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Eight million people with underlying health conditions should be exempted from plans to get the country back to work and normal life, according to scientists who warn that easing lockdown too quickly could propel the Covid-19 death toll to 73,000 this year.
About 80% of the population have little to fear from a return to work, but 20% are vulnerable from one or more common conditions such as diabetes, obesity and heart problems, say researchers from University College London (UCL) in a Lancet study published on Wednesday.
Most of those are not considered clinically extremely vulnerable by the Department of Health and so instructed to shield entirely for 12 weeks.
NHS England originally said the shielding list included 1.5 million people. On Monday, the government said it numbered 2.5 million across the UK. The list focuses on people whose immune systems are impaired, for instance by chemotherapy or taking anti-rejection drugs after organ transplantation.
www.theguardian.com
About 80% of the population have little to fear from a return to work, but 20% are vulnerable from one or more common conditions such as diabetes, obesity and heart problems, say researchers from University College London (UCL) in a Lancet study published on Wednesday.
Most of those are not considered clinically extremely vulnerable by the Department of Health and so instructed to shield entirely for 12 weeks.
NHS England originally said the shielding list included 1.5 million people. On Monday, the government said it numbered 2.5 million across the UK. The list focuses on people whose immune systems are impaired, for instance by chemotherapy or taking anti-rejection drugs after organ transplantation.
Millions with health conditions at risk from Covid-19 'if forced back to work'
About 20% of UK population vulnerable but not included in government’s shielding advice
www.theguardian.com