Covid: Millions of clinically extremely vulnerable can stop shielding from April

Those following shielding advice will regain their freedom from April 1. Credit: PA

Millions of people considered clinically extremely vulnerable to coronavirus will be able to regain some freedom from April, when the government's shielding advice will stop.

With rates of Covid-19 continuing to fall across the UK, and more than 25 million people vaccinated, those who had previously been advised to shield themselves from the virus will no longer need to do so.

Letters arriving over the next two weeks will notify people they can start following national restrictions alongside the rest of the population from April 1, but there will be advice to help reduce their risk of catching Covid-19.

Steps to minimise risk include maintaining strict social distancing and keeping their overall social contacts at low levels and working from home where possible.

The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) said nine in 10 of England's 3.79 million clinically extremely vulnerable have already been vaccinated, "but it’s still important" for people to follow the rules.

Local councils and supermarkets will continue to provide support for those shielding until March 31.

If people have already registered for priority access to supermarket delivery slots, they will continue to be able to access these until June 21.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England Dr Jenny Harries said: “With the prevalence of the virus in the community continuing to decrease now is the right time for people to start thinking about easing up on these more rigid guidelines.

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“If you have been shielding, we strongly urge you to take extra precautions following 1 April to keep yourself as safe as possible, such as continuing to observe social distancing and working from home.

“We will continue to monitor all of the evidence and adjust this advice should there be any changes in infection rates.” The news comes as the UK prepares for a "significant reduction" in vaccine supply from the end of March for a month.

Vaccine centres will only focus on giving people their second dose and will not vaccinate anyone under 50 during that time period in a bid to reach the target of vaccinating all those in the top nine priority groups by April 15.

The UK has moved to vaccinating the final cohort in the priority list, the over 50s, and those eligible are advised to book an appointment online through the NHS.

Official figures show 25,273,226 people have had their first doses of either the Pfizer or Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines.

At least 1,759,445 of those people have had their second dose.

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