Shielding list to add extra people

Musicgirl. Was it pulmicort inhalers that have been found to be helpful in the treatment of covid patients?

Phew! It's nowhere near morbidly obese levels.
I won't be shielding, anyway.

It is a BMI of 40+, which is considered morbidly obese. I would imagine there are other factors for you, MissAdventure.

I'm mortified to think I may be higher on the list because of my weight. (I'm not 20 stones, by the way!)

I’ve been pushed down the list because well controlled asthma is not considered as high a risk as was first thought. While I am pleased about this and make sure my asthma is well controlled, l take a preventative inhaler which has a long acting reliever every day of my life at a medium dose. I have always been susceptible to chest infections when I get a virus and have had several nasty asthma attacks in my life - thankfully asthma medication has changed out of all recognition in my lifetime. I have moderate asthma and have had it all my life along with hay fever and eczema. Because of this I have been very careful all year as I still think l could be quite poorly if l caught COVID, even if I were no more likely to die than anyone else. I have also struggled with my weight most of my life but never anywhere near the point of some people and I feel rather miffed that these people will be having the vaccine before me. I know this is not the right attitude but, even though I know from personal experience that there is a lot more to weight control than meets the eye, l do feel that when people reach 20 stones, say, they should surely try a bit harder to lose it. This is one area that is in someone’s control, unlike the other illnesses on the new shielding list.

I see - we live in a "poor neighbourhood" so that could have added to my danger points.

OnwardandUpward

The whole article is very unclear.

I would like to know what "poor neighbourhood's" mean and how a Dr is supposed to know the financial state of their patients in order to send out these letters?

Also, if "poor" or low status workers cant work, who will do the essential jobs? It sounds like Tory fudging. I cant see how they will enforce it.

It’s done on post codes and GPS have your post code. Using post codes to identify areas of deprivation is used widely for all sorts of purposes within government.

The whole article is very unclear.

I would like to know what "poor neighbourhood's" mean and how a Dr is supposed to know the financial state of their patients in order to send out these letters?

Also, if "poor" or low status workers cant work, who will do the essential jobs? It sounds like Tory fudging. I cant see how they will enforce it.

Yes The Letter has arrived, 2nd this lockdown but the date of ‘release’ has changed considerably, Oddly although my husband has always been in the CEV group from the beginning of the pandemic he had the vaccination at the same time as all over 80s despite all his problems and time spent in hospital March last year. Not quite sure what this means now if things are ‘improving’. Anyway we will still Take care Stay home, and follow the rules?

4allweknow

Some within the new categories should probably have been shielding earlier. Not all ethnic however pay any attention or have paid any attention to the guidance. Time and time again I gave seen loads of people going to and fro into houses where they do not live to visit. I have commented a couple of times on how many cars are parked in the driveways/at the doors and that there are a lot of visitors only to be told "oh can't keep them away and I'm so popular". And,thus is not in a poor, underprivileged postcode, in fact quite the opposite.

What does ‘not all ethnic’ mean and who are you referring to in the rest of your post?

suziewoozie

growstuff

T1 diabetics can increase their insulin to counteract the carbs.

But he doesn’t - the secret lies in the recipe ?

What's in it?

Some within the new categories should probably have been shielding earlier. Not all ethnic however pay any attention or have paid any attention to the guidance. Time and time again I gave seen loads of people going to and fro into houses where they do not live to visit. I have commented a couple of times on how many cars are parked in the driveways/at the doors and that there are a lot of visitors only to be told "oh can't keep them away and I'm so popular". And,thus is not in a poor, underprivileged postcode, in fact quite the opposite.

Growstuff thanks for the links.

growstuff

T1 diabetics can increase their insulin to counteract the carbs.

But he doesn’t - the secret lies in the recipe ?

I am diabetic and have worked hard to get my BMI into a good range so that I am not making things worse. I understand that there are some people with issues (like the taking of steroids) which keep them with a higher BMI so I understand that they would be identified with a risk factor but I take umbrage that people who just don't care about their weight might be further up the list than people who do. Most of the people with genuine problems with their weight are already classed as vulnerable as they should be.
I have no problem with BAME being prioritised but find it quite ironic that reports I have heard on the news say there is less uptake amongst those communities. Let's hope for their sakes that as the rollout of the vaccine gets quicker that their response is a delayed on rather than an outright refusal.
It doesn't surprise me at all that we need to widen the scope of the vulnerability. My mother and aunt have never received letters despite both suffering chronic kidney problems and being diabetic. During the last year, my aunt has started having dialysis 3 times a week and it is only the clinic that treats her as vulnerable. She has never received a letter from the GP and she is the sort of person who has absolutely faith in the system so won't make a fuss.

T1 diabetics can increase their insulin to counteract the carbs.

suziewoozie

grow my husband is T1 diabetic, I have loads and loads of diabetes friendly cake, biscuits and pudding recipes. Just give me a shout ? Any more excuses? ?

Yep! There's no such thing as a diabetic cake or biscuit. I don't miss them anyway. I really dislike the taste of anything sweet now.

Gingergirl

Growstuff, yes you do have a point....if the theory bears out in practise. I just worry about the mental health of people being ‘labelled’ in this way. I understand that some see it as a positive thing. I guess it depends on how great a risk you think it is...

Nobody's really sure, but if the average death rate of people who are infected is just under 1%, the risk for people being shielded is just under 10% or higher.

Personally, if I still had to leave the house to work, I'd rather be protected than be worried about being infected from being forced to work - we're not talking about young, fit people with no underlying health conditions.

My husband received a letter yesterday, dated as ‘January’ with advice expiring this Sunday! Perhaps the local surgery will follow up. It makes no difference to our lives as he is retired & I managed to get priority delivery slots last March. We count our blessings.

The email was a bit of a shock, I admit, but I've always been surprised that I wasn't already on the shielding list when I speak to others who are and seem healthier than me. Mainly for my age.
I've been careful and will continue to be.

grow my husband is T1 diabetic, I have loads and loads of diabetes friendly cake, biscuits and pudding recipes. Just give me a shout ? Any more excuses? ?

winterwhite

Sounds as though the letter was written by a committee ? and badly worded.
I don't think it 'disgraceful' that it has taken time to recognise the higher risks to people with LD and other health conditions. It's good that now this has been identified it is now being acted on and a pity that the letter seems to be being met with so much flak.

But the point is re LD and vulnerability is that this issue has been known about for months and not acted upon. And the reason for this imo is that people with learning disabilities are mostly invisible in policy terms in this country and not a political priority .

Sounds as though the letter was written by a committee ? and badly worded.
I don't think it 'disgraceful' that it has taken time to recognise the higher risks to people with LD and other health conditions. It's good that now this has been identified it is now being acted on and a pity that the letter seems to be being met with so much flak.

Growstuff, yes you do have a point....if the theory bears out in practise. I just worry about the mental health of people being ‘labelled’ in this way. I understand that some see it as a positive thing. I guess it depends on how great a risk you think it is...

suziewoozie

growstuff

PS. I can't remember the last time I baked a cake (20-30 years?). I honestly don't think anybody would want whatever I would produce!

There are loads snd loads of really easy biscuit recipes - you don’t get out of it that easily ? And even no bake fridge cakes- just say the word.

Noooooooooooooo! I'm diabetic and don't eat cakes and biscuits, so I'm not going to bake something I can't eat.