news

"An organ transplant recipient who could not vote last year as she wears a face mask has hailed an outdoor ID check system."

Note/ CVF would like to make it clear that a local trial was in place and no such "new rule" exists

"The UK Covid-19 Inquiry will hear from hundreds of young people about the lasting effects of the Covid-19 pandemic to form legal evidence for future recommendations."

"A recent episode of the hospital drama Casualty misrepresented the very serious risks that Covid still poses. Jane Stevenson wrote to the BBC to explain just how wrong they’d got it.

On Saturday 9 March, an episode of Casualty was broadcast, “Trauma”, which created a lot of upset. After reading a robust Twitter/X post by Clinically Vulnerable Families, I watched the episode myself. I am writing to complain that a storyline in this episode amplified Covid misinformation and missed out some crucial context."

"Andrea Barrett, who had a heart transplant as a child and is medically vulnerable, is challenging ‘discriminatory’ new voter ID rules after being told she could not vote at polling station unless she removed her mask"

"People with medical conditions and allergies who have been unable to get Covid vaccines will finally be able to access their first jab – but it will cost them £45.

The Novavax vaccine is set to go on sale privately throughout Britain from 1 April this year.

This will mean that those previously unable to obtain the Pfizer or Moderna vaccinations due to potential adverse reactions may now be able to receive a Covid jab because Novavax is a different kind of vaccine."

"Protesters gathered outside St Thomas’ Hospital on Monday to hand out leaflets and face masks as they demanded changes to “flawed” infection control guidelines in place across the NHS."

"A Government campaign that encourages parents to send their children to school despite them having a runny nose or stomach ache has been criticised as “patronising, insulting and dangerous”.

Families with serious health issues reacted furiously to the campaign to boost school attendance, accusing the Department for Education (DfE) of “dangerous messaging” that ignored the needs and safety of the clinically vulnerable.

“I couldn’t believe it when I saw these attendance ads,” said Michelle Bulloch, the mother of clinically extremely vulnerable twins. "

"Clinically vulnerable patients such as David Brown have voiced concerns at being denied a newer XBB vaccine despite it being more effective against the JN.1 strain"

"A woman classed as clinically vulnerable has said she is concerned about the end to the Covid-19 booster vaccination programme.

Sarah Steven, from Buckinghamshire, believes people "need vaccines to protect them all year round because there are no mitigations in place"."

"It is 1.35pm and I’m having to explain coronavirus transmission to a nurse. I am due an appointment at 2.30, and I’ve been phoned because I say I’m clinically vulnerable. I ask whether the nurse has an N95 mask (as they’re proved to be most effective). She does not. I ask whether she and the team are taking weekly lateral flow tests, like her colleague said. She is not, and is unsure why that was promised.

“We don’t need to do that any more,” she says breezily. What she means is: she has no official duty to do so any more. Clinically vulnerable (CV) patients still “need” the Covid-19 protections. They just don’t get them."

"Changes to the way Covid treatments are obtained by those most at risk from the disease could lead to a “postcode lottery” for access, experts have said, with charities saying that patients have been left confused and frustrated by the new system.

Previously, people eligible for Covid treatments in England were contacted by their local Covid Medicines Delivery Unit (CMDU) once they reported testing positive for the virus."

"NHS England has been criticised for a lack of transparency and communication, with a pharmacist saying the change of plan will likely "catch patients off guard".

NHS England is set to push back the joint COVID-19 and flu autumn booster vaccination programme in a move criticised by clinically vulnerable patients and leading pharmacists.

While school-aged children will be able to receive the flu shot from 1 September, adults aren't expected to start getting flu and COVID vaccines until October, a month later than recent years."

"This year's local elections are the first time voters have had to show photographic ID."

"As part of that process, the Covid-19 infection survey has been paused ahead of a review by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). My unease over this has only grown since the last updated was published. I believe this will potentially have a serious knock-on effect for thousands of clinically vulnerable Britons."

“When parents are regularly contacting the school and asking for help and support and trying to work out a plan to get their children back to school safely, they shouldn’t be taken to court.”"

"Lara Wong, founder of campaign group Clinically Vulnerable Families, said the decision was minimising the lived experience of high risk individuals to the point they are not even worthy of a mention."

"The campaign group Clinically Vulnerable Families (CVF) made the call at a preliminary hearing of the inquiry’s third module, which will examine health systems across the UK."

"Campaigners said parents were ‘incredibly concerned’ and many felt they had no choice but to risk potential fines and prosecutions by keeping their children home ahead of the end of term"

"Families with clinically vulnerable children are “incredibly concerned” about the Strep A outbreak and have it"

"Jeremy Hunt vowed to protect disabled people, but in his Autumn Statement he once again hits those can't work, leaving them to suffer"

"Push to get children back to the classroom leaves families with severe health conditions feeling their needs are not being met"

"On this briefing, we had a discussion on Covid safety, especially with regard to the #CEV community, with guests Dr Lennard Lee, Lara Wong & Cathy Finnis, hosted by Dr Stephen Griffin & Prof Sheena Cruickshank, chaired by Prof Anthony Costello & numbers by Prof Christina Pagel."

"The former judge promised that the inquiry would ‘not drag on for decades, producing reports when it is too late for them to do any good’."

"Generous i readers have offered free tuition to Lana Collie-James for GCSE resits as the teenager prepares to start college with fresh hope for her art course dreams"

"Lana Collie-James’ GCSE results are a ‘world away’ from her predicted grades, says her mother Anna who believes her daughter was ‘massively let down’ and that the needs of clinically vulnerable families were dismissed"

"Covid testing for people without symptoms in care homes and hospitals to be scrapped at the end of August"

"On this briefing we had a session on ‘Creating Safe Environments’, with guests Dr. David Tomlinson, Lara Wong and Assc Prof Lena Ciric, session hosted by Prof Trish Greenhalgh & Prof Susan Michie, Dr Guddi Singh as chair & Prof Christina Pagel on numbers."

"Fears growing that energy bills could top £3,200 - meaning millions won't be able to afford heating"

"One mum reveals she won't go to hospital for a heart procedure while another vulnerable patient believes removing the mask mandate in clinical settings will not only put people at risk of Covid, but increase staffing pressure on the NHS."

"Exclusive: ‘We will have a new wave of infections this month,’ warns Professor Christina Pagel"

"A teenager says she has been forced to teach herself her GCSEs while shielding to protect her vulnerable mother because her school has not provided adequate resources."

"In this briefing, Independent SAGE along with several unions the Covid-19 Safety Pledge & had discussion on how to keep public spaces safe. With guests Janet Newsham, Tracy Edwards, Lara Wong and many others, chaired by Professor Stephen Reicher, hosted by Professor Anthony Costello and numbers presented by Dr. Deepti Gurdasani."

"Unions back scheme to ensure healthy working environments

"A coalition of safety campaigners, trade unions and public health experts are battling to make workplaces safe from Covid infections."

"Patients have reported being turned away by GPs and hospital doctors, while others say they’ve been ‘pushed from pillar to post’ in an attempt to get hold of the medication"

"Some 1.3 million very high-risk people are still in lockdown, fearing for their lives as the Government lifts Covid curbs."

"The health service said it had procured nearly five million doses of Paxlovid and other antivirals, such as Molnupiravir, as part of a deal struck with the government."

"High-risk patients are being left without the life-saving meds they were told they are entitled to.

People who are were previously told to shield from coronavirus have been unable to access antiviral medications, despite the government’s promise to offer the drugs to those “at highest risk of becoming seriously ill” after testing positive."

"Free badges and lanyards for those worried about Covid risks in public are useless because no one knows what the symbols mean, people who shielded during the pandemic have said."

"People are being reminded they still have responsibilities as the end of coronavirus rules could see society's most vulnerable, including tens of thousands people in Bradford, "rolling the dice" every time they go out."

"The end of coronavirus restrictions could impact society's most vulnerable people, including more than 25,000 previously identified in Shropshire, charities have warned."

"The end of coronavirus rules could impact society's most vulnerable people, including more than 10,000 previously identified in Somerset West and Taunton, charities have warned."

"The end of coronavirus rules could impact society's most vulnerable people, including more than 10,000 previously identified in Blackburn with Darwen."

"The end of coronavirus rules could impact society's most vulnerable people, including almost 100,000 previously identified across Staffordshire and the Black Country, charities have warned."

"Over 11,000 people in South Tyneside are vulnerable because of the ending of coronavirus rules, charities have warned."

"The end of coronavirus rules could impact society's most vulnerable people, including more than 10,000 previously identified in Arun, charities have warned."

"Over 20,000 people in Northumberland are vulnerable because of the ending of coronavirus rules, charities have warned."

"The end of coronavirus rules could impact society’s most vulnerable people, including more than 10,000 previously identified in Herefordshire, charities have warned."

"The end of coronavirus rules could impact society's most vulnerable people, including tens of thousands previously identified in Doncaster, charities have warned."

'"Removing restrictions means risk of catching Covid will increase', says group founder"

"People who were previously classed as ‘extremely clinically vulnerable’ will instead need to contact their GP or consultant for health advice on Covid, i understands"