Thread by @drlennardlee

1/x 🧵Let's talk about cancer patients, #immunocompromised, our UK #forgotten500k and COVID. Here's a incredible article by @EnnalsEthan at the @MailOnline and @DailyMailUK. Full post here 👉 dailymail.co.uk/health/article…. Here's what it reports.....

2/x The father unable to hug his teenage daughter 🫂, a retired nurse 👩‍⚕️unable to walk down the streets, the heartbreaking stories of the Britons with health conditions that mean they are still in self-isolation, shielding from COVID-19. They are the #immunocompromised ♥️🤎💜💙💚

3/x Imogen Dempsy said "my blood test show I have no protection against COVID-19". There is a drug that would provide protection to those that don't respond to the covid vaccines 😷👍. BUT...Evusheld is only available in the UK only to patients who are willing to pay for it. 😢

4/x Former Health Secretary Lord Lansley said "More than 30 countries are offering Evusheld but the UK 🇬🇧 has failed to do the same. It is a sad state of affairs. 😢. The government 🏦must purchase stocks of the drug. 💉

5/x @DHSCgovuk said that studies had "inhertent limitations", but international expert @AditGinde, has hit back. Interational opinion leader at Colorado, USA 🇺🇸 "We found that Evusheld is a life-saving drug. Evusheld allowed this population to see family and friends"

6/x French 🇫🇷 another international respected pandemic experts, @YannNgyn echoed this concern. "This is a bad decision. It is nonsense to say there isn't enough evidence to use Evusheld". He added "to argue more trials are needed when threat of covid is so great... is unethical"

7/x Private provision of the COVID drug will up to £1,600 afterwards. I said"This is deeply UPSETTING. Patients who can't afford this". I'll go further. People are now forced into UNFAIR SACRIFICES to get COVID protection which they really can't afford. 😭

8/x Charities have also condemmed the lack of action. @gemmapeters. "It should be available for everyone. What does it say about the country when we trail when it comes to offering compassion to the most vulnerable". 😲🤯🥹

9/x Thanks to #health & #socialjustice journalists like @EnnalsEthan + his successes here. There may now be a chance for the vulnerable 🥹😃☺️. We all hope he gets proper acknowledgement for his relentless pursuit of justice & health equality for those who don't have voice😳😩

10/x Other journalists have also carried similar news and maybe they might follow up. @hughesthenews
@TomChivers
@KatharineDC
@jeremyatmirror
@claremenglish
@WiTullis
@BBCFergusWalsh @mroliverbarnes
@Garethiacobucci. Their covered these stories (link)

11/x. We shall now see if democracy works and if global expertise will be acknowledged and teams brought in to deliver protection to the #forgotten500k by Christmas. 🎄🤶🧑‍🎄. They want to see family and hugged loved ones and be protected from COVID like us....

12/x But what about the position of @DHSCgovuk? "Our clinical expert advise there is insufficient evidence on the duration of protection offered by #evusheld & the government will not be procuring doses at this time". Good to read the article and come to your views...END