Update (26th November 2020): The Government have published updated advice for clinically extremely vulnerable groups for each of the new tiers in England post 2nd December. Read more here.
With news of a national lockdown in England starting tomorrow (5th November), the government have announced that they will not be asking people to shield as they were at the start of the pandemic. No nations, at this time, have reintroduced shielding.
Here we outline some of the changes and advice currently provided:
- The majority of children and young people with medical conditions (including liver) who have been reviewed to date, have been found to be no longer considered clinically extremely vulnerable.
- There are a small number of children and young people deemed clinically extremely vulnerable who are mainly immediately post-transplant or individual cases with more complex conditions. Clinicians at specialist centres, have or will, discuss this directly with individual patients where appropriate.
- All children are advised to attend school unless they have been advised specifically against it by their specialist centre.
- Those clinically extremely vulnerable are advised to minimise their contact with others and not to go to work if they are unable to work from home. You may be eligible for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) or Employment Support Allowance (ESA).
- Children and young people diagnosed with a liver condition should be especially careful to follow the rules and minimise contacts with others where possible. They should also continue to wash their hands carefully and more frequently than usual and maintain thorough cleaning of frequently touched areas in their home and/or workspace.
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) have been working closely with specialists and BSPGHAN to update official advice for children and young people.
Adult services and transition
Young people in adult services will in most cases be advised according to adult guidance. Guidance for adults includes a much wider range of people who would be deemed clinically extremely vulnerable. If you have not received a letter and feel you may come under the adult guidance of clinically extremely vulnerable please confirm with your clinician.
As some patients transition, they may have new discussions with adult clinicians about their vulnerability. Paediatricians treating young people who are transitioning to adult care and are considered clinically extremely vulnerable will discuss the risk of coronavirus infection as a patient moves between services using the most up-to-date specialty guidance available. If in doubt, please raise this with your medical team.
We will update this page with the latest guidance as it is released. If you feel you/your child would come under the clinically extremely vulnerable category but have not been notified of this please contact your specialist centre/consultant for advice.
Read the updated government guidance about protecting the clinically extremely vulnerable here. Find out more about the new national lockdown here.
