Last week the government announced that people currently shielding due to a variety of medical conditions could now leave their homes. The announcement, which hit the headlines the next morning, came as a complete surprise to England’s GPs and to NHS England.
NHS England’s head of primary care, Dr Nikita Kanani, tweeted that “as soon as she knew more, I will post on this thread. In the meantime continue to follow the guidance.”
There are around 2.2 million people who have been shielding since March. These are patients who are considered to be particularly vulnerable to the virus and they were advised to take stringent measures to prevent the infection entering their homes and not to leave their homes until 30 June.
The new guidance says that clinically extremely vulnerable people can now leave their home and meet with one other person, as long as they are able to maintain strict social distancing.
Full story in The Lowdown, 8 June 2020