Children and young people to be removed from UK shielding patient list

2 mins read

Wednesday 25 August 2021

The government has begun sending letters to families of children previously considered clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV), confirming that they will be removed from the list of shielding patients.

This follows the pausing of shielding from 1 April and the announcement on 19 July that adults and children previously considered CEV no longer need to follow additional restrictions.

While this means that there is no practical change in the guidance this group should be following, they are no longer listed as shielding patients.

The decision is based on studies into the impact of Covid-19 on children and young people. These studies found that children and young people, including those previously considered CEV, are at very low risk of serious illness from coronavirus. One study found that 99.995% of children or young people with a positive Covid-19 test survived.

We know some families may be thinking about continuing to shield their child. It’s important to be aware that attendance is mandatory unless a statutory reason applies, such as being unwell. Talk to your child’s school about the measures they’re taking to keep children safe or if you have any concerns.

This decision doesn’t affect the roll-out of the Covid vaccine to eligible children. The government says that while an eligible child maybe no longer be considered CEV, there are still benefits of having the Covid vaccine that outweigh not having it.

Eligible 12-15 year olds should by now have been invited to receive their first vaccine. If you think your child is eligible but you have not received an invitation, find out what you need to do.

All 16 and 17s are also being offered the Covid-19 vaccine.

Are you worried about the new school term and need someone to talk to? Book an appointment on our Listening Ear service to talk to one of our family support team about whatever’s on your mind.

You can also get in touch with our helpline with any questions you have about what this means for your child, or visit our Covid-19 advice pages.

Read the letter sent to families and a set of FAQs to accompany the letter.