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Coronavirus: Immunosuppression

Question for Department of Health and Social Care

UIN 4603, tabled on 18 May 2022

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate he has made of how many immunocompromised individuals of (a) working age and (b) all ages are continuing to shield against covid-19; and whether he has made a recent assessment of the impact of shielding on (i) economic activity and (ii) social interactions.

Answered on

26 May 2022

No specific estimate has been made. However, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) recently published ‘Coronavirus and clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) people in England: 4 April to 23 April 2022. Analysis of people previously considered to be clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) in England during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, including their behaviours and mental and physical well-being’.

This surveyed people previously considered to be CEV which includes but is not limited to those who are immunocompromised. This found that the proportion who were continuing to shield during April 2022 was 13%; 29% were in paid employment; 7% reported lost income due to shielding or isolating; and 20% reported continuing to work at home. While 5% said they were not receiving visitors, 37% said they were avoiding social gatherings as an additional measure.