Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Protecting Vulnerable Patients

Shielding Guidance for high risk vulnerable patents.

On Monday 16 March the UK government announced a package of measures, advising those who
are at increased risk of severe illness because of COVID-19 to be particularly stringent in following
social distancing measures.

Patients who have specific conditions are likely to be at highest risk from COVID-19.

These conditions include

  • Solid organ transplant recipients
  • People with specific cancers
  • People with cancer who are undergoing active chemotherapy or radical radiotherapy for lung cancer
  • People with cancers of the blood or bone marrow such as leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma who are at any stage of treatment
  • People having immunotherapy or other continuing antibody treatments for cancer
  • People having other targeted cancer treatments which can affect the immune system,
  • People who have had bone marrow or stem cell transplants in the last 6 months, or who are still taking immunosuppression drugs.
  • People with severe respiratory conditions including all cystic fibrosis, severe asthma and severe COPD (Chronic Obstructive pulmonary disease)
  • People with rare diseases and inborn errors of metabolism that significantly increase the risk of infections (such as SCID, homozygous sickle cell disease)
  • People on immunosuppression therapies sufficient to significantly increase risk of infection
  • People who are pregnant with significant heart disease

Over the coming days, councils and health professionals will be working together to keep in
contact with you to make sure you have access to food supplies and any medicines you need. If, at
any point, you think you have developed symptoms of coronavirus, such as a new, continuous
cough and/or high temperature (above 37.8 °C), seek clinical advice by phoning the NHS on 111.
Do this as soon as you get symptoms.

This is different to the advice that we are giving people who do not fall into the very high risk
group, who are only being asked to contact the NHS if they feel very unwell. We are asking you to
get in touch sooner than we are advising everyone else.

 

 

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CMO-Letter-26-March-2020