Guidance

COVID-19: guidance on protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable

Information for protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable from coronavirus (COVID-19).

• From: Public Health England and Department of Health and Social Care
• Published: 21 March 2020
• Last updated: 28 July 2021 — See all updates

• Applies to: England (see publications for Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland)

Documents

Guidance on protecting people who are clinically extremely vulnerable from COVID-19

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Guidance on protecting people who are clinically extremely vulnerable from COVID-19 (large print)

PDF, 183KB, 23 pages

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Details

This guidance is for clinically extremely vulnerable people.

The easy-read and translated versions have been removed temporarily due to the guidance update which took effect on 19 July 2021.

Guidance on protecting people who are clinically extremely vulnerable from COVID-19: audio

Guidance on protecting people who are clinically extremely vulnerable from COVID-19: audio

Guidance on protecting people who are clinically extremely vulnerable from COVID-19: British Sign Language

Guidance on protecting people who are clinically extremely vulnerable from COVID-19: BSL

Published 21 March 2020
Last updated 28 July 2021 + show all updates

1. 28 July 2021

   Added British Sign Language version.

2. 27 July 2021

   Added large print and audio versions.

3. 21 July 2021

   Added information about vaccinations for eligible children and young people. Updated section on socialising inside and outside the home.

4. 20 July 2021

   Removed the audio and British Sign Language versions.

5. 19 July 2021

   Removed previous version of the guidance. Removed large print and translations while updating.

6. 12 July 2021

   Guidance updated as per government’s advice for clinically extremely vulnerable people to, as a minimum, follow the same guidance as the general population.

7. 21 June 2021

   Added link to guidance on national restrictions.

8. 3 June 2021

   Added audio and British Sign Language (BSL) versions.

9. 2 June 2021

   Updated translations.

10. 19 May 2021

    Added large print guidance.

11. 17 May 2021

    Added link to guidance regarding new COVID-19 variant.

12. 17 May 2021

    Updated information on meeting friends and family inside and outside the home.

13. 30 April 2021

    Updated translations.

14. 16 April 2021

    Added easy read, large print, British Sign Language, audio and translated versions. Added links to guidance from devolved administrations.

15. 1 April 2021

    Translations and easy read temporarily removed.

16. 1 April 2021

    Removed references to national lockdown, updated guidance to reflect lifting of restrictions and vaccine roll out.

17. 18 March 2021

    Updated translations. Added link to new letter to all people on the Shielded Patient List that takes effect from 1 April 2021.

18. 25 February 2021

    Updated guidance to reflect new shielding end date, and updated shopping and support sections.

19. 16 February 2021

    Updated definition of clinically extremely vulnerable groups.

20. 16 February 2021

    Added Easy read version.

21. 22 January 2021

    Added Arabic, Bengali, Bulgarian, Chinese, French, Gujarati, Hindi, Nepali, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi and Urdu translations.

22. 13 January 2021

    Added British Sign Language and audio versions.

23. 11 January 2021

    Added large print version.

24. 7 January 2021

    Updated guidance for the period of national lockdown.

25. 31 December 2020

    Removed advice on Christmas.

26. 24 December 2020

    Updated easy-read guidance. Temporarily removed translations, British Sign Language videos, audio and large print versions.

27. 23 December 2020

    Updated to clarify rules in Tier 4 on socialising outdoors.

28. 20 December 2020

    Added new shielding advice for the clinically extremely vulnerable in Tier 4.

29. 14 December 2020

    Added the easy-read version.

30. 9 December 2020

    Added British Sign Language videos, large print, audio and translated versions.

31. 2 December 2020

    Updated guidance with information on local restrictions from 2 December. Removed easy-read and translated versions.

32. 26 November 2020

    Added 2 December guidance.

33. 18 November 2020

    Added updated translations in Arabic, Bengali, Bulgarian, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, French, Gujarati, Hindi, Nepali, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi and Urdu.

34. 13 November 2020

    Removed reference letters and included link to COVID-19: letters to clinically extremely vulnerable people.

35. 11 November 2020

    Added updated easy-read guidance.

36. 10 November 2020

    Updated information on the extension of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (on furlough).

37. 4 November 2020

    Added 2 reference letters and updated guidance on how to get a test for COVID-19.

38. 4 November 2020

    Updated guidance in line with national restrictions commencing 5 November 2020. Easy-read guidance temporarily removed and will be updated shortly.

39. 28 October 2020

    Added updated easy-read guidance.

40. 15 October 2020

    Added search by postcode link.

41. 13 October 2020

    Guidance updated regarding local COVID alert levels. Temporarily removed translations, easy-read guide and guidance for young people.

42. 29 September 2020

    Remove reference to falling case rates.

43. 4 September 2020

    Updated translated versions.

44. 18 August 2020

    Added new guidance for young people who are clinically extremely vulnerable and have been shielding.

45. 13 August 2020

    Updated translations and added Bulgarian, Hindi and Nepali.

46. 13 August 2020

    Added new version of easy-read guidance.

47. 10 August 2020

    Added paragraph clarifying the position for travelling to work in local lockdown areas.

48. 4 August 2020

    Removed out-of-date guidance for young people.

49. 31 July 2020

    Main guidance updated to include information related to the pausing of shielding.

50. 14 July 2020

    Added updated translations.

51. 10 July 2020

    Updated local guidance link to point to Leicester City Council page.

52. 8 July 2020

    Added link to local lockdowns guidance.

53. 7 July 2020

    Updated guidance to include clinical risk to children and young people. These changes apply from 6 July 2020.

54. 6 July 2020

    Updated guidance with changes that apply from 6 July 2020.

55. 3 July 2020

    Updated guidance on shielding and social distancing.

56. 3 July 2020

    Easy-read guidance added.

57. 23 June 2020

    Updated guidance.

58. 5 June 2020

    Updated guidance for young people to reflect that those who are shielding can now leave their homes.

59. 31 May 2020

    Updated guidance in line with changes to the regulations which come into force on 1 June 2020.

60. 29 May 2020

    Updated guidance.

61. 18 May 2020

    Updated information on symptoms.

62. 5 May 2020

    Added translated guidance.

63. 17 April 2020

    Updated 'Shielding and protecting people who are clinically extremely vulnerable from COVID-19'.

64. 30 March 2020

    Added translated guidance.

65. 24 March 2020

    Added Coronavirus (COVID-19): an easy-read guide on protecting extremely vulnerable people.

66. 21 March 2020

    First published.