CLINICALLY extremely vulnerable people in England are being strongly advised not to go to work outside their homes during lockdown from Thursday.
Under updated government guidance, they should only go out for exercise and to attend health appointments.
People with stage-five chronic kidney disease, those undergoing dialysis and adults with Down’s syndrome are now also advised to follow the advice.
This group is at higher risk from Covid-19 than the general population.
The government will give local councils in England more than £32m to fund support and access to local services for more than 2.24 million clinically extremely vulnerable people.
They include people undergoing treatment for serious medical conditions, such as certain cancers, or those with rare diseases.
This number could rise by 80,000 over the next few weeks, as NHS England sends letters to those affected.
The clinically extremely vulnerable group includes togthers on the organ solid organ transplant recipients, people with specific cancers, people with severe respiratory conditions, including all cystic fibrosis, severe asthma and severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), adults with Down’s syndrome
adults on dialysis or with chronic kidney disease (stage five) and others classed as clinically extremely vulnerable based on clinical judgement and an assessment of their needs – GPs and hospital clinicians have been provided with guidance to support these decisions
The over 70s, pregnant women and people who are very obese are not included in this group – they are classified as clinically vulnerable. They may still be more at risk of Covid-19 and are advised to stay at home as much as possible and minimise contact with others.