Am I high risk

Hello I am confused knowing whether I am classed as a high risk regarding coronavirus. I am fit and well 59 year old but suffered a major heart attack in 2013 resulting in being given two stents and permanent medication ever since. I take blood pressure medication for it although my blood pressure is always good. And more recently become pre diabetic. If I am a higher risk I have not had any communication from my GP.

[SpiritoftheFloyd]

Hi

Please see the NHS advice below, the first link only applies to people who are extremely vulnerable, from your post

you're probably not in this group.

List of conditions for extremely vulnerable who should be shielded and self isolate for 12 weeks

gov.uk/government/publicati...

Social Distancing

gov.uk/government/publicati...

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

Hello and welcome to the forum. There is nothing much I can add to what has been said already. However, you could improve your overall health if you could get out of the pre-diabetic range. Not really knowing much about you it is hard to give further advice bar extreme diets like the 800 calorie one should be avoided as they can compromise the immune system.

[Heythrop51 in reply to MichaelJH]

I was pre-diabetic but no longer am. My weight loss and improved HbA1c were achieved by following a carb restricted Mediterranean diet - around 100 gms pet day complex carbs.

[NorthantsSteve]

Hi Papaploth. Nothing much to add except that our conditions/history are pretty similar. I’m not in the super vulnerable (isolate for 12 weeks) group. But I am at high risk of complications if I catch it and need to exercise social distancing.

[Baile911]

Should she be going to work if social distancing

[NorthantsSteve in reply to Baile911]

This link helpfully explains the difference between social distancing and self isolation: gov.uk/government/publicati...

If you’re in the self-distancing group then you can leave the house for food, health reasons or to work - if you can’t work from home. While you’re at work you need to follow the 2 metre etc rule. If that’s impossible then I’d talk to my manager and see if any accommodation can be made.

[Auiron]

Fill in this form and it will answer the vulnerability question. You can also register. Some people are forgotten even though the Government says they are not. Trust not ye Governments their Officials, Organisations and Councils: gov.uk/coronavirus-extremel...

[TriciaGreg]

What if you have multiple things in the first group?

[AyrshireK in reply to TriciaGreg]

My husband falls into many brackets in the first list too (not relevant to this forum really - cirrhosis due to auto immune liver disease, compromised/non viable spleen, on steroids for his AIH and also diagnosed with early diabetes) he hasn't had a letter placing him in the super vulnerable group so we are doing what is safe and right for us i.e. social distancing with only me going to shops, hand washing regularly, one local walk per day and avoiding others as much as we can. He doesn't/can't work anyway so he doesn't need a letter as proof of anything and the stringent shielding amounts to solitary confinement so it's impracticable for mental health reasons.

You've got to do what is right for you, everyone should be social distancing as much as possible.

Katie

[TriciaGreg in reply to AyrshireK]

Of course. That’s the public advice. Specially what I’m not clear on is that if the more you have the higher the risk. And I ask only because so far no one has been able to answer the question.

If you have a tendency for risk management thinking/planning, the answer for if you have ‘something on the list’ seems very vague for situations for multiple rather than one thing.

[AyrshireK in reply to TriciaGreg]

I look at it like this we are ALL at risk (healthy, unwell, fit, poorly) some are just more likely to have a poorer outcome IF they catch the condition - the trick is to do everything in your power to avoid catching it in the first place. If that means you make the decision yourself to stringently shield, isolate or just social distance it is up to you.

If you feel you should be in the more strict group and need the letter as proof for employers or access to support but haven't had it then you can try to phone your doctors to see if you should indeed have had a letter, however, the letters do seem to be for those who are in that super vulnerable group.

Look after yourself and do whatever it takes to do that to make yourself safe.

Katie

[Quyejoyce1]

You are classed as vulnerable which means you have to stringently follow social distancing. You are not High risk. You can check with your GP and they will advise if they think differently as they also are permitted to use their clinical judgement. Nhs England have until the end of today (30th) to notify people who are marked as high risk either by letter or text message

[Tickertalker]

It's official, I'm classed as a 'High risk citizen'. Just not sure if the letter is from the health department or the prison services.

[NorthantsSteve in reply to Tickertalker]

Nice one 😂

[The_Voice]

The message is the same for everyone: stay at home, save the NHS, save lives. Our personal frailties are irrelevant at the moment, really: this virus is killing fully fit people, too - and the young. It's no longer the disease of the elderly and infirm. EVERYONE needs to be careful until this is all over.

[Auiron in reply to The_Voice]

Some elderly and vulnerable people are forced to go out. In my area phoning to renew a prescription meant being 76 in the queue on Thursday and 50 late Friday. Not helped by the smartphone/tablet app crashing constantly and halfway through re-ordering.

Chemists are short of staff and the one I go to, I'm told, had a very long queue outside today.

The delivery service for medicines has virtually collapsed so many must be out of important tablets and other medications.

Some people are panicking as many are self-isolating or just too afraid to go out what ever their situation. Trying to order online is time consuming and Sainsbury's are in a bit of a pickle trying to get their vulnerable list and over 70's up to date. Tough luck for those who are not quite 70 and not on the vulnerable list. Tesco's website is hopeless as is Waitrose. Waitrose seem to be in the same ball park as Sainsburys. Some others it means being sharp as the supermarkets only update day by day.

All this isn't helped by some people ordering from many supermarkets. At least I have an order from Holland and Barrets this Wednesday - will live on walnuts, pecan nuts and pumpkin seeds and a selection of vegan foods if necessary - and Asda delivery on the 16th.

They say the vulnerable are getting a free delivery. I've contacted 7 vulnerable people and none have had a delivery. Maybe the army will deliver to help out but I fear in some cases it will be to collect the starving.

It is different in certain areas as my older brother is in his eighties, not vulnerable as very fit and healthy, and had no trouble ordering from his supermarket beginning with L.

[DazzyB]

Hello.

You are classed as vulnerable and should take extra precautions.

Stay safe think positive. We'll all get there.