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Shielding for vulnerable people will no longer be used in England as the country battles a second wave of coronavirus through local closures.
The Government announced today that it will switch to ‘soft advice’ for people who are at high risk of dying if they contract Covid-19.
At the beginning of the year, millions of people were urged to stay home at all costs to avoid contracting the disease, but this time advice will be offered on how people can best protect themselves, and they will be able to choose how strictly to follow it.
Officials said that some took the advice too literally the first time and saw it as rules, not suggestions, and that it had a devastating impact on people’s mental health.
Now, the 2.2 million people on the “clinically extremely vulnerable” list will receive letters detailing the actions they can take based on the severity of the outbreak in their area.
The guidance will be aligned with the new three-tier lockdown system that divides the country into ‘medium’, ‘high’ and ‘very high’ risk areas.
Local authorities may appeal for full armor to be restored if the situation is dire, but none of the three alert levels will automatically activate it.
People on the list, who will be informed of the advice changes by mail, include those who have had organ transplants, cancer patients, and those with severe lung disease. The vast majority of the 90,000 children included in the first list no longer have to protect themselves because they appear not to be affected by the virus.
The new coronavirus restrictions could see the return of armor for extremely vulnerable Britons. Currently, patients are not advised to protect themselves in any local area in England (pictured: an older woman just looks at her grandson through a window in Wales)
During the first wave of coronavirus in the UK, people considered clinically extremely vulnerable in England were advised to take extra precautions, also known as protection. In the photo: the family of a self-isolating nurse gathers through a window to reduce the risk of transmitting the coronavirus
“In recent weeks, we have seen a sharp increase in the prevalence of the virus across the country and we know that those who are clinically extremely vulnerable are seeking practical advice on how they can get on with their lives while the virus remains in our communities,” he said. Dr. Jenny Harries, England’s Deputy Medical Director.
‘The new system will provide clarity on how best for those in this group to stay as secure as possible depending on the transmission rates in their local area.
“Although it is a recommendation, I would urge all those affected to follow the guide whenever they can and continue to access health services for their conditions.”
The advice given to people will vary depending on the extent of the social distancing rules and locks for your local area.
At the ‘medium’ level, which is the lowest risk level and currently encompasses the whole of southern England and London, vulnerable people will simply be advised to be strict about social distancing, only meet other people in outside if they can and avoid public access. transport.
People should work from home if they can, which is the general guide anyway, but it should be safe for them to go to work or school if unavoidable.
At the next ‘high’ level, which includes most of the North West and North East areas of England, as well as Birmingham, Leicester and Nottingham, people are advised to reduce the number of people they know.
They should stay home “as much as possible” and only take essential trips. Shopping online is preferable to going out, or people may ask friends or family to drop off food and medicine.
In the stricter lockdown rules, which currently only apply in Liverpool, extremely vulnerable people must follow all the above rules, but be stricter when meeting people and going out.
The guidance implies that people in the worst-affected areas should stay home as long as they can, but it goes without saying.
Dr Yvonne Doyle, Medical Director of Public Health England, said: “People who define themselves as clinically extremely vulnerable are at very high risk of severe illness from Covid-19.
‘If you are in this group, we recommend that you follow the tips to help protect yourself at each alert level as set out in the guide.
In addition to the rules that you must follow at each alert level, you can take additional precautions.
Continue to maintain strict social distancing, wash your hands regularly, and try to keep the number of social interactions you have low. The fewer social interactions you have, the lower your risk of contracting Covid-19.
During the first wave of the pandemic, people considered clinically extremely vulnerable in England were advised to take extra precautions, also known as protection.
The protection program was stopped on August 1 and people who stayed home to protect themselves from Covid-19 were able to return to work.
More than 2.2 million people in England, almost 4% of the population, are on the NHS Digital’s protected patient list.
At a Downing Street press conference, England’s Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty said: ‘Jenny Harries (England’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer) will give a much longer discussion on this tomorrow, but the short version is that people who Previously in the armor group, you are at higher risk and we advise you to always take extra precautions.
But we also recognize that there were significant difficulties and often mental anguish and loneliness for people who were put in protection as they certainly perceived it.
“I think we are trying to deal with that in the way we approach armor in the next phase, but it is something we want people to take extra precautions when they can.”
It comes after it was revealed yesterday that Boris Johnson overruled experts at Sage two weeks ago when they pushed for an even harder ‘circuit breaker’ before announcing its three-tier system on Monday.
On September 21, the scientific advisory group presented a short list of options that included banning all indoor contact between homes, closing bars, restaurants, cafes, gyms and hair salons.
At the top of the list was the recommendation for a two- to three-week lockdown with draconian measures similar to those previously imposed on the pandemic.
“If this were as strict and enforced as the restrictions at the end of May, this could delay the epidemic by approximately 28 days or more,” the file says.
Labor has accused the government of ignoring the advice, but Downing Street insists it has taken “strong” action.
Last night, Sage scientist Professor Calum Semple claimed that the new restrictions had come too late and that a “circuit breaker” might be needed in a few weeks.
When asked if the level of response announced for London is sufficient, the Liverpool University academic told Radio 4: ‘I will be difficult and I will say no, I think we are a bit late to react.’
“The outbreak is a bit like a super-tanker, you put on the brakes but it takes a long time before you see the effect,” he added.
Boris Johnson has been accused of failing to heed advice from the Sage group two weeks ago urging a two- or three-week ‘circuit breaker’ lockdown to cut the R rate (pictured: Prime Minister at briefing of Downing Street Monday night)
It comes after the Prime Minister announced that Liverpool will be the first to fall into the ‘very high risk’ category, meaning pubs are closed and households are prohibited from mixing indoors or gardens.
But Professor Chris Whitty said he was “not sure” the new measures would stem the tide, as the UK racked up another 13,972 Covid cases on Monday, up 11 percent from last Monday.
Professor Whitty added: ‘The idea that we can do this without causing harm is an illusion. It is a balancing act between two damages: damage to society and the economy, on the one hand, and damage to health, on the other.
Johnson, addressing the nation along with Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Professor Whitty, said the options were to “let the virus destroy” or “destroy” the economy.
A large part of the country, including Greater Manchester, the West Midlands and the Northeast, faces level two restrictions that are expected to stifle socialization between households and a total of 22 million in England are covered by the top two levels after Tuesday. .
Johnson said the rising numbers in these areas were “flashing like warnings on the dashboard of an airliner and we must act now,” but dismissed the “extreme route” of a full national lockdown “right now.”
