Shielding pause ‘does not mean 100% free of risk’

Two days ago, advice on coronavirus shielding was officially ‘paused’. Acting political editor Will Hayward caught up with medical experts to find out what it means for 130,000 of Wales’ most vulnerable people...

FOR months, the people at most risk from coronavirus in Wales have been shielding. Since the crisis began, more than 130,000 people were told it was simply too dangerous to go out shopping, to school or out to work.

Now this major step in the Wales lockdown plan has been ‘paused’.

The drop in infection rates in Wales has allowed the relaxation in the advice for elderly and vulnerable people.

The Welsh Government has been sending out letters to those in the shielding category to advise them of the changes.

Although shielding is paused, the list of people on the vulnerable list will be maintained. In addition, a review will be undertaken of all children on the shielding list.

For many on the shielding list, it has been a period of serious hardship and loneliness.

Experts are keen to point out that the pausing of the shielding advice does not mean that it is 100% safe for people who were shielding to go out and about.

Dr Amesh Adalja, senior scholar, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, said: “When shielding is lifted by a government it doesn’t mean the virus has gone anywhere. It usually means there is enough capacity in the healthcare system to be able to deal with the cases.

“You don’t want people to get a false sense of security and think that any activity will be completely free of the virus because that is not going to be the case until we have a vaccine.”

According to Dr Adalja, people must “be very mindful of what your social interaction level is”.

He said: “Try and take simple precautions. Avoid crowds. If going to a grocery store, go during hours when there are less people there. Whoever you are interacting with, tell them what your comfort level is.”

Dr Adalja says that in the Western world we are not used to having to make these calculations.

“People are going to have to make calculated risk decisions,” he said.

“And most people in the developed world have not had to do that for a very long time because of antibiotics and vaccines and they are not very good at it.

“It will be important for vulnerable populations to continue to minimise their risk to the virus because there could be severe consequences.”

Ruth Hopkins, senior lecturer in public health, policy and social sciences at Swansea University, said that shielding people should take advantage of schemes like the priority home delivery slots.

She said: “As the shielding guidance has changed, a shielding person can still get priority delivery slots for home deliveries and prescriptions.

“They can go out walking, but they are still vulnerable so need to keep physical interaction limited, good advice is to wear an appropriate mask, wash and sanitise hands frequently, sanitise goods that come into your home, and keep to that golden two-metre rule.”

Letters sent out to those on the shielded patients list confirms they can stop shielding.

In the correspondence, Wales’ chief medical officer Dr Frank Atherton says: “When I first asked you to shield, the coronavirus infection rate was much higher than it is now.

“Shielding at home was the best way for you to stay safe. Infection rates in Wales are now very low and so your chances of catching coronavirus are much lower.

“In all of my advice to you, I have tried to find the right balance between the risks of coronavirus, and the harm that asking you to continue to shield can cause. Staying at home for long periods of time can harm your mental and physical health.”

Should it be required in the event of a rise in infections, asking people to shield in an area with high coronavirus cases remains an option.

Dr Atherton adds in his letter: “In the event of high numbers of coronavirus cases in a local area in Wales I will consider whether I need to ask people in that local area to shield.

“If this happens or advice changes for your area we will communicate with the public via local radio and television, and I will also write to you if I need to advise you to shield again.”