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.
Meningitis
* Important thread for those who prefer balanced and factual information *
In order to understand risk we need to break down a few things....
π¦ Risk from the bacteria
πππ Individual risk
π Environmental risks 1/
The Kent outbreak is predominantly MenB (Group B). This is a serious infection - and potentially an adapted strain - investigations are ongoing...
Bacterial meningitis is rare but more severe than viral, and up to 1 in 10 cases of bacterial meningitis in the UK is fatal.
2/
MenB isn't new. There are around 300 cases of MenB per year in the UK, even with vaccination programmes.
What's unusual is the cluster - multiple cases linked to a single location in a short window. It has now spread to a student at a second university in Canterbury, Kent. 3/
UK COVID INQUIRY - CVFπππ
@AdamWagner1 Closing Submissions
The Covid Inquiry has good ventilation protocols (as advised by CVF at the start of the Inquiry) including HEPA filters.
Under 1000ppm is therefore the safe threshold ( but without it would be under 800ppm).
1/
We need to understand airborne transmission in order to make all indoor environments safer for everyone, and especially for Clinically Vulnerable people.
2/
The need for Clinically Vulnerable people to have:
CVF were concerned that many older people, who were at high risk, were not supported to shield - which included advice on how to stay safe, as well as food deliveries and community outreach.
π¨ NEW DfE GUIDANCE
- VENTILATION & AIR QUALITY -
Clean air matters - especially for #ClinicallyVulnerable children, staff and families. This is an important recognition that airborne transmission is preventable.
1/
But the proposed COβ thresholds are too high. 800ppm should be the upper limit - not 1500ppm. By 1500ppm, air is already significantly rebreathed. Thatβs not a precautionary standard for children, let alone those at higher risk.
If weβve learned anything from the pandemic, itβs that minimum compliance is not the same as safety. #ClinicallyVulnerable pupils cannot βchooseβ lower exposure if the baseline standard is poor.
3/
We would encourage you to watch @lara_wong 's inquiry evidence in full.
However, out amazing team have clipped these extracts for you!
1/
CVF's Survey
In the summer of 2025, CVF gathered in depth survey evidence about the impacts of the pandemic on CV households - which has now been shared multiple times to inquiry experts and others.
2/
People were commonly told that
"They should hurry up and die so that they could get their lives back."
π¨ Profs Herrick & @Azeem_Majeed on clinical vulnerability
We are grateful that data collected by CVF (last year) was used by @covidinquiryuk to highlight some of the ongoing impacts faced by Clinically Vulnerable people.
1/
You can have a sneak (advanced) peak at @lara_wong's witness statement on behalf of Clinically Vulnerable Families...
Many and varied consequences (relating to mental health) were identified. 2/
Long term mental health impacts persist to this day.