Has anybody managed to get themselves taken OFF the Shielded List?

Can’t understand the OP at all! SIL is on the shielded list with a government letter, and he has serious health problems.
Nobody can change that, including himself.
He certainly isn’t allowed to work ( except from home) and he is a key worker.
If you are on the list then you can’t ( just by wanting to) get off it.There are only about 1.5 million people actually on it, from a population of over 60 million.

DH had the letter but didn't register. He is 74 fighting fit , his only problem is that he lacks a spleen having mislaid it in a RTA 40 odd years ago and has managed perfectly well without it for all that time. He certainly doesn't want to stay at home any longer than he has to.

Teetime, the person I am talking about also lack a spleen, Taken out thirty years ago, due to an illness at the time# Never used any medication for this and is healthy and well with an excellent medical record. Is a key worker, and hates working from home, wants to get back - feels that just the lack of spleen should not be enough to be shielded,.

The issue about lacking a spleen is more to do with immunity than general fitness. And whilst we understand so little about this virus and how it attacks the immune system, it makes sense to put those who have 'mislaid' (love that term!) a spleen in the more vulnerable group.
I'm sure that an individual discussion with GP or (if relevant) consultant / specialist nurse might help, but this virus has shown its unpredictability.
The public discussion has centred a lot on transmission, but data is being gathered on overwhelming immune responses in some individuals.
Tough on those who otherwise feel fit and well.

I'm going to be really dumb and ask, why does he need to "be taken off the list".
If he wants to work and I admire him for that, what's to stop him ?
Can he be fined, what would be the consequences ?

ninathenana - HR will not permit the person to return to work once they have received the Shielded Letter. Is working from home, but does not feel is really able to to do their job properly and completely that way.

Nina, I was going to ask the same, what would happen if you just carried on as normal taking the correct precautions?
Are these letters just sent out or do they contact the persons current GP to see if they feel they should be shielded.
Can i ask what this means, does someone check on them, if they are shielded does that mean there is someone with them at all times, taking in deliveries etc.
In the first week of lockdown I was invited to a consultation with my GP and we discussed what I could and perhaps should not do, this went on my records on my I.D. card.

The HSJ have just revealed that 100,000 people were put on the shielded list in error, including sadly 10,000 who had already died. GPs were asked to check their patients agains the list, but I seem to remember they were given less than 48 hours to do it!

The Government is is the process of writing out to those who are wrongly on the list, if you think you might be one of them, contact your GP?

Anyone without a spleen is of course on the shielded list.

I am on it for no good reason at all - I have had 6 communications from NHS about it: 2 letters, 2 texts and 2 phone calls. GP Surgery says it is an error and I should not be on it at all.

Simply lacking a spleen does not put you on the shielded list - there would have to be something listed in the shielded or clinically extremely vulnerable list ( which is actually pretty specific)

Why on Earth would anyone want to risk working if advised to sheild? It just defies common sense. Hopefully, their GP will have a stern word with them. Here's the original letter sent to GPs:

www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2020/03/200321_COVID-19_CMO_MD_letter-to-GPs_FINAL_2.pdf

suziewoozie, advice changed on the 24th:

www.gponline.com/u-turn-splenectomy-patients-added-covid-19-shielding-list/article/1681307

Thanks for that Hetty. It appears that the official guidance ( on the website) hasn’t been updated to include this group. Apparently there is constant updating going on and the shielded group has grown by quite a bit.

It was updated again this afternoon. Does somebody without a spleen automatically take immunosuppression drugs? If yes, they're automatically on the list.

I dont understand the OP.

The lists were provided by hospital consultants to the Chief Medical Officers of the countries concerned of their most vulnerable patients within certain categories.

These letters were not sent out by GPs but by the CMOs with advice on what to do.

I have not seen an updated list but it would think someone without a spleen would have been considered to be at least vulnerable, if not shielded, now presumably updated to shielded.

Growstuff - no, someone without a spleen would not normally take immunosuppressants.
Unless they have other issues, they are normally as fit and healthy as anyone, but their immune system is not as good. This often makes only a small difference in ordinary life; but in odd situations like this, where the effect of the virus on the immune system is unpredictable and largely unknown, it makes sense to take extra precautions.

I think it more difficult for those (examples above) as they not used to thinking of themselves as being unusually vulnerable.

Someone without a spleen has a weakened immune system, so definitely does not want immuno-suppressant drugs! They are included in the shielded group for good reason.

You're right Luckygirl. My brain wasn't in gear and I wasn't thinking. I was trying to work out how people without a spleen would fit into the latest list of conditions which make people highly vulnerable. I don't know anything about it, but it does seem obvious that people without spleens would be more susceptible to infections.

I must say that I don't think these "lists" have been at all clear. I know they've had to work really quickly, but the constant changes have confused people.

There are still three groups of people and the distinctions need to be made crystal clear. Somebody need to think this through really clearly, especially as there is now talk of phased lifting of lockdown for various groups of people, which I can see causing all sorts of resentment.

Wise words Nannarose.

My friend’s 19 year old daughter had her spleen removed a year ago after an RTC and she isn’t on the shielded list. She only takes a daily antibiotic. Another friend who had liver cancer successfully removed 5 years ago with no follow up chemotherapy needed is on the list. As an asthmatic I’m on the list, but I have never had a hospital admission because of it, never needed oxygen and haven’t had any exacerbations for several years. I queried my inclusion and GP couldn’t understand why I was shielded as my asthma is so well controlled and there are many people a lot worse than me. . She did a bit of digging and apparently because I take a particular inhaler it means automatic inclusion regardless of how well you are. Today, however, our health board has announced that 3300 people in our area have been wrongly included on the list as the search parameters were too wide. They’re writing to those affected ..... wonder if I might get a letter?? Not holding my breath though - no pun intended!

My parent's neighbour brought a letter round yesterday from the council addressed to my dad. It said as he was on the shielded list they were just checking up to make sure he had everything he needed. He died 10 years ago and would've been 99 now!

This is the second time I've heard this happen - my neighbour's mother had one last week about her son - he also passed away 10 years ago. It obviously caused her great distress.

I rang the council to ask them to take my dad's name off the records and also check my mum's wasn't on it - she died 8 years ago and would've been 100 this year! They said that it was actually the NHS who prompt these letters. I'm not knocking the NHS as they're amazing but you'd think their records would be updated on a more regular basis as there must be a lot of people affected and in years to come even more so.

I still don't understand the OP.

Surely receiving the letter stating someone is on the shielded list means that person would be able to access extra help with groceries or delivery of medicines and is advised to stay at home.

It's not an order, it is advice.
No-one is going to come around and lock that person in if they are in an essential job and wish to go to work if they feel well?

What type of job are they doing, Franbern? If in a medical profession ie working in a hospital, a paramedic, why would they want to put themselves at risk if advised to stay at home due to their condition?
If not a medic, can they carry out their work taking sensible precautions?

Why would anyone waste a doctor's time trying to get themselves taken off the shielded list if they feel so indignant about it and wish to go to work?
They could just use some common sense.

The person involved had their spleen removed thirty years ago due to an illness. Never taken any medication for this (not daily anti-biotics). Is extremely fit and healthy and has a long record of excellent health.
At their work they had control of their own environment, mainly in an office, which they would go to each morning just as the cleaners left. Had already put in place for all staff a very strict distancing policy. Went to and from work in own car. Feels very safe there, and although can do much of work from home, there are areas which cannot be carried out that way.
Has an extremely important job which is very much needed in the present circumstances.
Feels that they should be able to take their own decisions

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