Evening all.
i have just been reading the updated advice on the .gov website on lockdown 2, and note that MS is now listed for the clinically vulnerable.
is there any updated advice on the MS Society site re working during this phase 2?
many thanks
Hi, I thought MSers were only in the vulnerable list IF they were on DMDs which affect immunity.
Hopefully you`ll get more replies to explain.
As a personal note, I`m not on any DMDs, but have decided to stay home until Christmas anyway.
Boudsx
MS’ers have always been on the clinically vulnerable list. They don’t seem to be able to stick to the same terminology throughout this though, particularly across the different parts of the UK which doesn’t help. In England you are called ‘Clinically Vulnerable’, or in the past you may have been called ‘High Risk’. In Scotland you are called ‘Clinically Vulnerable (non shielding)’. All of these categories are the same and are sometimes referred to as ‘those who are eligible for a flu jab’. There is a category above all of this called ‘Extremely Clinically Vulnerable’ or ‘Extremely High Risk’ and those are the people who have always been told to shield to the highest possible level. If you are in this category you will know about it because you will have received a letter the first time. These are people who have very specific medical needs/problems/progression or some who have perhaps taken a certain kind of chemotherapy/immunotherapy. So we MS’ers are all clinically vulnerable, except for a proportion who really have an extreme risk to life. During the next month, I believe those Extremely Clinically Vulnerable must work from home, or refrain from work if they cannot work from home. The Clinically Vulnerable should work from home if possible, or ask their employer to make reasonable adjustments in order for you to be safe in work. I’m no expert but I think that’s the case.
Extremely Clinically Vulnerable should work from home or refrain from work and apply for sick pay or benefits
Clinically Vulnerable people are not subject to the conditions in the link above
So if you are a bog standard Clinically Vulnerable person like me, you have to continue work as best you can. And if your work is deemed ‘Covid safe’ then you can be made to attend. However there are exceptions to the rule such as if you are Clinically Vulnerable and have 1 or more additional issues such as obesity, asthma or diabetes. The more issues you have the more it raises your risk and you are supposed to speak to your GP or Specialist to check if you should be in the Extremely Vulnerable Category instead.
I’ve always found pages 3-5 of this document helpful as it specifies which DMT’s you may be on. Please just bear in mind this document is dated September and we are now November so some of this may be old advice.
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