AQW 9948/17-22

Ms Paula Bradshaw
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 09/11/2020
Answered On Date: 11/12/2020
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to detail the scientific evidence for the current guidance for clinically vulnerable people in Northern Ireland differing from the formal shielding notification issued by the UK Government applying until 2 December 2020.

Answer:

Following a review and assessment of the approach to the risks presented by COVID-19, a statement was issued by the Chief Medical Officer on 23 October which advised that the resumption of shielding arrangements was not considered necessary and shielding would remain paused.

This decision reflected the context of a greater understanding of COVID-19 and its clinical outcomes and how to prevent its transmission, as well as an appreciation of the impact of shielding on many people’s physical and mental well-being. A number of important changes have taken place in the approach to managing COVID-19 and reducing its transmission since shielding was originally advised. These include a greater awareness of the importance of social distancing, the requirement to use face coverings, COVID secure workplaces and greater adherence to respiratory and hand hygiene.

The decision to retain the pause in shielding is kept under continual review. A CEV Cell has been established in my Department which meets regularly to review the advice in relation to clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) people. The most recent meetings were held on 19 November and 1 December.

The Cell considers a range of evidence before making recommendations on the advice to CEV people, including information on the spread of the virus in Northern Ireland, levels of hospital and community infection and the capacity of hospitals to adequately care for CEV people should they fall ill to COVID-19. In addition, Cell members take account of the restrictions that are in place across Northern Ireland and advice to CEV people that is in effect across the rest of the UK.

Following their consideration of the evidence, the CEV cell has concluded that the general guidance that is in place in relation to household mixing, travel, wearing of face coverings and hand hygiene, and the restrictions agreed by the Executive which came into force on 27 November, mean that CEV people should be protected from exposure to COVID-19 across a wide range of settings. On this basis, the Cell recommend that advice to CEV people should not change at the current time.

Advice for CEV people will be reviewed again in line with the wider review of restrictions, which are due to end on 11 December. This review will also likely encompass advice to CEV people covering the Christmas period.

The approach to protecting people from COVID-19 is tailored for each nation, depending on its circumstances and the guidance in place for each of the 4 nations reflects this.

If in the future the position for people who are clinically extremely vulnerable changes, further guidance will be issued and full details of any changes to advice will be made available on the NIDirect website.