Coronavirus (COVID-19): shielding advice and support

People who have had a transplant of heart, lung, stomach or other part of intestine, liver and kidney. This is because of the medication taken to stop rejection of the transplanted organ.

• People with cancer who are undergoing active chemotherapy. Or people who have had radical radiotherapy for lung cancer.
• People with cancers of the blood or bone marrow who are at any stage of treatment. This includes cancers such as leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma.
• People with cancer who are having immunotherapy or other continuing antibody treatments.
• People with cancer who are having specialised treatments that can affect the immune system. This includes protein kinase inhibitors or PARP inhibitors.
• People who have had bone marrow or stem cell transplants in the last 6 months. Or people who are still taking immunosuppression drugs.

• People with cystic fibrosis.
• People who are on home oxygen for a lung condition.
• People with severe asthma and on regular inhalers and long-term steroid tablets. For example, Prednisolone or regular injections to control your asthma.
• People with severe COPD. This usually means being on several different inhaler medications in the last year. As well as a steroid inhaler, this must include two long acting preventers. For example, Long Acting Beta Agonists and Long Acting Anti-Muscarinic Antagonists. Severe COPD means that:
  • You are too breathless to walk 100 yards
  • You have 2 or more lung infections a year or
  • You need oxygen to help with your breathing

This includes inborn errors of metabolism that significantly increase the risk of infections. For example, SCID and homozygous sickle cell disease.

There are many conditions classed as a rare disease. Not everyone with a rare disease will be in the shielding group

Your clinician will know if you should be in the highest risk group and will add you to the list if needed. Once added you will receive a letter.

Immunosuppressive therapy helps to stop rejection of a bone marrow or organ transplant. It can also treat conditions in which the immune system is overactive. For example, autoimmune diseases and allergies.

In some cases these treatments may put people into the shielding group. Your clinician can determine if your medications put you in this group.

• People on high dose corticosteroids (equal to Prednisolone 20mg or more) for 4 weeks or more.
• People on specific single therapies, e.g. Cyclophosphamide. These medications are usually prescribed by specialists in hospitals.
• People on lower dose of corticosteroids in combination with other disease modifying medication.
• People on disease modifying medications who also have other chronic medical conditions.
• People who take some medication and are otherwise healthy may not need to be in the shielding group. This includes single Disease Modifying medications (DMARD). It also includes Biologic medications such as Methotrexate, Azathioprine, Ciclosporin, Leflunomide plus others. Discuss this with your specialist or GP if you are not sure.

People who are receiving renal dialysis treatment

People receiving and people starting renal dialysis.