I have a question, I thought I might get a letter about shielding because of the inhalers I’m on, steroid use and a hospital admission last year but nothing yet.
I tried asking my GP and he said no one with asthma is getting a letter only people with cystic fibrosis or cancer are....I really don’t think that’s right but I’m stuck, I asked him twice and he said he’s very sure, so I don’t know what to do now?
Any help would be amazing, I really don’t want to take any risks right now.
Thank you!!
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Kat1387
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Hi. Some people with asthma have had letters, but not all. It depends on which medications you are taking at the moment and when your last admission was. If you tap on the pinned message to the side ‘ latest Coronavirus health advice for people with asthma’ that will provide you with a link that will give you all of the specific info.
I got a letter yesterday and I don’t have any other medical conditions. Letter came from the Chief Medical Officer. I’m on Relvar 184/22, Incruse, Montelukast, Uniphyllin and Salbutamol. I’m under NHS Lothian. Numerous hospital admissions and HDU stays...although not for over a year and I’m wanting it to stay like that!
Hi, all of what you describes seems to fit the criteria that Asthma UK have put on their website. This is detailed guidance from the Dept of Health and Social Care, since the Dept of Health website is very vague about the use of shielding for 'severe asthma'. Please see asthma.org.uk/advice/trigge...
If you think you should be shielding and had no communication you can register yourself or ask your GP/consultant to put you on the list. You can register here: gov.uk/coronavirus-extremel... (you will be asked for your NHS number found on a prescription or hospital letter, BUT dont need it submit the form). They will then follow up with a text (about a week later) and letter.
I had a text and a link to a shielding letter from my GP, I’m on Fostair, ventolin, montelukast, fexofenadine, opatanol (plus others). I have been on about 6 courses of steroids since September, had quite a few asthma flare ups needing antibiotics. I got told that the GPs are making some of the decisions on who they think it high risk but I could be wrong.
I think you can register yourself. Yesterday i tried to see if I could get online deliveries from a well known supermarket, and that told me I wasn’t eligible, which I already knew (and thus they will not allow me home deliveries). . It was the gov.uk website. Look under their COVID 19 link and it should be somewhere there. It will ask you 2-3 questions based on the government guidelines.
I was told that I needed to be shielding by both my asthma nurse and GP. I never received a letter so I called the GP to ask for clarification and she said that she thought i would have got a letter and instead she wrote me a 12 week sick note saying I need to self isolate for 12 weeks due to being high risk because of asthma. I needed proof for work more than anything and because I’m a single parent with 2 little ones and need help with getting food etc. Maybe if you need proof you could get a sick note from your GP.
The letters are going to those people, with regards to asthma only, who are high risk because of things such as - uncontrollable asthma, brittle asthma, serious life threatening asthma.
I have received one because I fall into the second and third of those, along with a few other issues.
The doctors, from my understanding, have a set of ‘rules’ as to who these ‘high risk’ patients are. If you don’t tick the boxes then you won’t get one of the letters.
Along with all this, you can go to gov.uk and go to the section regarding covid-19 and fill out the form on there - you need your NHS number, they then check to see if you meet the criteria and if so they contact you again and then you wait for the letter and the supermarkets to contact you so as to get the priority slots etc.
If you are concerned about yourself and your own asthma there is nothing wrong in self isolation at home and asking a friend or neighbour or one of the community volunteers if they can pick you up your shopping and the. Leave it on your doorstep.
Hope all this helps - probably very similar to others.
I haven’t got a shielding letter, yet my specialist team do not want me going to work - I’m an A&E nurse! I have had very unstable asthma, 15 admissions since October last year, basically continuous steroid use since then, managed to wean to 10 mg, but another admission on Sunday means that it has gone back up to 40mg. I am on fostair 200/6, pred, and have had my first dose of biologics 2 weeks ago. The specialist team say to contact my Occupational Health team - they say I need the official letter, my GP surgery (receptionist) say that according to my records I’m not vulnerable! So after weeks of trying to sort this out I’m no further forward than I was! I can’t be signed off by the GP as that will mean I classed as off sick and due to all my admissions I have run out of my sickness Pay allowance.
Oh god how confusing, I’ve had the same I work in a hospital, occ health said it’s not up to them to help it’s my line manger, line manager said not him it’s bank staff I talk to, bank staff said they don’t know they’ll ask a manager and that was last week so I have no idea if I’ll get paid or not, it’s been about 3 weeks no pay so far 😬 xx
Ugh what a mess! I can only assume your GP surgery hasn't been keeping their records up to date or have no clue what vulnerable is?!
Apologies as you've probably already tried this and various other things, but could you book an actual standard phone appointment with the GP and ask them directly, instead of having to deal with the receptionist? I get that it maybe seems OTT to use an appointment when they probably should be able to just issue the letter without it, but if you're not getting anywhere and they're refusing it might break the deadlock, assuming you get a reasonable GP.
I’ve managed to get a telephone appointment to discuss my asthma with the senior nurse - she knows me really well fortunately. Hoping she will be able to help. It’s really annoying - my GP are the ones that are scared to manage me in the community and always send me to A&E! And Prednisolone is on my repeat prescription!
I would have thought all the admissions and the biologic would be plenty! Crossed fingers your phone appointment goes well and the nurse can get the letter sorted. Not what you need right now!
I have just spoke to the nurse at the GP surgery, and she is sorting me a shielding letter! She was so good, had read all my notes before she called me and agreed straight away that I have been missed. Please persevere with the GP. If you need any help just let me know I’ve got lots of evidence that you can give to the GP to show that you meet criteria - fortunately I didn’t need any of it!
I’ve decided my GPs are so consistently useless I messaged the respiratory team at the hospital I’ve seen recently so hopefully they’ll have some answers and I’ll see where I go from there.
I just don’t want to take any risks and at least if I have a letter i can give that to work and try and get some money in 😬🤞🏻
I moved so not sure if I got a letter or not because I forgot to set up redirects. My GP could only partly access my information; half my prescription list was missing.
I've still been going on walks (but no shops), even though asthma UK says I should be shielding. He said anyone with a history of asthma should be staying inside as much as possible. Then the same thing again when I aspked him about walks.
Hi all, if you’re unsure about whether you should be shielding for12 weeks or not take a look at the link below. I received an email from Asthma UK in the Sunday that Boris told the nation about shielding for 12 weeks and the link was on the email.
It wasn’t until the following Saturday that I received my letter from NHS England.
It mentions doses of inhalers and there is a box right down the bottom to explain that properly.
Hi Kat1387. I would sheild to be on the safe side. Your GP isn't quite right as severe asthma is included on the list of conditions that make patients more at risk.
If you have a job that you need to notify then you will have to chase your GP to get you included in Group 4 (a sweep up by GPs) so you can receive the sheilding letter. You can find more here digital.nhs.uk/coronavirus/...
My sons letter came from the GP. He has severe allergic asthma. As a key worker they wouldn’t have allowed him to go off for 3 months without it and requested a copy immediately.
I did not get letter. Went to my surgeries own website.
eConsult you can ask and emails to surgery and they will get back to you.
My GP rang yesterday said what asthma UK said basically you will only get letter if on steroid tablets regularly and have regular hospital admissions.
GP clarified I should be shielding.
I am on Duoresp Spiriva / Monteleukast / Ventolin and use a Cpap machine at night.
Use eConsult form on surgery website. If don't get a reply by time they say there is a link to click. I was supposed to hear by 6:30 Tues I clicked link got call by GP 10am Wed.
Thank you everyone for your replies, I heard from someone else letters were still being printed up until 29th/30th so to wait a bit longer until the 7th for a letter, so there could just be a delay 🤞🏻🤞🏻 xx
Think they are coming out at different stages. I only got mine on Tuesday dated 27/3. They must get info from doctors though so I would have thought he would know.
My wife has had asthma all her life which has got a lot worse over the last 4/5 years. She has been under Brompton hospital for the last couple of years, & last October was rushed into A&E unable to breath. She has been on Relvar 184/22 for well over a year, along with another inhaler& some other medication & has been on prednisone at least 4 times last year , along with being diabetic & can't walk more than 20m & is on PIP at the higher level. All this & her GP telling her not to go out she hasn't received a letter. I registered her on the Gov.UK & all there reply said was "they will share her details with the NHS." It is all very confusing, with her being the way she is I don't want to leave the house to go shopping, just in case I bring something back we don't want.
I'm in the same vote my inhalers are classed as high dosage I've had 3 courses of steroids since nov was admitted to hospital18 months ago for respiratory issues
You have been misinformed unfortunately. I received mine at the weekend (a little later here in wales!) and I only take meds for asthma - no HDU stays in recent years but a lot of flare up/steroid uses over last year (also large amount of medication).
The list of those being sent one has reduced so it maybe worth checking, the asthma.org.uk is very up to date and changes every few days with the latest advice but I found it to be very accurate if you need to check. Also, if you believe you are a higher risk, they still advise you to isolate anyway.. but I can understand this is often difficult for you and employers
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Losing my confidence in treatment. 
asthma & respiratory illnesses 
steroid inhalers and oral thrush 
