BAPEN & PINNT Statement - New Tier 4 guidance

22/12/2020

Guidance for Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (CEV) people in Tier 4

The Government has published new guidance for clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) people living in areas of the country designated as ‘tier 4’ category of Covid-19 infection risk.

Some of the key differences in tier 4 guidance compared to the other tiers are:

Shielding support has been reinstated for CEV people living in tier 4 areas, which will be made available from local councils and community pharmacies. This includes support for shopping and medicines delivery. You can sign up for support here
If you cannot work from home, then you should not attend work. If your employer can’t adjust your role to work from home, then a number of financial support options are available, including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) or Employment Support Allowance (ESA)
CEV children should not attend school if advised to stay home by their doctor. However, other children in the household who are not CEV should continue to attend school, and children whose parents or caregivers are CEV should are also still currently advised to go to school.*

We strongly suggest you stay informed about the advice given by your nation’s Government. Links provided below:

Guidance on shielding and protecting people who are clinically extremely vulnerable from COVID-19 England: Read here
Guidance for ‘clinically extremely vulnerable’ and ‘vulnerable’ people in Northern Ireland: Read here
Guidance for coronavirus (COVID-19): shielding advice and support in Scotland: Read here
Guidance on protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable from coronavirus (COVID-19) – previously known as ‘shielding’ in Wales: Read here

*There has been some suggestion by scientists in the media that the new strain of the virus may be more transmissible in children. Research into this is currently ongoing, any updates will be shared but always take advice from their usual healthcare professionals.