The Government has updated its advice for those at very high risk of severe illness from coronavirus (COVID-19) because of an underlying health condition, and for their family, friends and carers. It is intended for use in situations where an ‘extremely vulnerable’ person is living in their own home, with or without additional support.
The exact definition of ‘extremely vulnerable’ is included in the advice. Of particular note to the brain tumour community is that the definition of ‘extremely vulnerable’ includes:
- People with cancer who are undergoing active chemotherapy
- People having immunotherapy or other continuing antibody treatments for cancer
- People having other targeted cancer treatments which can affect the immune system
If you, another person in your household or someone you care for is deemed ‘extremely vulnerable’ then the Government has issued guidance on steps to be taken to minimise the risk of infecting the extremely vulnerable person. These steps are called ‘shielding’.
The full details of ‘shielding’ are included in the advice.
It is your choice to decide whether to undertake shielding. The NHS in England is directly contacting people with these conditions to provide further advice.
If you think you may be an ‘extremely vulnerable’ person and you have not been contacted by your GP or hospital by Sunday 29th March 2020, you should discuss your concerns with your GP or hospital clinician.
If you think shielding might be relevant to your situation, please carefully read the Government’s advice.
If you have more general questions about COVID-19 and cancer, then you can also read these FAQs.
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