Still no clue what group - if any - I am. Can anyone help?

[Pootle1973]

Spoken with GP who also doesn’t know. I am 47. Taking fostair 200/6 ( 4 puffs a day) , montelukast, dymista steroid spray, (plus a range of antihistamine, blue inhaler, course of pred as needed). I’ve basically stayed home alone since March last year to try and stay safe but wasn’t in shielding list as fostair was originally 100/6 at that point. So am I now worrying over nothing and should just go out when we are allowed or should I still be being careful? Should I be able to get the jab as I thought or wait my turn when they eventually get to my age group. Stressed and worried and bamboozled by all the different info online can anyone help?

[twinkly29]

The newest update from Asthma UK (on their Facebook page and Twitter) says "If you were sent a shielding letter, you will be in group four. If you have ever had an emergency hospital admission for your asthma, or ever been prescribed three courses of steroid tablets in a three-month period you will fall into priority group six. If you do not fall into either of these groups and are under the age of 50, you will be vaccinated after the first nine priority groups."

So it will probably come down to if you've been admitted to hospital with your asthma or ever had 3 courses of pred in a 3 month period. If not, then you'll probably be vaccinated in your age group.

Asthma UK's advice is for anyone who is concerned to contact their GP.

[Pootle1973 in reply to twinkly29]

Thank you. Any idea what the criteria is for a shielding letter as not sure if this is different now to the start ( from internet searches my current fostair dose and montelukast would have qualified for shielding in March 2020 but I was on a lower dose then)? Not sure if decisions being based on current rules or where you were last spring.

[twinkly29 in reply to Pootle1973]

Shielding lists are, by and large, the same as they were. There are people who have been added but you would know if that was you as you'd have had shielding letters from the dept of health in March/April, in November and in January. Also in December if you were in certain areas. They removed the specific medications that were initially mentioned but the main thing, I think, was continuous prednisolone or repeated courses of it and hospitalisation.

[Wheezycat in reply to Pootle1973]

I don’t think Fostair 100/6 and Montelukast alone would have qualified for shielding. The third criteria was that in addition you have also had to have had i think courses of prednisolone in the recent past. I am - and was - on Fostair 200/6 plus Montelukast (as well as being of vulnerable age) and I have never been asked to shield. A year earlier I think I would have been due to several courses of prednisolone.

[Pootle1973 in reply to Wheezycat]

Agree. In normal years I would have met the pred threshold but because I have not left the house or seen other people this year it has been needed much less (although fostair increased to 200/6) - seems my caution is my undoing. But being alone for so long is not living and a lack of asthma is not worth being so very isolated Indefinitely. It feels like Sophie’s choice mental or physical health

[Poobah]

I think the criteria for group 6 was changed in respect of asthma once enough data was held, showing that having mild to moderate asthma, which was controlled, posed no additional risk if the patient contracted covid.

It currently describes asthma as severe in order for it to meet the criteria for group 6 - "Individuals with a severe lung condition, including those with asthma that

requires continuous or repeated use of *systemic steroids or with previous

exacerbations requiring hospital admission, and chronic obstructive

pulmonary disease (COPD) including chronic bronchitis and emphysema;

bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis, interstitial lung fibrosis, pneumoconiosis and

bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD)."

*Systemic steroids, in this instance, means oral steroids.

It's been confusing as criteria has changed and many have missed out on group 6 by a whisker. One of the initial criteria identified anyone entitled to an annual flu vaccine, but this has now been removed. The initial approach to protect everyone with asthma stays in our minds and is difficult to shift, despite the knowledge that the data now shows the risks of serious illness if covid is contracted is less than first thought. Realisticly, no one wants to test the data by catching covid. And with 30 million in all the priority groups (14.5 million have had the 1st dose to date) it will be months before they start vaccinating the non-priority groups.

If you think you do meet the description of severe asthma then your doctor or hospital consultant can introduce you to the at risk group by using the relevant code.

"SNOMED-CT codes for high or moderate risk:

1300571000000100 - Moderate risk category for developing complication from coronavirus disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection.

1300561000000107 - High risk category for developing complication from coronavirus disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection (finding)."

[Sparkywoo]

I was told to shield back in March last year. I have severe asthma and bronchiectasis. Have had to take pred 3 times since then and was expecting to be group 4. No, apparently I’m group 6. It was explained to me that group 4 is people with cancer and receiving treatment, people with cystic fibrosis and those taking immunosuppressant drugs. To me it doesn’t matter which group I’m in. Until most of the population is vaccinated my attitude to the risk of catching COVID isn’t going to change.

[Thomas45]

I suspect you're in group 6, as you said in your earlier post that your asthma has been better as a result of staying at home, but I'm not medically qualified so could be wrong.

Since Covid 19 appeared over a year ago we've been told, and been able to see that the older you are the more likely you are to have bad illness from Covid 19, and more likely to die from it.

We've also learnt that being asthmatic isn't a factor in the possibility of catching Covid.

I use a strong inhaler, Duoresp Spiromax 320/9 four times a day. It's a brilliant inhaler and has kept me well, apart from one or two bad chest infections needing antibiotics and oral steroids. My asthma is largely controlled.

I've had the jab because my age

I continue not to go out because this vaccination does not have an immediate effect.

Also it's cold outdoors and I have a foot injury.

I've not been in a shop since July, although I have had 4 outpatient appointments at hospital because of my foot.

Try not to worry.

[Pootle1973]

Thanks all. Seems like under 50s thrown under the bus for us all being too diligent and isolating (whether shielding or not). I take a lot of steroids everyday to keep me going but apparently that’s not enough even though we remain on the vulnerable list ( and too vulnerable to be allowed to volunteer at a vax centre apparently). Now past anger and deeply sad - I have basically stayed alone in my flat for a year, been in no shops and only seen a few friends outside masked and at a distance. Getting the jab in group 6 was helping me cling on to some sanity and now I just feel bleak. With no end In Sight for this . Not trying to queue jump, find it hard to believe with all these meds and a daily pressure in my chest that I’m assessed as the same risk as a 20 year old now. What’s the point really in trusting authority to make good on their promises when in the end nobody really cares for those who don’t have power?

[Wheezycat in reply to Pootle1973]

That sounds really tough and sad. Yes, being alone is hard. I have been as diligent as you for a year, and in some ways it is worse when younger people relax and take less care as I then feel more in danger, but I do share my home with another person and that obviously helps . I just hope we will be out of this nightmare soon.

[Superzob]

Shielding has always been advisory and never compulsory and, even though I wasn't in the clinically extremely vulnerable last year, I shielded because my wife was undergoing chemo (although her shielding letter took 3 months to arrive - diagnosed after the original letters came out). In your situation, I would wait until you're called for the vaccination (progress is very rapid - for a change!) and stay safe both before and after it. Although the vaccine gives you a psychological lift, no vaccine is 100% effective and there is always a risk. I think those of us with serious underlying medical conditions would be wise to avoid unnecessary contact with others for the foreseeable future, and take the hands/face/space precautions when we can't.

[DollyDutchGirl]

It may be possible for you to go on line and try to book an inoculation. You will need to have your National Health number....at least that way you would know if you were eligible yet. If you are aren’t currently, there is nothing to stop you trying at regular intervals....

In answer to one of your questions I have received all of the shielding notifications however, as a rapidly rising 75 year old who was only diagnosed 18 months ago, I am currently still under the care of the hospital respiratory clinic. My medications are; Fostair 200/6 - used as MART - 2x puffs am and pm plus, up to four extra puffs throughout the day (each of these inhalations always are immediately preceded by Ventolin). Also Spiriva, Montelukast, Mometasome Furoate, Omeprazole and Carbocisteine. I also take medications for hypertension and to help combat a blood clotting gene.

[Pootle1973 in reply to DollyDutchGirl]

Be well. Hope you get your jabs very soon

[DollyDutchGirl in reply to Pootle1973]

thank you Pootle1973. However, as an ‘oldie’, I have been fortunate enough to have received ‘round one’. Round two is already booked for April 24th. Truly hope that younger people receive theirs very soon....