Advice for those Shielding
Thank you for your email and attached letter of 18th of May to the First Minister regarding shielding advice for families affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
As your concerns fall within my policy area I have been asked to reply.
I know that this is a very worrying time, especially for those who have a significant underlying illnesses. Their safety and the continued provision of the care and treatment they need is a priority for the Scottish Government and the NHS in Scotland.
As you know, we have been writing to those who are identified as being very high risk of severe illness from coronavirus and asking them to ‘shield’.
The guidance from the Chief Medical Officer sets out the measures we are asking people to take to protect themselves. The letter also provides guidance and local support to help those who are advised to shield.
I absolutely recognise that these measures are extremely tough and it impacts quality of life. For this reason, we are ensuring people are only advised to shield when it is absolutely necessary.
The points you raise are ones we are also hearing from those who are shielding. I recognise that shielding will become increasingly challenging as advice changes for other people.
We are committed to an honest conversation with those who are shielding and with their families about the support they need, the evidence about the risks they face, and maintaining a quality of life while shielding.
We are at the start of this process, and we will be working with various stakeholders including your organisation as this work progresses.
Kind regards
Sarah Manson, Communications and Correspondence Team.
Things like this dont happen….do they?