Over 3,600 additional people deemed 'high risk' from COVID-19 in Milton Keynes will be told to shield.
Following research commissioned by England’s Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty, clinicians have identified a new group of people across England who may be at high risk from COVID-19 based on factors such as age, ethnicity and BMI, as well as certain medical conditions and treatments.
Nationally, over 800,000 adults will now be asked to shield as a precaution and will be prioritised to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. In Milton Keynes, 3,642 additional people are being added to the NHS Shielded Patient List for the first time.
Local residents in this group will receive a letter or email from NHS England in the coming days asking them to shield until 31 March. The letter will include details on how to register with the National Shielding Service.
However, residents who don’t have friends or family to collect essential medicine or groceries for them can also contact Milton Keynes Council on 01908 252398 for help.
The council’s Local Support Service is for clinically extremely vulnerable residents who need extra help, and for other residents who are self-isolating and do not have family, friends or neighbours to support them.
The team takes calls Monday to Friday between 9am and 5:15pm on 01908 252398. The council stresses this is a lifeline for people who have no other support to turn to and asks people who do have support to keep the helpline free for isolated people in need.
Patients can speak to their GP or specialist clinician if they have questions as to why they have been added to the Shielded Patient List, or if they feel they should no longer be identified as clinically extremely vulnerable. GPs and specialist clinicians will be able to make their own assessment of an individual based on their clinical knowledge and are able to add and remove individuals from the shielded patient list.
Previous shielding guidance for all clinically extremely vulnerable people was to shield until 21 February. This has been extended to 31 March.
