Should I be shielding if I am offered the flu jab via my doctors?

[Gentlechelle11]

I am 48 year old asthmatic and have been offered the flu jab from my doctors for years. Although I have never been admitted to hospital with my asthma, I was almost admitted 3 years due to a respiratory virus (which I had 3 courses of oral steroids for). Last may I had a chest infection and was given a course of oral steroids. As a child I had bronchitis and whooping cough (despite having the vaccination again it). I also had swine flu when that was about. I have tried ringing my GP for advise but was sternly informed that the GP’s could not advise on individual cases. I am very concerned for my health as I am a nurse and therefore by the very nature of my work I can not socially distance myself.

[Poobah]

GPS are responsible for patients that are high risk that have not been identified in the first couple of sweeps. This final sweep that is to be identified by GPs are known as Group 4. Full instructions were outlined to GPs in the letter from the Chief Medical Officer on 23 March. Sounds like your GP has yet to read it.

If you're not in the high risk group then you are still vulnerable and have to practice strict social distancing at all times outside your home.

You need to talk to your HR and request an occupational health review ASAP. This will identify risks in the workplace in light of Covid-19 and specific to your asthma. The review will recommend reasonable adjustments that are designed to shield you from the identified risks. These could be a change of duties or even paid time off if there are no options to keep you at work.

[Gentlechelle11 in reply to Poobah]

Thank you for you advise. I contact HR and they advised that I am to have a risk assessment completed with my manager.

[Poobah in reply to Gentlechelle11]

OK. This is not an occupational health review unless your manager has been trained in OH. It could just be a risk assessment which is something else.

[Birthday60]

As a nurse you will be aware that those who were contacted and advised to shield are those with the most severe asthma and were identified through an algorithm which took into account the qty and type of drugs required to keep them from having difficulties on a daily basis - I am In that group. I take 2 preventative inhalers , a tablet and salbutamol plus when things get tough prednisalone and I get chest infections requiring antibiotics. I have a nebuliser for emergency use.

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador in reply to Birthday60]

Whilst I find these very unhelpful replies to the OPs, I would like you to be aware that they are still identifying people on the vulnerable list, especially asthmatics, as the GP has to go through their patient lists and find people they have missed.

Yes, she may not need to be shielding, but as a nurse she is in a much increased risk of exposure, and so the best advice here would be as poobah says, to contact HR/occy health and explain the situation. As an asthmatic she should be distancing at the very least as she is at higher risk for bad complications, hence her concerns, especially considering her history of infections.

I am glad that you obviously got your letter quickly, but that is not the case for everyone. Personally mine took over a week to arrive, despite being on the severe asthma register, daily steroids, weekly antibiotics, biological injections, multiple admissions in the last year and also have a home neb.

Chubbychubbster, I think poobah has it the nail on the head with the best advice for your situation, so I won’t repeat it. Good luck and stay safe. And thanks for your work (whatever you do, wherever you work, not just now, but always).