An extra 1.7 million people will be told to shield in England

Around 1.7 million more people have been added to the shielding list in England, after being found to be at potential serious risk to Covid-19.

A new algorithm that looks at multiple factors has identified more people who should be shielding. They can expect a letter from the NHS in the coming days.

Around 800,000 will have not been offered the coronavirus vaccine already but they will be bumped up the priority list. 

Oxford University has developed the new tool which assesses if someone is at risk of severe disease or death from Covid-19, and therefore the shielding list was expanded.

Multiple factors, including age, ethnicity, BMI, other health conditions and also postcode to indicate levels of deprivation are all considered in the new tool.

The additional 1.7 million people brings the list of those shielding to almost four million. They should shield until March 31st, according to advice.

Those joining the list will get the same support available to those who are ‘clinically extremely vulnerable’, including medicine deliveries, priority slots at supermarkets and statutory sick pay according to Dr Jenny Harries. 

She told a briefing for journalists: “As we learn more about Covid-19, we’re continuously reviewing the evidence… it was very clear that not all of those individuals who were at risk were identified by the binary approach.”

She added: “The letter will note that this is more likely to be an overestimate of risk in a way which hopefully handles any of their anxiety.

“And it makes it absolutely clear that it is a choice for them if they choose to follow shielding advice or not – that has always been the case.

“What it does also do – which I hope will benefit them, which is why people will hopefully be grateful to receive this – is it will prioritise them for vaccination.

“In addition to that it means they have advice and support and that is important not just now, but should there be any changes in the pandemic in forthcoming months – for example, perhaps in vaccinations perhaps in the autumn as we go forward, then clearly they will be identified within that group as well so there are current and longer term benefits.”