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Up to聽1.5 million people in England identified by the NHS as being at higher risk of severe illness if they contract聽coronavirus should stay at home to protect themselves,聽the government聽urged聽today (22 March 2020).聽

They will聽receive聽communication聽shortly with detailed advice on behalf of their GP practice or specialist on how best to protect themselves.聽聽

A raft of new measures,聽including聽a helpline for the most in need of support,聽have been set out for those considered to be extremely vulnerable due to their medical conditions, so people know exactly how to care for themselves and others in the coming months.聽聽聽

It was also announced that聽a聽new Local Support System will make sure those individuals self-isolating at home and who are without a support network of friends and family will receive聽basic groceries. Community pharmacies will support those who need help getting their medicines delivered.聽聽

The government is working with a partnership of the groceries industry, local government, local resilience and emergency partners, and voluntary groups, to ensure that essential items can start to be delivered as soon as possible to those who need it.聽

The聽people identified as the most聽vulnerable聽in their communities will be contacted directly 鈥� including in person where necessary 鈥撀燼s a priority.聽

Members of the armed forces,聽already in local communities聽helping Local Resilience Forums and local councils on their coronavirus response plans,聽will support this effort聽and are at the heart of local planning in response to this crisis.聽聽聽聽

Communities Secretary the Rt Hon Robert聽Jenrick聽MP said:

Public safety and making sure that those most at risk from the virus continue to get the support they need throughout this period is the Government鈥檚 top priority.聽People聽should stay at home,聽protect our NHS and save lives.聽

This will be an especially worrying time for those with serious underlying health conditions and that is why we are urgently acting to ensure聽extremely vulnerable individuals聽are taking extra steps to shield themselves, and that the essential items they need are supplied to them.聽

We will ensure that vulnerable and older people in our society are left in no doubt of their importance to us and our determination to protect them as best we can. More people will be required to be by themselves at home. While they are on their own, let鈥檚 guarantee that they are never alone.

Up to聽1.5 million people in England currently live with conditions, or are taking medication or receiving treatment, which health experts have identified puts them at a much greater risk of developing serious complications if they get the virus, which may mean they need hospital treatment.聽聽聽

This includes, for example, those who have received organ transplants, are living with severe respiratory conditions such as cystic fibrosis and聽severe chronic bronchitis (COPD)聽or specific cancers like of the blood or bone marrow.

And聽some 鈥� though not all 鈥� of those receiving聽certain types of聽drug聽treatments聽including ones which suppress the immune system 鈥� leaving the body less able to fight off the virus.聽聽聽

People identified as belonging to one or more of the at-risk groups will聽be contacted by聽their GP practice, specialist or both聽strongly advising them to stay at home for a period of at least聽12聽weeks.聽聽

In the first instance they will receive a letter this week and, where mobile number is known, the NHS will also send聽frequent聽text messages聽shortly聽to those in this group, to reach the most at risk as quickly as possible with advice.聽聽

These communications聽will set out to reassure them that their ongoing medical needs will be met by the聽NHS, and聽contain advice and guidance on how to manage their condition while self-isolating, including getting prescriptions delivered and accessing support for daily living.聽聽

For the individuals most at risk of the illness, these actions will save lives.聽

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said:

We are working incredibly hard, day and night, to protect the nation鈥檚 public health whilst supporting our NHS so it can continue to look after patients in need of care.聽聽

It is vital that we do everything we can to protect ourselves, our families and our friends from being impacted by the virus. But for those who are at the highest risk in our society, we聽have to聽do even more to ensure they鈥檙e kept safe.聽聽

Whether it鈥檚 going shopping for a neighbour in need, or keeping inside if you know you鈥檙e at risk, we all have a part to play in protecting the welfare of those who are most vulnerable.

Dr Paul Johnstone, Director at Public Health England,聽said:聽

The NHS are contacting the people who are most vulnerable to developing a very serious illness as a result of COVID-19 with specific advice to stay at home for聽at least聽12 weeks.聽聽

If you receive a letter it is vitally important that you act on it for your own protection, don鈥檛 attend any gatherings of friends or families and don鈥檛 go out for shopping, leisure or travel.聽聽

Those of us who are less at risk can play our part in protecting other people by following the government鈥檚 advice on social distancing and volunteering to give extra support to vulnerable people who are staying at home.

The guidance聽for people at the highest risk聽is:聽聽聽

• Strictly avoid contact with someone who is displaying symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19). These symptoms include high temperature and/or new and continuous cough.
• Do not leave your house聽for at least 12 weeks starting on Monday 22 March.
• Do not attend any gatherings. This includes gatherings of friends and families in private spaces e.g. family homes, weddings, parties聽and religious services.
• Do not go out for shopping, leisure or travel and, when arranging food or medication deliveries, these should be left at the door to minimise contact.
• Keep in touch using remote technology such as phone, internet, and social media.
• Do use telephone or online services to contact your GP practice or other essential services as and when you need.

Further Information

See the guidance on shielding and protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable.

Full list of those falling into the extremely vulnerable group:

• solid organ transplant recipients
• people with specific cancers
• people with cancer who are undergoing active chemotherapy or radical radiotherapy for lung cancer
• people with cancers of the blood or bone marrow such as leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma who are at any stage of treatment
• people having immunotherapy or other continuing antibody treatments for cancer
• people having other targeted cancer treatments which can affect the immune system, such as protein kinase inhibitors or PARP inhibitors.
• people who have had bone marrow or stem cell transplants in the last 6 months, or who are still taking immunosuppression drugs.
• people with severe respiratory conditions including all cystic fibrosis, severe asthma and severe COPD
• people with rare diseases and inborn errors of metabolism that significantly increase the risk of infections (such as SCID, homozygous sickle cell disease)
• people on immunosuppression therapies聽sufficient聽to significantly increase risk of infection
• women who are pregnant聽and who also have聽significant heart disease, congenital or acquired