Asthma UK & British Lung Foundation, the UK’s leading respiratory charity, has reiterated the need for everyone who meets the government’s ‘extremely vulnerable’ criteria to follow social shielding guidelines.
Those who have still not received an official ‘shielding’ letter but do meet the criteria are urged to contact their GP or hospital doctor as soon as possible. Social shielding involves staying indoors and avoiding face-to-face contact, utilising government voluntary support services to get the supplies they need.
A recent survey by the charity has revealed that 97% of those with chronic lung conditions in Scotland, who had received an official shielding letter, have said they were taking the measures seriously.
Of the 1188 Scots surveyed, just under 18% of respondents had received a letter to shield from the Scottish Government.
Other interesting findings from the survey include:
- Anxiety among those with lung conditions is high, with almost 70% of respondents reporting their COVID-19 related a score of 8/10 or above.
- 58% of smokers have said they are planning to quit due to COVID-19
- 46% of people with lung conditions reported a disruption to their usual care due to COVID-19.
Joseph Carter, Head of Asthma UK & British Lung Foundation Scotland, said: “It is crucial that everyone who is entitled to a shielding letter, even at this late stage, receives one. The evidence shows they work, and people do take the advice seriously.
“This is a marathon, not a sprint and there’s still a long way to go. Receiving these letters enables people to access the various resources and support available to them, to enable them to shield effectively and keep themselves safe.”
Andrew Whittamore, Clinical Lead for Asthma UK and the British Lung Foundation and a practicing GP, said: “Everyone with a chronic lung condition, including asthma and COPD, has been classified as being ‘high risk’.
“Everyone in this group should be strict about following the social distancing advice from the government. This group may not get a letter and do not necessarily need to shield but may choose to do so.
“We know that shielding isn’t as easy as it sounds, so it’s important that people only go through it if they’re in these ‘extremely vulnerable’ groups. A smaller group of people who are classed as ‘extremely vulnerable’ do need to go further and follow the shielding advice.
“It’s vital that anyone who is in these groups, but have not yet received a letter, contact their GP immediately. This will enable them to access all the Government support which is being provided to help them shield. Further advice can be found on the Asthma UK & British Lung Foundation websites.”
Further Advice:
- For the latest Covid-19 health and shielding advice for people with asthma, visit the Asthma UK website at: asthma.org.uk/coronavirus
- For the latest Covid-19 advice for people with all other lung conditions, visit the British Lung Foundation website: blf.org.uk/support-for-you/
coronavirus - VIDEO: For anyone who has a lung condition and is still unsure if they should be shielding or not, the British Lung Foundation’s Medical Director Nick Hopkinson has produced this helpful video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=3xUmuf1wcLk
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