'Extremely vulnerable' people have been advised not to go to work - how to know if you’re affected

Extremely clinically vulnerable people in England are being advised to work from home, and only leave for essential travel during the latest national lockdown.

Updated government guidance states that they should only leave their homes for exercise and to attend health appointments. They are also advised to not go to any shops or pharmacies, and to avoid non-essential travel.

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The new national restrictions will apply to everyone in England from today (5 Nov) until Wednesday 2 December.

Who is classed as clinically extremely vulnerable?

The government guidance considers people who are clinically extremely vulnerable to be those at very high risk of severe illness from Covid-19. There are two ways you may be identified as clinically extremely vulnerable:

You have one or more of the conditions listed belowYour hospital clinician or GP has added you to the Shielded patients list because, based on their clinical judgement, they deem you to be at higher risk of serious illness if you catch the virus

Conditions that make you clinically extremely vulnerable

Adults with the following conditions are automatically deemed clinically extremely vulnerable:

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Solid organ transplant recipientsPeople with cancer who are undergoing active chemotherapyPeople with lung cancer who are undergoing radical radiotherapyPeople with cancers of the blood or bone marrow such as leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma who are at any stage of treatmentPeople having immunotherapy or other continuing antibody treatments for cancerPeople having other targeted cancer treatments that can affect the immune system, such as protein kinase inhibitors or PARP inhibitorsPeople who have had bone marrow or stem cell transplants in the last 6 months or who are still taking immunosuppression drugsThose with severe respiratory conditions including all cystic fibrosis, severe asthma and severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)Those with rare diseases that significantly increase the risk of infections (such as severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), homozygous sickle cell disease)Those on immunosuppression therapies sufficient to significantly increase risk of infectionAdults with Down’s syndromeAdults on dialysis or with chronic kidney disease (stage 5)Women who are pregnant with significant heart disease, congenital or acquiredOther people who have also been classed as clinically extremely vulnerable, based on clinical judgement and an assessment of their needs. GPs and hospital clinicians have been provided with guidance to support these decisions

People who do not fall into these categories and have not been informed that they are on the shielding list should follow the new national restrictions.

You can find out more about the details of the new national lockdown restrictions here.

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