Covid vaccine - mental health

[Zoink]

People are being offered the vaccine on the grounds of mental health if it causes severe functional impairment.

What exactly does that mean?

It seems no one wants to spell it out really, I just keep reading.....

Those with severe mental illness – defined as ‘schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or any mental illness that causes severe functional impairment’ – are included in priority group 6

A bit more info on the links but, at a guess, those with such bad MH they cannot properly care for themselves without help so are vulnerable.

blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2021/02/16/covid-19-vaccination-programme-where-do-people-with-mental-health-difficulties-lie-within-the-order-of-priority/

oxfordhealthbrc.nihr.ac.uk/our-work/oxppl/vaccine-prioritisation-and-mental-health/

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/961287/Greenbook_chapter_14a_v7_12Feb2021.pdf

I’m a gp receptionist, it’s normally people who live in residential care . Or they are very much struggling to stay well and if they got any illness it would be impossible for them to care for themselves as their life is so chaotic . The idea is to prevent them going in hospital, so there would have to be evidence that they wouldn’t cope at all if they caught covid 19

Okay, thank you. Well, I got offered the vaccine and I am 36 with cyclothemia (basically bipolar C). I function fine, am a primary school teacher & mother. I asked why I was being offered one and was told by the receptionist "it says here you have underlying health issues". I'm not complaining; just curious.

I’ve been confirmed as being in group 6. I am diagnosed with bipolar but am generally well and lead a fairly normal life most of the time. I believe anyone diagnosed with bipolar or schizophrenia is in group 6.

Am in group 6 with EUPD/BPD OCD and Complex PTSD and have carers come in a few hours a week via social services adult care team and seeing a psychotherapist privately, having in past been with NHS mental health team. Some of that may have bearing on why I am group 6 but I also have BMI of 47 and sleep apnea.