Exemptions from being vaccinated and tested

[itsgrand]

Has anyone else heard about this?
NHS worker here and we have been being briefed on this for the past 2 weeks, and had additional training for the roll out of exemptions which was due to be launched this week, however I think there is a delay to the roll out. I have internal links etc but there doesn't seem to be anything on the gov.uk or the nhs website about this.

Basically this is going to be rolled out that if you are medically advised not to get the vaccine and have an issue that means you cant be tested then you can get the same covid pass as people who are vaccinated.

Interested to know if anyone else has had briefings about this in work?

surely not just me?????

It's not news though. It's always been the case that there would be some kind of certification for those people.

@ColettesEarrings

It's not news though. It's always been the case that there would be some kind of certification for those people.

oh I know, I'm not saying it's in the news. I'm just wondering if anyone else has had the same briefing we have had. It all seems a little hush hush. There is no information anywhere about it.

Ah, I see. I'm not in the health field so couldn't comment on how widespread or open the internal communication on this is.

www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-medical-exemptions-proving-you-are-unable-to-get-vaccinated

ok so it's official and was launched yesterday. Link above for anyone who wishes to consider obtaining a Covid Pass.
Covid Passes are now available for anyone who can't be vaccinated and/or can't be tested.

So all the panickers who don't want someone in their house unvaccinated here you go you could be sitting beside an unvaccinated person at a concert and believe them to have been vaccinated or tested because they have a covid pass to gain entry. Believe it or not it also exempts them from having to isolate if they come into close contact with a positive case (I don't know why this is? Surely they are at much risk if not more of catching and passing it on and the government are saying they don't have to isolate?)

I fully agree that people who can't be vaccinated should not be excluded from venues however it kind of does make a whole mockery of the whole vaccinated/unvaccinated debate that does on here daily.

Please don't write off all those who are concerned about thus as panicking.

Some of us have one of the 500,000 most critically vulnerable in our household.

And yes, we're not going to indoor events.

It's what 'protect the vulnerable' looks like in practice.

@nether

Please don't write off all those who are concerned about thus as panicking.

Some of us have one of the 500,000 most critically vulnerable in our household.

And yes, we're not going to indoor events.

It's what 'protect the vulnerable' looks like in practice.

no I was talking about some of the threads recently on here where it seems the unvaccinated are the great unwashed. I fully understand there are legitimate and very valid reasons for being very careful when someone is ECV.

But I want to give those people a heads up as well that going somewhere where having a vaccine or a negative test to gain entry gives some reassurance. Not anymore. Someone who is ECV could be taking all precautions and voila be sitting next to someone at an event assuming they have been vaxed or tested thus minimising risk somewhat.

"Believe it or not it also exempts them from having to isolate if they come into close contact with a positive case."

It is not reasonable to expect people to continually self isolate through no reason of their own especially when the reason they cannot be vaccinated is also the reason they would find self isolating very distressing.
The learning disability reason may become a reason to not bother trying to vaccinate people with a severe learning disability - easier to give a certificate than make adjustments - that concerns me more.

Exemption from vaccine can also be obtained if you are pregnant

no I was talking about some of the threads recently on here where it seems the unvaccinated are the great unwashed. I fully understand there are legitimate and very valid reasons for being very careful when someone is ECV

I am glad you have clarified that, and I hope you can see why it was hard to read when it looked as if you lumped us in together.

One of the main points of the vaccine program was for most people to be vaccinated to protect those who can't be. And those who can't be should have the same rights as those have been. It is likely that those who can't be are taking care generally anyway.
My issue is with the people who won't take the vaccine, won't self isolate, won't test and are more at risk of spreading the virus.

Providing exemptions for those who can't will separate out these two groups and it will mean less unvaccinated/untested people in those spaces where vaccination/testing required. That will be good for those who are anxious too, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated.

COVID pass? What Covid pass?

Good grief, a 2-3 week turnaround time is a bold promise.

Is this actually happening then? It’s not plan B as the government has said?

It all seems a little hush hush. There is no information anywhere about it.

None whatsoever. What actually is going on?

@itsgrand

surely not just me?????

I recall Boris mentioning this quite some time ago and saw it somewhere on the NHS site to say who was excempt and able to get a covid pass.

From memory, the categories for those excempt are

Children under 18
Those will medical issues preventing vaccination

People with learning difficulties

Pregnancy

www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-medical-exemptions-proving-you-are-unable-to-get-vaccinated

@itsgrand

www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-medical-exemptions-proving-you-are-unable-to-get-vaccinated

ok so it's official and was launched yesterday. Link above for anyone who wishes to consider obtaining a Covid Pass.
Covid Passes are now available for anyone who can't be vaccinated and/or can't be tested.

So all the panickers who don't want someone in their house unvaccinated here you go you could be sitting beside an unvaccinated person at a concert and believe them to have been vaccinated or tested because they have a covid pass to gain entry. Believe it or not it also exempts them from having to isolate if they come into close contact with a positive case (I don't know why this is? Surely they are at much risk if not more of catching and passing it on and the government are saying they don't have to isolate?)

I fully agree that people who can't be vaccinated should not be excluded from venues however it kind of does make a whole mockery of the whole vaccinated/unvaccinated debate that does on here daily.

Nope this has not been announced. In the link you provide it reminds people of how the COVID pass is currently used:

Why you may need to show your COVID status
The NHS COVID Pass lets individuals share their COVID-19 vaccination records or test results in a secure way.

You may need to demonstrate your COVID status to:

work or volunteer in a care home regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) from 11 November 2021
be exempt from self-isolating for 10 days if you are a close contact of somebody with a confirmed case of COVID-19
enter venues and events in England that require the NHS COVID Pass as a condition of entry

The government have currently submitted a call for evidence regarding a COVID pass for wider use. It has not been confirmed or rolled out. It's currently being discussed on another thread.

It’s not been announced @ollyollyoxenfree

But knowing this government- what does that mean? Nothing.

It sounds like people with more inside knowledge than us have been told it’s soon to be happening.

@Penfield

It’s not been announced *@ollyollyoxenfree*

But knowing this government- what does that mean? Nothing.

It sounds like people with more inside knowledge than us have been told it’s soon to be happening.

It doesn't though?

It sounds like someone who works for the NHS has been briefed on how to apply exemptions, for these specific reasons.

The link OP provided as proof it's going ahead is simply for the existing pass we have in. This is a good thing which will hopefully protect carers who need to work, and anyone else who wants to do the things listed, but cannot be vaccination. Right now there's no protection if you're pregnant for example and so don't want to take up the offer.

@nether

Please don't write off all those who are concerned about thus as panicking.

Some of us have one of the 500,000 most critically vulnerable in our household.

And yes, we're not going to indoor events.

It's what 'protect the vulnerable' looks like in practice.

What do you mean @nether?

Clinically vulnerable and so cannot be vaccinated?

Why should pregnancy and not wanting the vaccine provide an exemption without a clinical certification that you should not be vaccinated?

That one won't be a long time exemption. I suppose they don't want the problems created when someone feels forced to be vaccinated and then coincidentally there is a problem with the pregnancy or child.

@Tastytoast

"Believe it or not it also exempts them from having to isolate if they come into close contact with a positive case."

It is not reasonable to expect people to continually self isolate through no reason of their own especially when the reason they cannot be vaccinated is also the reason they would find self isolating very distressing.
The learning disability reason may become a reason to not bother trying to vaccinate people with a severe learning disability - easier to give a certificate than make adjustments - that concerns me more.

My son has a severe learning disability and autism, and despite reasonable adjustments (at home, his familiar support staff, his usual GP) he has not let someone stick a needle in him once, let alone a second time. As his court appointed deputy it is up to me and his father to consider whether it is in his best interest to try to sedate him to administer the vaccine (he has had to have GAs to have dental work). He is a very healthy young man in his late 20s and very unlikely to be very ill, and sedation may not work and just cause him further distress. Whilst we are still considering if there is a way that he can be vaccinated in such a way that is manageable for him, I will definitely be applying for a medical exemption for him.

Yes I've had it but I'm also NHS. Not sure what your issue is.

@Tastytoast

That one won't be a long time exemption. I suppose they don't want the problems created when someone feels forced to be vaccinated and then coincidentally there is a problem with the pregnancy or child.

Yes that makes sense.