I’ve been added to the shielding list

[AJLang]

Happened this morning. I know that different views about being on the shielding list but it has made me feel very vulnerable especially as I live in an area where the Covid rate per 10,000 is continually significantly higher than that for the UK. For the sake of my mental health if you don’t feel that I should be bothered about being put on the shielding list please do not post on this thread.

 

[mikeyB]

Me too. I’m not in the least bothered, it’s just the scientists tidying up, and including folk who should have been shielding (which I am anyway). It doesn’t make you more vulnerable, or mean you have to take extra precautions.

In fact, now you are on the shielding list you can get priority deliveries from Tesco, so it’s not all bad

 

[Nathan Barnes]

God bless you. To be fair I feel T1Ds should have shielded in the first place but it is what it is. You’ve come this far so try not to worry about it and keep yourself as safe as you can. I have every faith this will not last much longer now
Great HBA1C to. Mine is 6.8

 

[mellie1806]

What circumstances have lead to your addition to the list? Did they say because you fall into this category etc etc? I hope to not be added to the list, as I cant work from home, and have just had a month off work due to having COVID, so probably don't need to worry too much, although can still be vulnerable to getting it again, as no one knows for sure what antibodies you build during illness. Don't be too worried, just carry on being careful, as I'm sure you had been.

 

[Becka]

I live in an area where the Covid rate per 10,000 is continually significantly higher than that for the UK.

That is quite possibly the reason you have been asked to shield, then. And as it is something you were already aware of, you can focus on that as a reason why you should not need to feel any more vulnerable. Your risk has not increased, they are just telling you something you already knew.

And the good thing for people being told to shield now is that it will not last for long as they will be vaccinated almost immediately, if they have not already been, so it should only be for a few months until they have had both vaccine doses. So that is another thing you can take reassurance from.

I hope to not be added to the list, as I cant work from home, and have just had a month off work due to having COVID, so probably don't need to worry too much

Shielding is only a recommendation, albeit a very strong one, so you can choose to ignore it. And you do not need to tell your employer you have been advised to shield, which I add because some people have said their employers will not let them come in to work.

 

[atoll]

Look on the bright side BT might even come and fix your phone line if it falls down,i would get that letter laminated for safe keeping!
Currently without broadband for 2 weeks now and no end insight untill someone digs a hole or climbs a ladder to fix the phone line..........

 

[Amigo]

I’ve been on the shielding list as Clinically Extremely Vulnerable since March last year and apart from a slight respite period when numbers dropped a bit, I‘ve been stuck at home. It’s starting to take its toll! Its use is primarily for those requiring letters for employers and as Mikey said, to get grocery delivery priorities. I think it’s rather curious that in the final month, the Govt have used a risk algorithm to identify people they now seemed to be more vulnerable. From what I can see, BMI is a strong factor along with ethnicity, age, poverty, range of conditions and medications. It’s not a response to levels in certain areas. This is about individuals.
Its going to cause problems for some who now receive this letter because they’ve worked throughout and now the advice is to shield and/or work from home. I’ve read the response to this from Sense and the MS Society and naturally many are saying it’s too little...too late.
It doesn’t change much in reality because shielding isn’t compulsory, it’s just recommended and those of us who recognised additional risk have adapted our lifestyles anyway.

The good thing is it will rightly bump many people up the vaccination priority list. Hope you’re keeping well AJ 🙂

 

[Bloden]

The reasons for the list having been updated are wide-ranging (according to the news). The important thing is that you are / feel safe. 🙂 Have you had the jab yet?

 

[Becka]

I think it’s rather curious that in the final month, the Govt have used a risk algorithm to identify people they now seemed to be more vulnerable.

The algorithm has been well known about since the later summer. As part of their announcement on the pausing of shielding, the government said that Oxford were developing it and it would replace the current shielding list. Although the paper was not published until October and it may have required more refinement before being considered clinically reliable.

Obviously that method also could not have been used originally as not enough was known about Covid and the specific risks associated with it. The shielding list that was used was based on those conditions and medications which were already known to make someone especially vulnerable to a respiratory disease.

QCovid™ risk calculator

qcovid.org

From what I can see, BMI is a strong factor along with ethnicity, age, poverty, range of conditions and medications. It’s not a response to levels in certain areas.

Poverty is a factor because deprived areas have a high prevalence of infection and poorer health outcomes. It is notable to me that the criteria for the deprivation score includes car ownership, home ownership, and household overcrowding. This would see a higher likelihood of cities being classed as deprived, where many people do not drive and rent small apartments. The algorithm does not consider a person's income or circumstances, though, only the deprivation score of their postcode area. Which generally will explain the areas of continuously high prevalence, as opposed to those which temporarily experience isolated outbreaks.

 

[Catherine Lindsay]

Its so frustrating isn't it especially if you have MH issues. It's a balancing act and I've found that seeing how my MH is daily is the best way for me. I don't know if I should be shielding or not but I do know that I have to listen to my head and if going out is more beneficial for me at that time then I go. Although I have had a few panic attacks brought on by a combo of MH, people and wearing a mask.
What I'm trying to say is please look after you MH as well as your physical health cos a happy mind makes for a happy body. Xx

 

[Steve_H]

The government site gives the threshold of

• an absolute risk of 0.5% (or 5 in 1,000)
• a relative risk of 10 (or 10 times the baseline risk)

When I calculated mine as a T1D, aged 44 with a BMI of around 30, it came back at 0.0118% so no shielding for me!
The government stated last summer that it was going to use this to decide who should shield and in what order people would get the vaccine.

 

[Amigo]

The government site gives the threshold of

• an absolute risk of 0.5% (or 5 in 1,000)
• a relative risk of 10 (or 10 times the baseline risk)

When I calculated mine as a T1D, aged 44 with a BMI of around 30, it came back at 0.0118% so no shielding for me!
The government stated last summer that it was going to use this to decide who should shield and in what order people would get the vaccine.

Scarily predictive! I’m not sure I’d dare do mine with cancer of the immune system. Does it calculate an expiry date too?! 😳

 

[Jodysd6]

I am wondering if I have been added, no letter as yet but today when I logged in to my GP record to order a repeat prescription I have noticed that 2 days ago a new entry has been added stating I am high risk, so now just waiting to see if I hear anything more! I have been trying to be careful but I have still been going into the office as it’s not really feasible to do my job from home (it would have to be modified) and now I just wish I knew if a letter was on the way or not!

 

[CeeCee]

Happened this morning. I know that different views about being on the shielding list but it has made me feel very vulnerable espe cially as I live in an area where the Covid rate per 10,000 is continually significantly higher than that for the UK. For the sake of my mental health if you don’t feel that I should be bothered about being put on the shielding list please do not post on this thread.

Hi AJ - I'm with you - I am dreading getting a letter - if I do it will certainly make me feel more vulnerable, not because I think I am at more risk than I was a year ago but because someone is saying that I am, if that makes sense. I haven't been called for the vaccine yet but I know other T2s who live here who have which makes me wonder whether I haven't been called because the letter is on its way. Personally I would rather wait another month than be shielding especially as I think the shielding advice is that even after getting the two vaccines you should still stay at home (and I know it isn't compulsory to do so but just being advised to would make me feel more vulnerable).

I haven't been able to find the algorithm to calculate my risk - everywhere I look I can't access/open it. Does anyone have the template?

 

[Lucyr]

Hi AJ - I'm with you - I am dreading getting a letter - if I do it will certainly make me feel more vulnerable, not because I think I am at more risk than I was a year ago but because someone is saying that I am, if that makes sense. I haven't been called for the vaccine yet but I know other T2s who live here who have which makes me wonder whether I haven't been called because the letter is on its way. Personally I would rather wait another month than be shielding especially as I think the shielding advice is that even after getting the two vaccines you should still stay at home (and I know it isn't compulsory to do so but just being advised to would make me feel more vulnerable).

I haven't been able to find the algorithm to calculate my risk - everywhere I look I can't access/open it. Does anyone have the template?

It was linked further up in the thread, qcovid.org

 

[Deleted member 25429]

Happened this morning. I know that different views about being on the shielding list but it has made me feel very vulnerable especially as I live in an area where the Covid rate per 10,000 is continually significantly higher than that for the UK. For the sake of my mental health if you don’t feel that I should be bothered about being put on the shielding list please do not post on this thread.

Thinking of you ... this is when we need forums like this to offer support x

 

[CeeCee]

It was linked further up in the thread, qcovid.org

Thanks - is it ok to accept the licence for the purpose of doing my own calculation?

 

[helli]

Thanks - is it ok to accept the licence for the purpose of doing my own calculation?

I did! Once I clicked "Ok" (or Accept or whatever the button said) I had full access to the calculator.
Be aware it is a pretty blunt instrument and the results may be more scary than you want ... or not.

 

[mikeydt1]

if you get a letter it is not set in law that you have to lock yourself away it is up to the individual. i have had these since the first lockdown. not even sure why i was put on a shielding list and think it was to do with a nurse who came here. by rights it should of been my partner as i was the carer.

i did quite a few posts that there was no support in our area so we would of starved to death any way. couldn't even get online slots. no nothing and it is still the same.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

Happened this morning. I know that different views about being on the shielding list but it has made me feel very vulnerable especially as I live in an area where the Covid rate per 10,000 is continually significantly higher than that for the UK. For the sake of my mental health if you don’t feel that I should be bothered about being put on the shielding list please do not post on this thread.

Look at it from a different angle .......... I seem to remember you shielding from day 1 so what makes it any different having a bit of paper with a load of useless info on it?

Looking on the positive side you now get vaccinated sooner rather than later 🙂