The final preliminary hearing for the Children & Young People’s module was today, CVF, again, made the case for safety.

Children's deaths *would* have been higher if many Clinically Vulnerable families had not kept their children away from schools.

⚠️Long thread
1/ 💔 88 children died (2020 - October 2022)

In the first year of the pandemic:

🏥6,338 paediatric Covid admissions
❤️‍🩹259 needed intensive care

2/

Today @BBCMoreOrLess discussed pandemic impacts on Children & Young People:

"It turned out that they would be spared from the worst impacts of the disease."

The specific impacts on CV children, those in CV families or struggling with Long Covid were barely considered.

1/🧵 Dr Munroe dismissed risks to children:

"Covid itself had a relatively small clinical impact on young people."

In reality, CEV children were told to shield due to their risks. Over 200 children have died, and with a different response those deaths may have been preventable.
2/

This 3yr anniversary that won't be in the news!

When the UK government rolled out the "Living with Covid" policy it simply scrapped protections and shifted to personal responsibility. For most, it meant "back to normal." For Clinically Vulnerable people, life became harder.
1/🧵 The plan was based on a single assumption: that vaccines alone would be enough... vaccines due to be withdrawn this Autumn.

But for millions who are Clinically Vulnerable, vaccines weren’t a magic bullet. Protection wasn’t universal and some were left with little to none.

2/

😅CVF are relieved to announce that we will be representing you in the final section of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry looking at the 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆.

It will consider the effects on keyworkers, vulnerable populations, bereaved, & mental health.

1/12 *Stick with this* Protective measures were often described as "restrictions" and the lifting of measures described as the return of "freedom".

2/

🚨Clinically Vulnerable Families 💙💜💗

Our oral closing statement highlights 5 key concerns - however, further details will be explored in depth in our later written submissions.

1: Therapeutics programme - wasn't good enough!

1/ The immunosuppressed were left behind.

2/

🚨Prof Sir Pirmohamed

"Would you support the development of a more diverse portfolio of vaccine formats and antivirals, both as part of future pandemic preparedness plans and during [.] 'peace time' to ensure that Clinically Vulnerable groups are adequately protected?"

1/ "Absolutely, I think it is really important to make sure that we have good therapeutics and vaccines for the whole population."

2/

🚨JCVI - Wei Shen Lim🚨

Find out more about what led to his reaction below ⬇️

1/🧵 Do you agree that mRNA COVID-19 vaccine protection has been shown to wane after 5-6m?
WSL: Yes

Covid-19 has not transitioned into a seasonal virus like influenza?
WSL: Yes

If so, why did the JCVI not recommend more frequent vaccinations for all clinically vulnerable groups?

2/

🚨Dame Kate Bingham🚨
Dubbed the "hero in a pink jacket 💕"

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/🧵 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/

💥Clinically Vulnerable Families 💥

Yesterday, @lara_wong, took the stand as founder and leader of CVF.
**Sorry for the delay!**

- New risks posed by Covid-19
- We need to be recognised as an equality group.

1/ FOLLOW THIS THREAD Clinically Vulnerable people were, and are still, being let down.

2/

💊 Important 🧵 - 'flu antivirals 💊

Here’s a quick thread on what you need to know about accessing antivirals for treatment and prevention in the UK.

1/ When are antivirals recommended?

Antivirals are advised for:
💙💜💗 High-risk groups (see list below)
🏥 People with severe symptoms or those hospitalised.

Early action is vital!

2/

🚨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/

🚨 British Medical Association - closing

"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/

🚨 @cymru_inquiry Covid Bereaved🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿
Anne-Louise Marsh-Rees, Co-Leader.
Great witness!

🩺Symptoms were unclear
🛡Shielding comm confusing
⛔️Protect the NHS

Please do look at this whole 🧵
1/ No communication with the people who were affected. They have had to work hard to lobby for changes.

2/

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 👇

1/🧵 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/

🚨COVID INQUIRY ROUND UP (Wk 7)

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".

1/ "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/

Questioning Jenny Harries is "like pinning jelly to a wall", according to one CVF💙💜💗 member!

Thanks @AdamWagner1 for trying!
🧱🍮🔨

"People should be enabled to wear what they wish, as long as it's safe."
"FRSMs recommended because of issues of handling and fit-testing."
1/ Would you agree that FFP3 masks, if fit-tested, mean that the Clinically Vulnerable patient *is* safer, they don't just "feel safer"[.]?

🔨 'Hierarchy of controls'
🍮 Don't want to tell people - no harm
🧱 Difference feeling safe and effective PPE. Equally support FRSM

2/

🚨Shielding Expert🚨

Prof @helen_snooks was on the shielding patient list herself.

She was keen to research evidence on effectiveness.

1/ In Prof Snooks' report, she found no evidence that shielding reduced C19 infections (except in rheumatoid arthritis patients).

She identified that hospital-acquired infections were higher, and there were no sustained effects.

2/

♻️ 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 * !!!!

1/
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.

2/

💥Clinically Vulnerable Families 💥

Quite a moment as Dr Catherine Finnis take the stand as volunteer deputy leader of CVF.

1/ FOLLOW THIS THREAD A brief introduction to CVF

We were founded due to the risks in schools, but the inquiry is focused on the risks in healthcare in this module.

2/

🚨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

1/ 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 The Welsh CMO, Sir Frank Atherton, spoke about "broadly accepting" advice from the now highly contentious 'IPC cell' led by Dr Lisa Ritchie.

2/

https://x.com/cv_cev/status/1840764394562535837?t=mdvneT6r8oaPwLIOBoeXvw&s=19

🚨COVID INQUIRY ROUND UP (Wk 3)
⚠️This week was bookended with heavy testimony.

We heard from:
Expert GP Prof Edwards
College of Paramedics, Tracy Nicholls
Dr Mulholland
CMOs ☘️ 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
and Prof Kevin Fong

🚫 Shielding expert Prof Snooks

For more ⬇️
1/

https://x.com/cv_cev/status/1838151874446340201

Please click through to read subthreads if you missed them. 🙏

Prof @adriangkedwards

2/

https://x.com/cv_cev/status/1838188025227960773?t=5Gx-qbUR8e_ovh4C-YFjTg&s=19