Thought I would share this update. All asthmatics (mild & moderate) are now classed as 'clinically vulnerable' and are advised "to minimise contact outside of their household".
gov.uk/government/publicati...
Also, this may be particular useful if you are concerned about working.
nhs.uk/conditions/coronavir...
The 'clinically vulnerable' will not be receiving a letter from the NHS. You should only leave your home if it's essential, for example, to get food or medicine.
I already do what you have shared and I was before the lock down
I’ve been distancing completely but where I live it’s becoming difficult to obtain supermarket slots. If things have changed, can I still get added to a list to give me priority access to slots, etc if so, where do I sign up?
Yes you can and also I suggest that you contact your local county council who will probably be able to assist you with collecting food and medications etc. I am being treat very well here in Doncaster. Stay safe and keep well
Thank you I’ll see what I can find out
Hi, I rang Tesco on the number on their website and explained I had asthma and was self isolating. I now have priority slots and can always get a delivery. Hope this helps.
I’ll go to the council first, Tescos seem to have nothing here for weeks
Hi, did Tesco ask for any letter from GP stating you have asthma?
I don't see this any different to the previous information given???
It is a little different. My husband who has asthma, works in a supermarket. Up until now, he has not been going to work. His employer has told him because he doesn’t have a shielding letter/fit note, he won’t get paid. So we have had no income. (GP has been no help at all, saying my husband isn’t high risk, therefore it was a personal decision for him not to go to work and not a medical one) Was going to apply for universal credit but was advised by citizens advice, as we are on legacy benefits we will get less money if we move over.
With this updated guidance now saying ANY lung condition, including all asthmatics (mild & moderate) are ,clinically vulnerable’ should take particular care to minimise contact with others outside their household (even though we have been doing this since lockdown began), I’m hoping his employer will now change their position.
So thought I’d share in case anybody else found themselves in a similar situation and might find it useful x
I don’t think ‘mild to moderate’ was there previously, so I guess ALL asthma sufferers are now inclusively vulnerable. I’m assuming ONS data is showing deaths with those with mild asthma too now? Not sure.
I don't go shopping now or collect my prescirptions. I get the other memembers of my family to do these jobs. I really would like to do the shopping but should I still let others do it for me? My asthma is very well controlled and I take Fostair nexthaler 200/6 2 puffs twice a day, monkelaust and dymista plus prescripted anti histamine.
I didn't get a shielding letter as I don't need one.
I live at my workplace and as a result of having to go on two rounds of Prednisone in 3 months (a solid month of multiple daily asthma attacks to the point of vomiting) and having extreme psychiatric symptoms as a result my employer has slashed my hours. I am in two minds about it because it means I only get £10 to put in savings after rent, bills and food but at the same time I am beyond exhausted, struggling with suicidal thoughts more than ever and kind of need the break. I am also aware that covering me is costing my employer a lot. Iam still working in close proximity with up to 9 people who are still coming and going from their homes, visiting their families etc though. I am also an apprentice and in two minds whether I should carry on studying/doing coursework I should technically be paid for unpaid or risk falling behind, but again I need the break. I was on DLA until PIP was introduced. My health was worse when I got awarded 0 points than it was when I was on middle rate care and lower rate mobility and ends dup homeless following that being taken from me during a particularly bad patch. I am barely managing to look after myself and to top it all off I am admittedly jealous of the furloughed people with no health problems who are getting paid several times what I am doing a very strenuous job for staying at home when I am ill and have no choice but to work. I feel like I am being punished for mental and physical difficulties that are not my fault. Tried Universal Credit and received nothing despite being on less than half minimum wage because I couldn’t prove I had a health condition affecting my ability to work by not being on PIP? This was despite me being forced off work for several days due to the first asthma downward spiral where I couldn’t speak or sleep because I was coughing my lungs up continuously every night. Tried Citizen’s Advice, various charities and social services. Have been sent on a wild goose chase by various organisation promising to help me for the best part of 9 months.
Taima, I don’t know what age bracket you are in but, as you are so obviously struggling with your mental health issues as well as having asthma problems, please, please a) contact your GP for a telephone consultation to explain your current feelings, b) if you are not under CAMHS or AMS, please ask your doctor to refer you. It can take timetable get a referral so, in the meantime, try contacting Young Minds ( under 25’s) or Mind if you are older than 25. Both are excellent, supportive, non judgemental organisations -who will listen to what you say and offer advice to try to help you.... Please, take care of yourself. You are very important and so is your health and well-being....
Thanks for trying to help. I was at the GP a hysterical wheezing coughing crying pulling out my hair mess last week. I was under CAMHS for 9 years, didn’t help. MIND just sort of signpost you and say have you tried Citizen’s Advice for help with PIP or getting a hold of social services, and then Citizen’s Advice signpost you saying have you tried MIND and such and such a charity? I’ve had so many referrals, so many phone calls, so many emails and keep being told we’ll get back to you but nothing has actually happened and this was with social services knowing I was literally a sex slave in exchange for a roof over my head for 8 months amongst other things and I was reluctant to tell the police or leave because I knew if I had to work to keep a roof over my own head I would crack which is what is exactly what is happening again now. Police, hospital staff, Victim Support all assured me that I would get all this help and it would be a walk in the park. NONE of it has materialised. Nobody is listening.
I’ve just realised Montelukast also can have psychiatric side effects after I wanted to try it as an alternative to the steroids. So far it has just made me a bit nauseated but I’m hoping that’s it. The steroids really tip me over the edge.
I am trying really hard to look after myself. I still haven’t showered or brushed my teeth in months but I managed to brush through my hair (it is quite long) and make myself something to eat today. The biggest thing is managing my medication. Some months I really struggle to get everything ordered and delivered if there’s some issue between the surgery and pharmacy that requires up to two weeks of angry emails chasing up but for the most part I manage to take my pills every night and my preventer though sometimes I do forget.
Taima, do you have anyone to support you at all??? It’s so important that you find the right pathway to support you. Have you tried ‘Together for Mental Health Wellbeing’? together-uk.org. It’s the UK’s oldest mental health charity and works to support people with mental health needs towards independent and fulfilling lives. They can also offer supported accommodation. Do check out their ‘services’ page on their website.
Just checking in to see how you are at the moment Tainan.....it’s been 6 months since I responded to your post. Hopefully, you are finding things a tad easier now...
Hello, thank you for thinking of me. It really says something when I cross the mind of strangers on the internet and they're more concerned about me than people who were supposed to love and care for me, thank you.
Actually shortly after that post I had a complete mental breakdown, my employer called an ambulance, the police, social services etc. That night I was told I had half an hour to pack my things (I had to leave a lot behind which was then destroyed) and was bundled into a taxi not being told where they were taking me. I'd spent months in homeless hostels finding it impossible to manage the complicated and unpredictable 'system' sleeping on the floor in an auditorium with glass walls where I had zero privacy, the lights were on 24/7 so I couldn't sleep, I had no access to cooking/washing facilities and randoms kept entering my space asking me for things like money or cigarettes or drugs. Within the first week someone had been stabbed in there, I was asked to sell drugs, had an unwanted sexual interaction with another resident, there were daily fights resulting in the police and ambulances being called several times a day, constantly screaming, swearing, sirens, fire alarms going off- utter pandemonium, like being in an open prison where I wasn't allowed on other floors and had a curfew, I couldn't even go to the toilet without a member of staff swiping a card for me and then the toilet was full of needles, sh*t smeared on the walls and p*ss all over the floor. Some woman stole £100 from me. People even stole my underwear- nothing was safe. As of a week ago thankfully I've been housed in a small flat but I've spent every penny on white goods as I couldn't get any cheap secondhand because no one would deliver to me and I can't collect anything myself. I was promised all sorts of help with furnishing the place but now I've been told it isn't happening so I haven't got a bed or anything. The floor is bare concrete; the dust is problem as I don't think it is sealed and the cold is going right through my bones. I dare not turn the heating on. The council have told me if I want a support worker I'll have to pay for it even though social services tell me they agree I NEED support to manage to live independently which I've literally never done before. I've had randoms banging down my door at 2 in the morning and I'm feeling isolated and scared but at least my asthma has calmed down a bit. I think it was partly because at my old accommodation the heating didn't work in my room and there was black mould on the ceiling in the bathroom, plus with the damp weather and lazy co workers not taking wet out of stables for weeks there was all sorts of white fungus on the back walls and ridiculously high levels of ammonia that burned my eyes and lungs when I dug it out. At least I have a roof over my head but I have no idea how I'm going to cope with bills, paying for my social care, furnishing the place and now I'm in delivery slot hell trying to get Tesco to add me to their priority list. I had a recurring slot with ASDA before but they caused me so much psychological damage the last time I tried to order from them (in addition to them refusing to deliver to my door when I can't physically cary the shopping) I can't even look at their website without bursting in to tears again. Hope you've fared better than me, I left a lot more crazy crap out otherwise I'd be typing a novel... Thanks again for caring.
Taima, I’m so sorry to read that you’ve been living such a nightmare. May I please suggest that you go to the government website and fill in the application to be verified as CEV. again. That will get you back onto priority slot listings - and - also give you the opportunity to request free food parcels delivered. There are also special charities that provide assisted housing that helps those recovering from mental health issues to return to society with dignity, self respect and support. They also help organise the path through the benefits system and find ways of helping folk acquire what’s needed to live in a warm and acceptable environment. together-U.K.org is such an organisation - please, have a look at it and, maybe consider calling them to see if they can help. I appreciate that sometimes it seems that there is no way out of the deep dark hole - but honestly, there is. It’s just that sometimes it’s a struggle finding that crack of light that leads you out of it. Please, believe in yourself. You CAN overcome the immense hurdles that have been put in your way - and, you will find a way to improve things. Mental health issues can be absolutely crappy - as can be the struggle to overcome them - or at least to live along side them. You’ve got the strength to to it Taima.... sending all good wishes and gentle hugs...
We are the no man’s land people - clinically vulnerable but not in the highly vulnerable shielded group. X stay safe. I’m still self isolating 🌈Anita.
Thank you for this update. This is really an evolving situation and glad that the government is taking all the efforts to help those who are in the vulnerable group.
Be good if the government knew what it was doing
I am in the clinically vulnerable group. Currently working from home. Do I ask my employer to let me continue to work at home when lockdown is eased up and people are returning to work? Mild asthma, no issues.
Covid vaccine Update
NHS Risk categories 
Help! Need shielding advice ASAP, shielding and mum is being asked to go back to work. Update: sorted!! :) 
