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Copy of letter sent out to NHS GPs re Shielding (03/04/20)

My second letter arrived this week. Date on it 11 May 2020. So looks as if it was a ‘panic response’ to the PM announcement on 10 May, that caused such confusion everywhere.
This is the content, word for word....

IMPORTANT UDATE
We recently sent you a letter to let you know that you are at risk of severe illness if you catch Coronavirus. It gave advice about staying at home at all times and avoiding all face-to-face contact for at least twelve weeks, except from carers and healthcare workers. Please continue to follow the advice in that letter.

“The letter contained details of a government website and helpline you can register with:

“Website: www.gov.uk/coronavirus-extremely-vulnerable

“Phone number: 0800 0288327

“We know that some people have had problems registering, but this has been fixed - if you haven’t registered already, you should do so now using either the website or phone number above. This will help you to access support with activities such as obtaining food packages or prescriptions. Even if you do not need any support with daily tasks, please do register with this website to let the government know your current situation. If you do not register you might receive a phone call to ask whether you need any help
.

“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 using the NHS 111 online coronavirus service (https://111.nhs.uk/covid-19/). If you do not have access to the internet, call NHS111. Do this as soon as you get symptoms.

“During this time you might have other health problems or questions that aren’t related to coronavirus - the NHS is still here to give you advice and treatment. If you have a medical need you should telephone us -your GP practice. If you have an urgent medical question relating to your existing medical condition, or the condition of the person you are caring for please either contact us, or your specialist hospital care team.

“For life threatening emergencies, you should still call 999 for an ambulance. If you use BSL or can’t speak on the phone you can register for 999 texts, send the word ‘register’ in an SMS message to 999 and follow instructions.

“You can find more general information about Coronavirus on the NHS website www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19 and the government website www.gov.uk/coronavirus
Yours sincerely

*****Medical Centre”
 
Despite now having two letters, several text messages, and having followed the instructions, I still fail to see the advantages of registering on gov website.

I can think of disadvantages, but not going there.
 
Scientists are now in talks with the government to suggest due to the number of diabetics who have died, that diabetics are included in the extra vulnerable group and asked to shield themselves for a while when the country starts to open up, could be difficult for some
 

I have taken onboard good personal hygiene, always washing hands, social distancing etc, I go on walks for exercise and shop for food once a week and I would dearly like to continue to do so. I personally don't see myself as extremely vulnerable.
 
I have taken onboard good personal hygiene, always washing hands, social distancing etc, I go on walks for exercise and shop for food once a week and I would dearly like to continue to do so. I personally don't see myself as extremely vulnerable.
As shielding is advice to protect you rather than others there would be no need to comply if you don't want to.
 

This isn't going to happen. If some diabetics are asked to shield it won't be all of us. There are too many of us, and many are also key workers. I beleieve it is most likely to be those with very high uncontrolled BS levels, and those who already have complications of some sort. They still haven't produced figures to show how many of these diabetics that have died had other illnesses, or how many were otherwise fit and healthy.
 
My understanding is that scientists are reviewing, but nowhere has it been suggested or written that scientists are going to advise all diabetics are shielded. . Partha Kar has suggested on a number of threads that it would be extremely unlikely that there will be a one size fits all approach.. I think there's been some reading of sensationalist headlines being interpreted as fact by some.

I think the research itself was brilliant and very welcome.. Including identifying diabetes as a risk factor in itself and even for myself as under 40 I still think that needs to be adhered to and precautions taken.. However if we are to take the salient points form the data then it must be in its entirety and that is risk differs across the wider diabetic family.

However I do agree that there is some limitation as it doesn't state how many had no other comorbidites/conditions. From first glance it seems a lot suffered from hypertension though.
 
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Yep and hypertension isn't even listed as "clinically vulnerable" let alone "extremely". More than likely due to once again the sheer numbers who would have it, especially undiagnosed I suspect.

From what I can gather you don't have to shield if you wish not to even if suggested. However where it would help is those that are advised to work from home if possible as clinically vulnerable. I know some employers are trying to use the "there is no work from home" excuse to strong arm some clinically vulnerable people back to work with the threat to wages or even jobs. The Shielded List is black and white rather than the Clinically Vulnerable being almost a matter of interpretation so being shielded would more likely safeguard wages and jobs until at least more is known about risks etc.
 
However I do agree that there is some limitation as it doesn't state how many had no other comorbidites/conditions. From first glance it seems a lot suffered from hypertension though.

Type 2 is one part of the metabolic syndrome. The other parts are hypertension, high cholesterol and triglycerides, and tummy fat. With many (or most) T2s these occur together. A poorly controlled T2 is likely to have all of them. It also concerns me when folk are put on ventilators/induced comas, they are tube fed. It won't be low carb. It will contain glucose.
 
Yup agree with all of that 100%. I know they've identified diabetes as a risk solely so regardless of how low risk an individual is based on age it would be extremely ignorant to ignore that risk altogether however its also ignorant so suggest a blanket policy for all diabetics when risk varies so much.

I think demonstrating how many had other conditions would have been beneficial. Perhaps this feeds into the age correlation.. Young type 1s who are well controlled and not had the condition for a long time (in relative terms) are less likely to have other comorbidties.

Also type 1s 80 plus are less likely to have had access to the technology we have today and could have been diabetic for a very long time etc. The raw data is great but some further commentary would be excellent.
 

I'm a 53 year old T1 and in my 36th year, I have no other comorbidities and am reasonably fit, so didn't and still don't expect to be told to shield, work's ok as it's outdoors but gym openings bothers me, I did read about over 50's getting back in later on, but if so I'll cancel and re-join with a later date of birth

If it's ok for dom and all that jazz.....
 

I think that's why we need to know more. I've got the tummy fat, but got my triglycerides down from 8.2 when first diagnosed to 2.6 at last test. (Bizarrely at one point they were 8.9 early June and when retested late June they were 2.8.) Go figure! Cholesterol 3.5 at last test a year ago, down from it's worst at 7.2. (That's non fasting test btw.) Blood pressure fine on a 24 hour monitor last year and Heart CT showed all heart arteries ok bar minor soft plaque on one or two with a calcium score of 0 also last year. Last HBA1c 58 in December after being 48 last June! So where I am on the risk scale - I have absolutely no idea!!!

I think that's the problem we are all facing. So little in the way of real concrete information and half of our GP's seem to have no idea either. That's not just diabetics either it's all those with "underlying conditions". From my point of view anyway I'm siding on the cautious until we know more even though I'm not on the shielded list.

One other thing re the great posts above is that it would be helpful if we all knew what percentage of these underlying conditions were diagnosed or undiagnosed. Meds of course can help reduce the levels in the above co-morbidities so are these people turning up at hospital with undiagnosed out of control BP, hypertension etc? Or are some drugs people take having an adverse effect or have they all gone quiet on that possibility?!
 
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I am 9 years older than you and in my 31st year, I haven't expected a shielding letter and don't see my self as extremely vulnerable, I have other medical conditions too.
 
Does autoimmune disease mean a weak immune system?

Immune system disorders cause abnormally low activity or over activity of the immune system. In cases of immune system over activity, the body attacks and damages its own tissues (autoimmune diseases). Immune deficiency diseases decrease the body's ability to fight invaders, causing vulnerability to infections.14 Aug 2018
 
Does autoimmune disease mean a weak immune system?

Well in my case it wasn't that my immune system was weak or strong just mistaken.

It's now weak because I take medication to keep it that way so as to prevent it making a fatal mistake.
 
Well in my case it wasn't that my immune system was weak or strong just mistaken.

It's now weak because I take medication to keep it that way so as to prevent it making a fatal mistake.

Obviously it depends on the condition or conditions that people have.
My autoimmune conditions seem to have started through shock, worry and stress !
 
Mine started when I woke up one Thursday morning in May about twenty years ago. Talk about in the blink of an eye.
 

I completely agree with this, I’m self employed and unable to go back to work safely and the pressure is huge, as at the moment if I don’t go back then it’s my own choice (I’d always choose my health first) but at least if I had something official to say “you are in this group, you are allowed to do X & Y, but not Z” then I could show others/my insurance company etc. And, dare I even say it...the government might continue to give some financial help to those who couldn’t safely work?
 
Thankyou for this post. I've been so stressed about work. I work in a care home. I havent been there since mid march,since then sadly they have had a lot of deaths although when staff and residents tested last week all tested negative. When I spoke to my GP in April things re diabetics bit of grey area for carers. Despite trying to keep up to date I didnt realise advice changed subtly to staying at home as much as possible and avoiding contact other than household. Reckon 12 hours in a hot care home with what's left of residents and a rotation of staff not a good idea then
. To be fair to GP and employers they have been trying best in a tricky situation.
 
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