π§΅A letter, signed by Prof Jennifer Harries OBE, has informed parents of Clinically Extremely Vulnerable children that they are not CEV anymore.
Even being identified as needing a vaccine isn't a reason to shield.
NB/ Many (12-15) have still not received a first dose yet. 1/
Seeking to reassure parents
"Recent clinical studies have shown that children & young people are at very low risk of serious illness if they catch the virus. We are pleased to let you know that your child is therefore no longer considered to be clinically extremely vulnerable" 2/
...before the big blow...
"It is important that your child continues to attend their school or other educational settings."
* With a caveat that actually maybe your child is still CEV and "will still have to isolate or reduce their social contact".
3/
Next they remind parents about vaccines, which too many approved 12-15yos still can't access, but state that
"being eligible for vaccination does not mean that the child is considered to be clinically extremely vulnerable."
4/
Parents "will be pleased to know" that their child is no longer CEV.
Their mental health is a priority. Returning them to schools without any mitigations and high prevelance of an airborne infection is, it would appear, the antidote.
5/
Mental health has regularly been a focus for the DfE:
For children missing school for a couple of weeks in termtime (when school holidays have never caused such issues).
For Vulnerable parents whose fears for life were dismissed as 'anxiety' to keep their children in school.
6/
Once again, mental health is the reason.
Prioritising an unassessed, presumed, mental health condition above a proven physical health condition * all of whom have been flagged by medical professionals as high risk, a concern.
We have safe remote learning alternatives.
7/
Having children attending school during Covid with a threat to life in the household is like living with a gun to your head. Playing Russian Roulette each day.
That is the known threat to mental health.
Why would parents choose to put their child in the firing line?
8/
We have remote learning. If there is *any perceived threat to live* we have an obligation to protect it. Education never previously came with such a threat.
π¨Dame Kate Binghamπ¨
Dubbed the "hero in a pink jacket π"
On Evusheld:
"I felt very strongly [.]. We were following a very clear 2 tier strategy where the CV immunocompromised were being deprioritised [.] I felt that was *manifestly* wrong both ethically and morally [.]"
1/π§΅
The above video was taken out of sequence. The below should give more context...
KB "So actually, the first goal was around protecting the UK population."
CTI [Hugo Keith KC]
"Do you think you succeeded on securing or making available those monoclonal antibodies?"
KB "No!" 2/
Kate goes on to make the argument that by not protecting this population, we were also promoting viral mutation and the evolution of variants.
π¨Clinically Vulnerable Families - closing
** Shared in full**
Thanks to the @covidinquiryuk staff & team
"The vast majority of people who died [.] were Clinically Vulnerable [.] including people who caught Covid-19 in hospitals, which were supposed to be places of safety."
1/
"Most urgently, we need to make healthcare safe for Clinically Vulnerable people."
"And by making it safe for them - by improving ventilation and putting in place other protective measures - we make it safe for others too."
2/
π‘Shielding
CEV people are a diverse group with varied personal circumstances.
It provided a passport:
π Right to work from home
π· SSP entitlement
π Food & medicine deliveries
π Priority vaccine access
"aging estates meant that infection control measures could not always be fully implemented."
- Large open bays
- Inability to distance
- Lack of side rooms for isolating patients
- Lack of ventilation
1/
"The inquiry proceedings have laid bare the catastrophic consequences that are destined to be repeated without fundamental change."
2/
"healthcare workers were at higher risk of contracting Covid-19."
"The Health and Safety Executive [failed] to challenge adequacy of the IPC guidance, to act on concerns raised by [the BMA], and to ensure that employers compied with their health and safety responsibilities."