn’t an error.

He now says “good conversation- we are working on it - further updates shortly”

Will be interested to see what his updates say!

twitter.com/parthaskar/status/1362826017157632000

My personal belief is it was an error but they don’t want to say so (and risk some people wrongly ignoring their shielding letter) so are using the “abundance of caution” line.

@minipie Yep, he said he’ll explain the “rationale” which suggests it’s not actually an immediate threat to us, and is indeed a preventative measure (and an over cautious one at that!)

.. I hope.

I believe Partha Kar over just about anyone.

@CeibaTree Because covid will be around forever and we’ll “learn to live with it”, so now if we are CEV then I am beginning to appreciate how shielders have felt this whole time. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life worrying about covid. We don’t know how long the vaccine offers protection for either.

@HereComesATractor

Or maybe it’s something on your medical records itsasecret? Eg if your practise has a policy of “closing off” the GDM episode (I don’t actually know that this is a thing), which means your record isn’t coming up on the data. I really think this isn’t going to make sense for every individual.

Have had it twice, so maybe. It was a long time ago too,

[quote minipie]I am following Partha Kar on twitter. He worked with the team that developed QCovid and was head of the team supplying diabetes data. This morning he was saying that prior GD data was not included when the algorithm was developed. He seemed pretty surprised by these letters and by the published confirmation it wasn’t an error.

He now says “good conversation- we are working on it - further updates shortly”

Will be interested to see what his updates say!

twitter.com/parthaskar/status/1362826017157632000[/quote]
Oh, I will keep an eye out.

I have a feeling that what we may be seeing is the results of slightly inconsistent data entry and management across different practices or trusts. I’m not saying it’s been done incorrectly, just that when it comes down to producing a list of people with xyz criteria it ends up being a bit inconsistent

Inconsistent at an individual level I mean

This is really stressing me out. We were going to TTC again. Maybe not.

What does everyone feel, this is some awful mistake or not.

@Itisasecret I think it’s a precautionary measure rather than us all actually being at risk.

I don’t believe we are CEV, as the letter clearly states we are in the CEV group because it’s the easiest way to get us a priority jab.

Wishful thinking maybe?

I have congenital heart disease, which I've needed surgery for twice, and a raised bmi though it's a lot lower than it used to be. So I don't know whether I would have had a shielding letter anyway even if I hadn't had gd with my youngest.

[quote doireallyneedaname]@Itisasecret I think it’s a precautionary measure rather than us all actually being at risk.

I don’t believe we are CEV, as the letter clearly states we are in the CEV group because it’s the easiest way to get us a priority jab.

Wishful thinking maybe?[/quote]
I agree with this, if it had been purposeful then those with prediabetes would surely have been included. That's on your record too...

The really frustrating thing is there are two things going on:

1. Debate over whether GD past and/or current increases the risk, either on its own or in conjunction with other factors, and if so which?

2. Apparently inconsistent and incomplete medical records

So they've notified a huge tranche of ladies, but some are possibly incorrect IF the only risk factor is past GD (possibly included because the use of default values in the absence of actual data + GD puts them in to the high risk bracket) and IF past GD alone is not a risk factor

And at the same time, they have failed to notify many women with past GD + a risk factor, presumably because of an absence of GD on record? Never mind what's on record (or not) about the other factor(s).

I don't hold out much hope of ever getting clarity.

@Itisasecret @doireallyneedaname

I’m finding it really unsettling too. I’m struggling to believe that having GD almost 3 years ago is sufficient to make me ECV to the point of shielding There’s got to be other factors involved, but it’s maddening not to be able to work out what!

If you can access your record online, see what status your GD has. When I checked the ‘conditions’ section of mine, the very first thing under ‘active’ was GD - despite the fact this was in 2018! So I wonder how significant it is if the doctor doesn’t close down the condition when resolved ..

I can't my GP is stuck in the dark ages.