What to do if you are clinically shielded – Frequently Asked Questions
Who is on the shielded list?
You are shielded if you have received a letter from the Government advising that you are considered to be at high risk of severe illness if you contract Coronavirus because you have an underlying disease or health condition. You should self-isolate at home for at least 12 weeks and ask others for help with shopping and prescriptions. This ‘shielded’ category includes:
- Organ transplant recipients
- People having treatments for some cancers
- People who have long-term lung disease or severe respiratory conditions including cystic fibrosis
- People with conditions which make their blood and cells work differently and get infections easily
- People taking immunosuppression medications which reduce the body’s response to fighting infections
- Women who are pregnant and have heart disease
Everyone in the shielding group, which covers all ages from young to old, is being asked to follow stricter social distancing rules than most people and cannot leave their homes, not even for essential shopping or exercise.
How do I get help while isolating?
IMPORTANT: As soon as you receive your letter please register by going to the government website or calling 0800 0288327, the Government’s dedicated helpline, to confirm receipt of your shielding letter and discuss any help you may need. Please note you have to register for help to get assistance. You may be in touch with friends, family or a support network in your community who can help you to get food and medicine, but you still need to register to ensure that support can be provided should your circumstances change.
I haven’t received a shielding letter but think I should be shielded. What should I do?
If you think you should be in the shielded category but have still not received a letter, or if you are unsure if you should be shielding or not, please exercise caution and contact your GP for advice. The decision to include a patient on the shielding list is a clinical one so please speak to your GP or consultant for help. If they agree your health condition puts you at a high clinical risk, they can then add you to the list. Where you are added to the list you will receive a patient letter.
It may take up to a week for the central list to be updated and when this has occurred you must register for support through the Government system via the government website or call 0800 0288327. If you cannot access the list i.e. your NHS number is not recognised you will need to contact your GP or consultant to follow-up.
If in the meantime if you need further support please contact the Council on 0300 1231118 or you can request additional support through Volunteer Cornwall who can arrange help with shopping, collecting medicines or other practical help and support. You can request a volunteer by ringing 01872 266988 or emailing requestforhelp@volunteercornwall.org.uk . Arrangements are in place with local pharmacies to include prescription collection as part of this service.
How do I receive food deliveries?
Central Government are coordinating weekly food deliveries for those who have requested support with essential supplies.
What if I have special dietary need?
The Government food parcels do not cater for any special dietary requirements and therefore anyone who has dietary need can contact Volunteer Cornwall who can arrange a volunteer to contact you and deliver a tailored food order. This can be arranged by ringing 01872 266988 or emailing requestforhelp@volunteercornwall.org.uk.
Can I get a priority supermarket delivery and food parcels as well?
Once you register your need for support, the Government will deliver a food parcel and will also ask participating supermarkets to give you priority access to their home delivery service. Local supermarkets that are offering priority delivery slots to people who are shielding will contact you, and you can register with your choice of supermarket.
Once you have registered with your chosen supermarket, you have the option to ask the Government to stop sending you food parcels if you no longer need them, or by telling the delivery driver that you refuse the next parcel). Provided you have registered with your chosen supermarket, you will retain priority access to their home delivery service, even if you cancel the Government’s emergency food parcels.
What if I no longer need a food parcel?
There are two ways to stop receiving the Government issued food parcels. Firstly, you ca inform the delivery driver that you no longer wish to receive parcels. The driver will then feed that information back to the Government and you will be removed from the food parcels distribution list.
Secondly, you can revisit the government website and answer ‘yes’ to the question: Do you have a way of getting essential supplies delivered at the moment? You will then be removed from the Government food parcel distribution list. However, there is a delay in the system being updated and you may receive another food parcel in the meantime.
I didn’t need food parcels before, but I do now. What should I do?
You should revisit the government website and answer ‘no’ to the question: Do you have a way of getting essential supplies delivered at the moment?
What if I’ve changed address?
You need to contact 0800 0288327 and re-register with the new address.
In the meantime, if you need further support please contact the Council on 0300 1231118 or you can request additional support through Volunteer Cornwall who can arrange help with shopping, collecting medicines or other practical help and support.
You can request a volunteer by ringing 01872 266988 or emailing requestforhelp@volunteercornwall.org.uk .
Arrangements are in place with local pharmacies to include prescription collection as part of this service. Please allow up to 10 days for your new details to be updated.
Can I get help collecting prescriptions?
If you need help collecting medical prescriptions, contact Volunteer Cornwall on 01872 266988 or email requestforhelp@volunteercornwall.org.uk. If there is a complex need or medical question, contact the Government’s helpline on 0800 0288327 or your GP.
I’m feeling worried by the situation -Can I get help?
If you are feeling isolated or worried by the current situation, call Volunteer Cornwall on 01872 266988 or email requestforhelp@volunteercornwall.org.uk.
The charity has a befriending service that can be as simple as providing some social contact or where necessary signposting or referring individuals to relevant agencies.
Who is on the shielded list?
You are shielded if you have received a letter from the Government advising that you are considered to be at high risk of severe illness if you contract Coronavirus because you have an underlying disease or health condition. You should self-isolate at home for at least 12 weeks and ask others for help with shopping and prescriptions. This ‘shielded’ category includes:
Continue reading- Organ transplant recipients
- People having treatments for some cancers
- People who have long-term lung disease or severe respiratory conditions including cystic fibrosis
- People with conditions which make their blood and cells work differently and get infections easily
- People taking immunosuppression medications which reduce the body’s response to fighting infections
- Women who are pregnant and have heart disease
Everyone in the shielding group, which covers all ages from young to old, is being asked to follow stricter social distancing rules than most people and cannot leave their homes, not even for essential shopping or exercise.
IMPORTANT: As soon as you receive your letter please register by going to the government website or calling 0800 0288327, the Government’s dedicated helpline, to confirm receipt of your shielding letter and discuss any help you may need. Please note you have to register for help to get assistance. You may be in touch with friends, family or a support network in your community who can help you to get food and medicine, but you still need to register to ensure that support can be provided should your circumstances change.
If you think you should be in the shielded category but have still not received a letter, or if you are unsure if you should be shielding or not, please exercise caution and contact your GP for advice. The decision to include a patient on the shielding list is a clinical one so please speak to your GP or consultant for help. If they agree your health condition puts you at a high clinical risk, they can then add you to the list. Where you are added to the list you will receive a patient letter.
It may take up to a week for the central list to be updated and when this has occurred you must register for support through the Government system via the government website or call 0800 0288327. If you cannot access the list i.e. your NHS number is not recognised you will need to contact your GP or consultant to follow-up.
If in the meantime if you need further support please contact the Council on 0300 1231118 or you can request additional support through Volunteer Cornwall who can arrange help with shopping, collecting medicines or other practical help and support. You can request a volunteer by ringing 01872 266988 or emailing requestforhelp@volunteercornwall.org.uk . Arrangements are in place with local pharmacies to include prescription collection as part of this service.
Central Government are coordinating weekly food deliveries for those who have requested support with essential supplies.
The Government food parcels do not cater for any special dietary requirements and therefore anyone who has dietary need can contact Volunteer Cornwall who can arrange a volunteer to contact you and deliver a tailored food order. This can be arranged by ringing 01872 266988 or emailing requestforhelp@volunteercornwall.org.uk.
Once you register your need for support, the Government will deliver a food parcel and will also ask participating supermarkets to give you priority access to their home delivery service. Local supermarkets that are offering priority delivery slots to people who are shielding will contact you, and you can register with your choice of supermarket.
Once you have registered with your chosen supermarket, you have the option to ask the Government to stop sending you food parcels if you no longer need them, or by telling the delivery driver that you refuse the next parcel). Provided you have registered with your chosen supermarket, you will retain priority access to their home delivery service, even if you cancel the Government’s emergency food parcels.
There are two ways to stop receiving the Government issued food parcels. Firstly, you ca inform the delivery driver that you no longer wish to receive parcels. The driver will then feed that information back to the Government and you will be removed from the food parcels distribution list.
Secondly, you can revisit the government website and answer ‘yes’ to the question: Do you have a way of getting essential supplies delivered at the moment? You will then be removed from the Government food parcel distribution list. However, there is a delay in the system being updated and you may receive another food parcel in the meantime.
You should revisit the government website and answer ‘no’ to the question: Do you have a way of getting essential supplies delivered at the moment?
You need to contact 0800 0288327 and re-register with the new address.
In the meantime, if you need further support please contact the Council on 0300 1231118 or you can request additional support through Volunteer Cornwall who can arrange help with shopping, collecting medicines or other practical help and support.
You can request a volunteer by ringing 01872 266988 or emailing requestforhelp@volunteercornwall.org.uk .
Arrangements are in place with local pharmacies to include prescription collection as part of this service. Please allow up to 10 days for your new details to be updated.
If you need help collecting medical prescriptions, contact Volunteer Cornwall on 01872 266988 or email requestforhelp@volunteercornwall.org.uk. If there is a complex need or medical question, contact the Government’s helpline on 0800 0288327 or your GP.
If you are feeling isolated or worried by the current situation, call Volunteer Cornwall on 01872 266988 or email requestforhelp@volunteercornwall.org.uk.
The charity has a befriending service that can be as simple as providing some social contact or where necessary signposting or referring individuals to relevant agencies.