Underlying health condition - no idea what it is!!

[Tillyscoutsmum]

So I had an nhs text a few weeks back saying I was eligible for the vaccine due to an underlying health condition. I have absolutely zero idea what it could be!

I booked the vaccines and asked at the first one whether they had any record with f what the condition was. They said they didn't have that info. Fair enough.

I tried to message my GP to ask and was asked to call the surgery. Did so and was then told that I was definitely listed as Group 6 (underlying health condition) but they had no record of what it was

I'm slightly amused more than deeply concerned but wondered if anyone had had similar?

Did you have gestational diabetes by any chance?

Hmmmm. I don't think so. At least not diagnosed. I was due to have a test after DS measured big on a late scan, but I gave birth before I had the test

Did you have asthma when you were younger?

DS got the same. Never had asthma or any childhood illness. We concluded it was a mistake.

How recently did you give birth? My friend was called up for her vaccine because they were calling anyone who had been an in-patient in hospital within a certain period.

This happened to one of my staff. The algorithm used for working out risk for people can include some extremely minor issues you may not be aware of combined with, for example, ethnicity and where you live (postcode). In her case, rheumatic fever as a child (a very long time ago, and nothing recent), being black and living in a deprived area combined to put her into shielding in fact (ffs - she'd survived a year already without shielding and had nothing wrong with her!) and a higher vaccine group.

Of course there is always SNAFU. But if you have the vaccine, lucky you.

No. Never had asthma. I did ask at the surgery whether it could be a mistake and she insisted I was definitely group 6, but couldn't see why. Very bizarre!

Are you overweight? Some higher BMI people have been called up in group 6

@FirewomanSam No. Youngest is 11

@Moondust001 Can't think of any reason - I'm fairly "regular". Live in a fairly nice area. Not in any minority groups. But yes! Very thankful to have had it and deliberately didn't ask any questions until I was having my first just in case!!

@Looneytune253 Nope! BMI within normal range

Are you a carer?

@Cailleach No. Not a carer

@Northernsoulgirl45 Sorry! Wrong tag!

Having had a previous wrist, spine, hip, or humerus fracture is considered high risk. Also “severe mental health” issues which include severe depression & bipolar. Any of those alongside a postcode in a “deprived” area would be enough to trigger it and deem you vulnerable.

I didn’t think my area was considered “deprived” at all either, but according to the algorithm it is.

Have you ever had a blood clot? I got called early for the vaccine, and it took me a long time to realise that this must have been then the reason (it was nearly 10 years ago). Either that or recurring miscarriages.

I also got called as part of Group 6 but no idea why! None of the conditions people have listed above either. I’m hoping I don’t have a condition that someone has forgotten to tell me about 🤷🏼‍♀️

My DH got put in CEV with nothing, I should be in group 6 but wasn't - I don't think its very accurate. Great for people who have nothing and brought forward but lousy for those with conditions who then have to wait even longer and feel like they don't matter. In our case it meant DH could get it and be the one who does shopping etc at least and I could stay in for another 2 months whilst I waited for aged group. Though I think its largely for speed which is good.

I had the same situation as you OP and it turns out because I had once had thrombophlebitis I qualified for a vaccine (I'm 34). I was puzzled and a bit worried when i got the text that I had an illness I'd never been told about, but fortunately not. I did clarify with my gp anyway

@Doireallyneedaname do you know why those fractures would make you vulnerable for Covid? Seems bizarre that my dh who has moderate asthma that he takes a daily steroid inhaler for isn't in group 6 but someone who broke a certain bone is.

@Alwayschilly @Panpig
I have to confess to having moments I've got some awful disease and someone's just forgot to tell me 😂

Hmmmm. No blood clots or history of poor mental health, not any humerus/wrist etc fractures. Did have recurring miscarriages though. Wonder if it could be that?

How old are you

[quote shouldistop]@Doireallyneedaname do you know why those fractures would make you vulnerable for Covid? Seems bizarre that my dh who has moderate asthma that he takes a daily steroid inhaler for isn't in group 6 but someone who broke a certain bone is. [/quote]
They probably don't know for sure - they did a huge correlation study and found that some things on your medical records were associated with worse outcomes. I don't think wrist fracture was actually listed, the other bones are extremely hard to break (if you break your arm it's almost always going to be the lower arm). I suspect that having broken an extremely hard to break bone is simply a proxy for conditions that cause brittle bones.

@QueenStromba @shouldistop Pretty much that. I was added to the shielding list, I had no idea why at the time and when I looked at the QCOVID tool (developed by Oxford & the NHS) used to determine risk, those fractures were listed.

qcovid.org/Calculation

Same happened to my neighbour

DD is 25 and eligible. We live in a deprived area, she's been on ADs in the past and was once prescribed an inhaler when she had a persistent cough. It's academic however as the vaccination hub only does AZ and her GP isn't doing vaccinations, so she can't book one.