I am 68, take a preventer (2 puffs twice a day) and reliever daily for my asthma (since 2000), I'm also diabetic type 2, and obviously entitled to my free flu jab every year, and yet I haven't had a letter from the NHS to say I'm clinically vulnerable and should shield, and not had a letter to say I could book an appointment for a vaccination. My GP surgery was/is designated as a vaccination hub 2 months ago. I have another medical condition that needs investigating which I have put up with for the last year while shielding myself, but would rather wait until after my vaccination before attending the hospital and as I had an appointment looming needed to know so I could cancel and reschedule the hospital appointment.
So I rang my GP surgery to ask roughly when I could expect my vaccination and explained to the receptionist the reason I was asking. She told me I am in group 5 due to my age and my asthma and diabetes wouldn't put me in group 4. She also told me they've now finished vaccinating the over 70's (which I assumed I would be added to) and they are no longer doing anymore vaccinations for the foreseeable future. I was told to sit and wait for a letter.
I've been shielding since February last year. I've obviously either been left off the clinically vulnerable list because surely I would have received a letter by now, so has my GP surgery made a blunder and not added me to Group 4, or is it true I am in Group 5 and just have to sit and wait for a letter?
I think the problem is the receptionists tend to just go for age and don't look at the individual patients to see if they have other 'at risk' conditions, so they don't miss anyone, but in my case I've been missed. I wonder how many others like me have been missed.
I'm quite safe at home, to be honest lockdown and shielding isn't that much different to my usual routine, but I am very worried about catching the virus if I should need to go to hospital as an emergency due to this other problem I have.
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Bonnie20
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Diabetes was not a shielding ‘CEV’ condition, and asthma is only CEV if you’re severe/had a lot of prednisolone on the last 6-12 months. Group 4 is CEV and the only ones who needed to shield.
CV (which you are due to the diabetes if nothing else) never needed to shield. Just be cautious. I don’t know if CV got letters from the Gov or whether they were just sent to the CEV. CV (unless prioritised for other reasons) are in group 6.
Depending what your other condition is that may push you into CEV, but that would only happen if you’re diagnosed and being treated for it...
“Definition of clinically extremely vulnerable groups
People who are defined as clinically extremely vulnerable are at very high risk of severe illness from coronavirus. There are 2 ways you may be identified as clinically extremely vulnerable:
You have one or more of conditions listed below, or
Your clinician or GP has added you to the Shielded Patient List because, based on their clinical judgement, they deem to you be at higher risk of serious illness if you catch the virus.
If you do not fall into any of these categories, and have not been contacted to inform you that you are on the Shielded Patient List, follow the national lockdown guidance for the rest of the population.
If you think there are good clinical reasons why you should be added to the Shielded Patient List, discuss your concerns with your GP or hospital clinician. People with the following conditions are automatically deemed clinically extremely vulnerable:
solid organ transplant recipients
people with specific cancers:
people with cancer who are undergoing active chemotherapy
people with lung cancer who are undergoing radical radiotherapy
people with cancers of the blood or bone marrow such as leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma who are at any stage of treatment
people having immunotherapy or other continuing antibody treatments for cancer
people having other targeted cancer treatments that can affect the immune system, such as protein kinase inhibitors or PARP inhibitors
people who have had bone marrow or stem cell transplants in the last 6 months or who are still taking immunosuppression drugs
people with severe respiratory conditions including all cystic fibrosis, severe asthma and severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
people with rare diseases that significantly increase the risk of infections (such as severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), homozygous sickle cell disease)
people on immunosuppression therapies sufficient to significantly increase risk of infection
problems with your spleen, for example splenectomy (having your spleen removed)
adults with Down’s syndrome
adults on dialysis or with chronic kidney disease (stage 5)
women who are pregnant with significant heart disease, congenital or acquired
other people who have also been classed as clinically extremely vulnerable, based on clinical judgement and an assessment of their needs. GPs and hospital clinicians have been provided with guidance to support these decisions” ( gov.uk/government/publicati... )
Thanks MissNyxlie for your reply, but I wasn't disputing whether I should be on the CEV list or not, to officially shield as I don't have any of the things on the eligible conditions list. What I am confused about is what group I should be in. Diabetes is listed as Group 5, and I wondered if having asthma and diabetes would have made me eligible for vaccination with the over 70's group, but obviously it doesn't. Have the Group 5 letters saying we can book a vaccine appointment been sent out yet or are they not quite there yet do you know?
I decided to shield it was a personal choice as I live alone and have no relatives or support group/bubble.
Ah. Diabetes is group 6 (CV). The only reason you might be group 4 is if your GP decided you should have been. But having multiple CV conditions doesn’t automatically escalate you up. Hope that makes sense 😅
I read Emma's reply as saying that you would only be in group 4 if you are CEV (not CV). If you weren't considered CEV due to your conditions, and weren't added to the CEV shielding list due to your individual circumstances, then you won't be group 4 for vaccination.
Diabetes would put you in group 6, but due to your age you will be in group 5. I think some areas may be starting that now but it does seem to vary as some are further ahead than others.
Hi Bonnie20 I'm like yourself- over 65, have asthma, bronchiectasis and ulcerative colitis. As my conditions are controlled I'm not considered extremely vulnerable - just vulnerable. I am in group 5 and awaiting to hear when I can have my covid vaccine. A friend of mine who's younger than me and with out health issues has had her vaccine last week however she comes under a different health authority which seems to be proactive in jabbing people . What does annoy me is that when I do become ill respiratory wise I go downhill pretty quick and my coughing is nonstop and I feel like my insides are going to come up and I'm a worn out wreck so I do worry about getting covid 19. Take care as we await our turn as patiently as possible xx Anita
Not all asthma is considered for group 4. Diabetes is group 6, see list of conditions for group 6 here gov.uk/government/publicati...
The goal to complete group 6 is by end of April so I suspect you'll be called well inadvance of that as you're in group 5. There are about 15 million in groups 1 to 4, with 12 million already vaccinated. So everything is on track. There are roughly 3.5 million in group 5. I wouldn't be surprised if you had your vaccination by early March. After that there will have to be 2nd vaccinations ongoing which will then probably slow up group 6 roll out.
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Anxiety building over lack of shielding letter!
Am I part of the 1.5 million vulnerable patients
Shocked
No sheilding letter. Gp receptionist says i should have one but never received
