coronavirus shielding

[Roy1955]

Am I right that us with cirrhosis and other chronic liver disease are now being advised to shield?

[chrisw740]

Hey Roy,

Assuming you are referring to yesterday's announcement - the new shielding category is not based on a single health condition but on a range of factors that are now known to increase the risk of serious illness or death.

Basically, it's a more sophisticated way of identifying other vulnerable people, based on what has been learnt over the last year.

The new model looks at things like ethnicity, social circumstances, weight, age and of course current health. It is the combination of factors that will determine who else will be identified and contacted in the near future re shielding.

Best Chris

[Roy1955 in reply to chrisw740]

I found the new guidline being sent out to Drs.Cirrhosis of liver has been added.

[kyia in reply to Roy1955]

Hi Roy, do you have a link to the new guideline? I've been trying to find more information.

Thank you!

[AyrshireK in reply to kyia]

BLT released this new information yesterday which has links to the calculating tools the government have used to draw up the new shielding criteria. This new criterion doesn't have a specific list of conditions - like the earlier CEV/shielding list had- for those that are being added to shielding list but has the information there as to how they have calculated risks based on the statistical analysis etc.

britishlivertrust.org.uk/ne...

BBC News reported "The new model was developed following work by Oxford University which looked at the characteristics of people who died in the first wave to better understand risk.

Medical records have been searched to identify high-risk patients, based on their combined risk factors.

They are now being sent letters by the NHS informing of them of their new status, which means they are entitled to statutory sick pay, prioritisation for online shopping slots and help collecting medicines. "

Katie

[kyia in reply to AyrshireK]

Thank you, Katie. I found this last night after I'd heard the news announcement. It's very interesting and will hopefully be better at identifying those who are most at risk. I hadn't found any reference to cirrhosis in any of the latest guidance and thought I might have missed something.

[AyrshireK in reply to kyia]

Cirrhosis is mentioned on the detailed breakdown of the 'model' :- digital.nhs.uk/coronavirus/...

[Roy1955 in reply to kyia]

this is it

digital.nhs.uk/coronavirus/...

[kyia in reply to Roy1955]

Thanks very much!

[Spooks58]

I was under the impression from the British Liver Trust website that cirrhosis makes you "clinically extremely vulnerable" but my husband still hasn't had an appointment (he's 62) so we're going to contact the GP to make sure he's on the list.

[AyrshireK in reply to Spooks58]

Was your husband instructed to shield first time round?

If not then based on the earlier criterion for shielding/Clinically Extremely Vulnerable he wouldn't be in the CEV group but in the High Risk Group which is the next lot of folks to be called for vaccination i.e. those with an underlying health condition including chronic liver disease.

The CEV group covered those who were post transplant, on immune suppressants, being treated for cancer and probably those with decompensated cirrhosis - cirrhosis alone didn't qualify as CEV for first shielding situation (my hubby is the same, 59 with cirrhosis, borderline diabetes, ineffective spleen and AIH but not on immune suppressants - still waiting for jab).

Cirrhosis patients seem to be mentioned in the cohort who are to be added to the shielding list - in England anyway.

Katie

[kyia]

Thanks to Katie and BLT , I've found the definition for Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (Shielding) liver patients.

"Any patient with liver cirrhosis and decompensation or complication as defined by presence/recent history (within 12 months) of ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, hepatocellular carcinoma, variceal bleed or synthetic liver dysfunction."

I would assume that any other liver patient is NOT considered extremely vulnerable based on this. My partner gas cirrhosis but has had none of those symptoms for several years, so is considered vulnerable, but does not need to shield.

[AyrshireK in reply to kyia]

That's correct, it's the decompensated symptoms that put someone in the CEV bracket - not cirrhosis alone HOWEVER the new modelling tool may change that as it seems to work on a case by case basis looking at all factors that increase risk of covid. Letters will be sent out to those affected (England only at present time).

[kyia in reply to AyrshireK]

Yes, other people may have other factors such as age, deprivation and other conditions that would make them more vulnerable and the model will hopefully identify those at greater risk. It had been mentioned that possibly everyone with a cirrhosis diagnosis should be shielding and thanks to your link, we have clarification of what the situation actually is.