1/ Last night, the Govt issued new guidance for everyone who is clinically extremely vulnerable, but we need specific support for 500,000 people within the group who have compromised immune system and who, as this guidance recognises, the vaccines may not work as well for.
2/ If the Government thinks this constitutes adequate support for people with blood cancer at a time when many of them are hugely worried about the spread of the virus, I am afraid we can add it to the long list of times the Government has let them down.
3/ This guidance contains little by way of practical support for people with blood cancer as they try to keep safe over the difficult weeks ahead.
4/ In particular, the advice about how people can make sure their workplaces are covid safe will seem out of touch with reality for people with blood cancer working in busy workplaces like factories, restaurants and hospitals, or who do not have a sympathetic employer.
5/ While the clinically extremely vulnerable will still be eligible for furlough for a few weeks, there is something faintly Victorian about them having to rely on the agreement of their employer for this - it should be something they are entitled to.
6/ Much of what the Government is suggesting people do in their daily lives is sensible advice for people with blood cancer, but sensible advice is only worth having if it is read by the people it is useful for.
7/ This document contains nothing about how it will be communicated, and yet we know that 80% of people with blood cancer have not even been told by the NHS that their weakened immune systems means the vaccine is less likely to have worked for them.
8/ If they do not know this, they are not in a position to make their own informed choices. Last week, @sajidjavid assured Parliament that immunocompromised people will be informed, but there is still no detail on when and how this will happen.
9/ Given the rising infection rate, every further day of delay meant thousands more lives being put at risk for the want of people being sent a letter giving them the facts.
10/ We know this is a difficult time for people with blood cancer. If you want to talk about it, our support line is on 0808 2080 888.
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