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.

No letter here, and had gestational diabetes with first, now pregnant with second but not been tested for GD yet. Now feeling a bit nervous. Guess will just have to discuss with midwife.

@WreckTangled I received it at 10.20 this morning. My hba1c is 6.8 and I live (I think) in a postcode which wouldn't flag (affluent village-although I don't really belong ). I'm overweight, but not above BMI 40. Just turned 40 yrs old. I am a teacher though (but don't think job has been taken into account).

I still haven't been contacted about the vaccine .

It's very strange isn't it. My hba1c is 5.8 so I'm not expecting to be flagged but wouldn't expect you to either. Thankfully I've already had my vaccine as I'm NHS.

My friend got one today, she's type 2 diabetic but otherwise healthy. She's mystified too.

I find this all rather shocking. A life-changing email/letter arrives telling people to shield, but co gains no information about their personal reasons, but info to call the surgery. When people call the surgery, no-one knows either and some receptionists even say on here 'don't call the surgery...we don't know and we are too busy to answer all thesE calls when we can't explain it'

It's a shit show. People are terrified about the co sequences for their lives if shielding and the fact they are now seen as at significant risk....but can't get answers.

Actual GPs (not receptionists) will be able to delve into the files and with medical knowledge spot the reason that are likely, even though they haven't been informed of the reason for each patient, because the algorithm just reveals those at risk, not their specific reasons, but this takes time and probably an individual appointment with someone asking for the info...all clearly at a time when they do t have that time.

But I do t think it's acceptable when people get these distressing emails and letters to be simply told 'we don't know why' and that's the end of the info. People need to have a chance to find out why. The fact the system has allowed the info to go out to patients (I understand it's to reduce risk by getting them to shield ASAP) when GPs have no further info than the patient does, is pretty crap really.

Dh had one today. Now he met all the criteria for shielding from day one but never told officially until now. It said new info had caused the review. Strange others are the same a year in.

I want to be told to shield as I have to go to work unless I get a shielding notification. I can’t work from home 🙄

I haven't been called to shield, as the cm height on my records is wrong giving me a BMI of 33 instead of what it really is (38). I keep telling them to correct it - but I am not pre-diabetic nor do I have any other conditions. Just obese.

I was offered a free flu vaccine though, when I was in last year for a coil - I looked baffled and said I don't qualify. She said you do, because of your gallstones. I pointed out that I'd had my gallbladder out in 2017.

I had the same and called my GP. I wondered whether there might be a mistake in my medical records.

The GP said there were three things that might have flagged it:

• Gestational diabetes in my first pregnancy
• DVT after my second (which has moved me up into group 6 for vaccinations - there's a nice surprise!)
• I was down as having "colitis", which isn't quite accurate (though isn't totally inaccurate either). I had a food intolerance diagnosed many years ago and as long as I don't eat the offending substance I'm fine, but it took a long time to figure out the problem. He said he'd remove the coding for colitis, as I disagreed with it.

He said it's down to what coding they use for certain conditions or health events, and it's just advice not law.

Best thing is to email and ask for a copy of your medical record, correct anything inaccurate, and then make your own decision. I'm not going to change anything as I don't regard myself as actually having any condition that would make me CEV.

I agree wombat. To go from"no risk factors" to ECV overnight with no explanation is a bit of a shock. And to have to make life changing decisions off the back of it without access to proper medical advice is hard.

*user1471530109
Shit. Mine was in my junk folder. Type 1 diabetic. Those of you above who are diabetic, check your junk folder sad

Nothing in my spam and I checked my GP records, I haven't been coded as high risk. Got my mum to check hers too she also hasn't been coded.*

Nothing here either (T1 and BMI 29), I guess the weighting in the algorithm is triggering it for many with diabetes, but not all. The list and ordering of risk factors is useful, but without knowing how the weighting and combinations are applied it’s impossible to work it out.

From what I’m seeing, it could be weight + diabetics combined. Type 3 generally overweight at diagnosis, not so much for type 1.

Completely agree with @WombatChocolate

I received the email today and it’s sent me into a massive panic. I have huge anxiety but until today (and using the covid risk calculator) I always assumed I was statistically low risk (not that this stopped me panicking anyway!) - late 30s, BMI 26, white, female, no known health conditions etc.

I have absolutely no idea why I’ve now been told to shield and am ECV. The email said to call surgery if concerned but unsurprisingly receptionist had no idea. The only thing i can guess it could be is GD with my second pregnancy back in 2018- but I’ve no idea if that really does increase my risk or if it just gets flagged up on some algorithm.

I mean I understand they’re trying to reduce risks but to receive a letter out of the blue saying you’re at extremely high risk with no explanation as to why is bloody frightening and has sent my anxiety into overdrive. I’m feeling really scared and confused by it

Type 3? Type 2!

But will you really be changing what you do?

I won't. I am being careful and I will not be locked home unless I or my immediate family have symptoms

Gestational diabetes and BMI over 25 both put you at higher risk of being severely ill if you get COVID. They don't make you more likely to catch it. Lots of people are getting shielding letters they don't understand and the NHS really should be updating us on the reasons.

@longestlurkerever that's the same as everyone ECV. None of us knew we would be ECV/shielding until we were told, now it's just that they know more risk factors so they're trying to give people employer protection and get them earlier vaccine dates

BMI over 25!? Also, is it current GD or historic? So odd.

I’m early 30’s, BMI 22, no other health conditions except I had GD with DS who is now 15 months old.

And because of that I’m now CEV all of a sudden? Really??

@AngeloMysterioso but it's a good thing really - employer protection, earlier vaccine and it's not law to shield too

If I were working I'd be pleased to get the letter as it would mean I'd have more weight in discussions about working from home, but other than that it's just guidance not law. If YOU have the full picture of YOUR health and health history, YOU get to decide. I'm deciding I can still go to church once a week and the park from time to time.

However, it really is a bit much to have a "Surprise! You're CEV!" email. The email didn't even contain a list of "Do you have or have you ever had this?" conditions, and I think of myself as generally healthy, so it was a pretty weird and startling email to get.

I do think including GD is a bit daft. I know it increases your risk for T2 diabetes later, but blimey, how many perfectly healthy women had GD in the past and have had zero problems since?

Do you live in a particularly deprived area/postcode? This is feeding into the latest risk factor calculations. And ethnicity.

@QueenPaw I’m a student/SAHM so no employment concerns. I don’t think I can have the vaccine though as DH and I are TTC.

I got a letter and rang to be told it was because I'd had a fallopian tube removed!?

Genuine question not a snarky one.

How come women who have had GD years ago been sent emails to shield yet my DH who has type 2 diabetes now and is on medication for it hasn’t had an email?