My thoughts on NHS letters, The List and shielding

[twinkly29]

Awake nice and early thanks to nebuliser stresses aplenty yesterday and pollen issues (you'd think the least the trees could do at the moment would be to send their pollen elsewhere. Like another realm or something...!) So I thought I'd share my thoughts 😁

A lot of people are, understandably, trying to work out where they "belong" in all this. My thoughts, in case they help anyone, are:

1. With inhalers do look at the table on the Asthma UK stuff because it's the strength of the inhalers that's key (and whether they deem the overall daily dose of steroid to be high).

2. The bit about steroids and/or antibiotics refers to daily (ongoing, maintenance) ones, not courses of them for exacerbations.

3. While AUK have obviously been trying to clarify things for people, the government's original thing of "severe asthma = hospital admissions or courses of steroids" wasn't/isn't helpful because it's incredibly vague and not actually what severe asthma is. I know they were just trying to get info out to people quickly and have a huge task....but it still wasn't helpful.

4. AUK's list refers to "those at very high risk". So encompasses more people than those with severe asthma. So being on that list doesn't necessarily mean your asthma is severe - but you are at risk of severe complications of you have coronavirus.

5. AUK's info does suggest that people who tick boxes on their list, and so are in the shielding group, will get letters/texts from the NHS. I honestly don't see how because 1.5 million could easily be just asthmatics...never mind all the other conditions the government are dealing with as well. But if anyone feels they should be shielding based on AUK's criteria, then they should do that. Being safe, and feeling safe (hopefully that'll be possible!!) is what's important. If people want to, or need to, they can contact GP next week if they haven't had NHS communication to discuss it (e.g. needing confirmation for work reasons). But others may not need to do so and can just shield regardless. I would hope employers would also accept that "AUK's criteria for shielding includes the medication I'm on so...." but obviously that depends.

Think that's it..... you'll be glad to know 😂.

But the main thing is to be safe - even people not shielding are vulnerable! At least with the lockdown, people largely have 3 weeks grace because people should be at home anyway.

[1974lovejoy]

Excellent breakdown .... thank you x

[twinkly29 in reply to 1974lovejoy]

Only my thoughts and I could be wrong about the letters....but if people feel happier shielding, they should do it!

[1974lovejoy in reply to twinkly29]

Yes I agree ... and I think people need to be really sensible and practical with shielding ..... a lot of it is practically impossible in some homes, but with the new guidelines to all, it will make those of us shielding, safer .... x

[Poobah]

Excellent summary Twinkly.

I think those working who just miss out on the shielding group are facing a difficult situation. Sounds like some employers are being reluctant to introduce social distancing adjustments at work, especially for people who are at risk. It's as though the Equality Act didn't exist.