What You Need To Know About The Shielding Plans On The Table
It’s been months of limbo for those who were previously shielding due to coronavirus, with many continuing to limit their contact with others, even after the official shielding period was paused.
But the clinically vulnerable could soon be told to stay home again, under plans being considered to reintroduce recommendations.
One plan on the table would see hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people living in coronavirus hotspots being told to shield again this winter.
The plan differs from the original national shielding scheme, where 2.2 million people in England were advised to shield, before the scheme was “paused” at the end of July. Instead, the new proposals would only impact certain parts of the country.
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The proposed plan comes after Professor John Edmunds, a member of the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), said “we are not that far away from the health service being stretched” in hotspot areas, such as the North of England.
A decision on shielding has not been finalised and may be delayed because of fears for the mental health of those facing months of isolation, according to The Times.
More than a third (35%) of those who were shielding in spring said the isolation had a negative impact on their mental health. Among shielders under the age of 50, this rose to almost half (46%).
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Ministers are expected to outline a three-tier local lockdown system next week – also being called a “traffic light system”.
Areas with outbreaks would be classified as ‘tier one’ and would be subject to the tightest restrictions, while ‘tier two’ would have some restrictions, such as a ban on...