A further period of shielding is to be advised for people identified as clinically vulnerable and extremely clinically vulnerable, to reduce the risk of exposure to coronavirus.
People in these groups were offered guidance on protecting themselves by staying home and taking additional precautions for seven days, from when the circuit break lockdown came into force at 00:01 on Thursday 7 January 2021. They are now being advised by letter to continue shielding for the entire 21 day circuit break period, until midnight on 27/28 January.
People with conditions that make them clinically vulnerable will have been informed of this by the Department of Health and Social Care or their GP, and may have been advised to shield in the past. This is because they are at increased risk of severe illness from coronavirus and should thus follow recommendations which will help to protect them.
Clinically extremely vulnerable people should stay at home as much as possible and try to keep two metres distance from other members of their household, especially if they display symptoms of the virus or have been told to self-isolate. People in this group should not attend work and only go out for medical appointments, exercise or if it is essential; extremely clinically vulnerable children should not attend school or educational settings.
Extensive shielding guidance is available on gov.im via useful links to the UK Government website.
A list of long-term conditions which leave people clinically vulnerable and those who fall into the extremely clinically vulnerable group is published on the Vulnerable groups page on the COVID website.
Clinically extremely vulnerable people are among the first phase priority groups for vaccination against COVID-19 as set out by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and in the Isle of Man Government’s Vaccination programme. The JCVI’s priority categories can be viewed on the COVID-19 Vaccination first phase priority groups leaflet.
Clinically extremely vulnerable people will be contacted by DHSC in due course with more information on when and how they will be invited to be vaccinated, in line with the roll-out of the Island’s vaccination programme, which is subject to the delivery of vaccine to the Island.
