Unfortunately, time and again, our needs have not been considered.
Clinically Vulnerable people have a 5.4x increased risk of Long Covid and an 8.5x increased risk of death (data from the final ONS Covid survey).
Withdrawing protections from schools has hit us hardest.
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Our increased risks, without any protections in place, make our lives more difficult and impact our children - even if they are attending school. It is a barrier to attendance and a barrier to learning.
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Many Clinically Vulnerable Families no longer feature in official attendance data, as they have been off-rolled, because schools and local authorities do not want their own data blighted.
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Clinically Vulnerable Families reject the incredibly distasteful title "Ghost Children".
Minimum estimates for Covid Orphans continue to grow.
Because by not protecting our children were are not protecting their households, families and communities.
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We have been collecting data,
We hope to share it with the Education Committee Inquiry into attendance, but we have yet to be invited to share our oral evidence.
Even winter pressures on healthcare affected our school attendance.
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All children are now frequently getting sick with Covid itself, as it remains in high prevalence year-round. This also has a direct impact on attendance figures.
Whilst some people may be asymptomatic, others can take a long time to recover - if they ever do...
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Children are developing post-viral conditions such as T1 diabetes which make them Clinically Vulnerable.
And highly vulnerable children are now locked out of high demand special schools due to a shortfall in provision.
However, there is something they could do...
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And it isn't recycling the old "Schools Bill" to crack down harder on struggling parents.
Because fines, prosecutions, social services referrals, and school attendance orders are blunt instruments, which only make matters worse and won't fix our problem.
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All we are asking for is a safe learning environment. It is a very simple and basic request.
Because even those who are in school are struggling. How can children learn or perform when 'personal responsibility' means that they are constantly managing risk?
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💙 We want to *live* with Covid
💜 #educationANDlives are essentials
💗 Everyone needs safe schools
Let's invest in health. Air filtration can reduce the risks for everyone.
By reducing Covid, 'flu, Strep A. & RSV we improve pupil & staff attendance and community health.
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Join us in the unmentionable place to find the most supportive community and to contribute to our attendance survey:
Search for : Clinically Vulnerable Families
Additionally, please complete the DfE survey requesting evidence on children missing from education.
Who will get a Covid booster in 2025? Far fewer than before...
The JCVI decision means that Clinically Vulnerable people u70 and who aren't immunosuppressed lose access.
“Cost-effectiveness” prioritised over protection.
NEW CONCERNING STUDY 👇
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Until now, Covid vaccine policy prioritised protecting 'at risk' groups.
Their approach focuses on “cost-effectiveness,” raising age thresholds. Not providing vaccine protection to younger Clinically Vulnerable. It’s a deeply worrying change.
This data may have been used. 2/
Younger Clinically Vulnerable people e.g. those with chronic heart failure, COPD, or diabetes could be excluded.
The study admits data for our group is limited, meaning the most at-risk could fall through the cracks.
*It is unclear if the study was used in decision-making.*
Rosemary Gallagher MBE (Professional Lead for Infection Prevention and Control at the Royal College of Nursing) supported non-IP specialists e.g. aerosols experts "shaping guidance".
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"If Covid-19 was, in fact, airborne [.] it had implications for infection prevention and control guidance [.]"
"What was the NHS estate going to do to make it safe?"
"Improving the ventilation or looking at other technologies [.]." 2/
Next, possibly the best quote from Baroness Hallett this week:
♻️ RETWEET if you think that Clinically Vulnerable people (those at the most risk from Covid) were economically impacted by the pandemic. ♻️
The @covidinquiryuk rejected us for this module, leaving us with * NO VOICE * !!!!
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Clinically Vulnerable (CV) people and their families faced, and in many cases continue to face, enormous economic strain.
For many, shielding was the only safe option, but it came with serious costs—lost jobs, reduced hours, and in many cases, the inability to work at all.
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Without protections, CV people and their families couldn’t simply return to “business as usual” as measures lifted.
Many continued shielding, at their own expense, as they were unable to risk exposure. For some, this meant months / even years out of the workforce.
🚨COVID INQUIRY ROUND UP (Wk 4)
Due to sickness, this week of evidence ended early.
CMO 🏴
Impact witnesses:
Ambulance, GPs, Intensive Care
Former medical director of WHSCT
National Ambulance Adviser NHS England
Intensive Care Experts and witnesses
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🏴 The Welsh CMO, Sir Frank Atherton, spoke about "broadly accepting" advice from the now highly contentious 'IPC cell' led by Dr Lisa Ritchie.