Associate Prof Oxford (NDM) & Birmingham University | NHS Oncologist | HMG advisor | @independentsage | #cancervaccines #personalviews
2/x. What is the background? Some individuals in our community are more prone to infections, they are called immunocomromised. There are ~ 500,000-1.5M with these conditions. When they get infections, they can fight it less well. 🙄 And the pandemic hit, this was a problem.
2/x It is relevant as healthcare systems develop strategies for living with SARS-CoV-2 as an endemic disease and informing individual discussions between cancer patients and their oncologists. And to ensure that no one is left behind or forgotten. 
2/x What's the issue ? The UK delivers successful cancer care. Year on year, people live longer and better lives. gov.uk/government/new…. 10% improved survival in 15 years. That is by achieved early diagnosis, having better treatment the best cancer staff, research. 😀🏆🇬🇧✊ 
2/x "The #forgotten500K are a group of immunocompromised patients who have not been prioritized during the pandemic and are experiencing higher ongoing levels of risk. The group started off as individuals asking for help while still in isolation during the pandemic.
2/x Why did they do it? Because 1⃣ cancer patients are at high risk from covid 📈 2⃣ Many don't get an immune response to vaccines 💉 3⃣ They wanted to find the scale of the problem 💥. So they decided to go global! 🌐 
2/x The father unable to hug his teenage daughter 🫂, a retired nurse 👩⚕️unable to walk down the streets, the heartbreaking stories of the Britons with health conditions that mean they are still in self-isolation, shielding from COVID-19. They are the #immunocompromised ♥️🤎💜💙💚 
2/x It feels wrong that if you are #immunocompromised and wealthy 💸, then you will get coronavirus protection, BUT... if you are #immunocompromised and poor 🪙👛, you can't. This is going to cause equality based on how much you earn. This doesn't feel right or British. 🇬🇧 
2/x It feels wrong that if you are #immunocompromised and wealthy 💸, then you will get coronavirus protection, BUT... if you are #immunocompromised and poor 🪙👛, you can't. This is going to cause equality based on how much you earn. This doesn't feel right or British. 🇬🇧 
2/x It's coming from the 500,000 who are immunocompromised who are at risk from COVID-19. Still unable to work, see friends or hug loved ones. They are #forgotten500k, unheard and calling on us to notice. They have collected donations to ask for help from power. Hence all the ads 
2/x What's the background? The pandemic continues. 👾Some people are at excess risk and can't hug loved ones, see family or enter normal life 😢. We all believe they are the #immunocompromised, but what does the data show? 💻 
Young physician leadership for United Kingdom, me to safeguard #immunocompromised 
2/x What's the background? There are half a million immunocompromised people in the UK. Many are still shielding, still in isolation, still unable to work, see friends or hug loved ones. They are #forgotten500k, unheard and calling on us to notice. 
2/x. He talked about how systems must learn & maintain learning. He talked about a lot of the new talent and expertise generated, particularly entrenching change. He talked about @PeterHorby & other oxford wins, like vaccination. I couldn't believe Oxford had such global reach.
2/x He said it is important to raise awareness of COVID-19. Many are suffering & people are still being hospitalisation & not recovering from it. 🧐 Health advocacy is important 💪. You must speak truth 🔊, use expertise, work for patients to appropriately lead emergency plans.
2/x For those who you don't know. @TheCrick is one of our UK's leading research 👩🔬💪heavy weights with some of the best scientists in the country like @stcshepherd @TurajlicLab @DavidLVBauer. For them to be weighing into the national pandemic landscape is timely & important 
2/x What's the issue......"With covid-19 cases rising 📈 and winter approaching, immunocompromised patients are frustrated at the government’s 🏦 inaction on rolling out the preventive drug" 💉 
2/x. It was done as many blood cancer🩸patients have no detectable immune response following coronavirus vaccination 💉. It is accepted that if you don’t respond to a vaccination, you aren’t as well protected from COVID-19. This answers the counter-argument- is this okay?