Updated guidance for the clinically extremely vulnerable has officially been issued today by the UK government.
Ministers and health officials are urging those who are classed as such to take further precautions on top of the new national lockdown measures.
The newly-updated guidance comes ahead of the four-week national lockdown in England – announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a direct address to MPs in the House of Commons last Saturday evening – which is due to be voted on in Parliament today and will take effect from 0.01 GMT on Thursday 5th November.
The guidance is urging medically vulnerable individuals to stay as home as much as possible and avoid all non-essential travel out of the home, but unlike the previous shielding advice, exercise is still permitted, and they should still attend routine medical appointments unless told otherwise by a doctor.
Those considered extremely clinically vulnerable will be receiving a letter in the post with new updated advice.
Others living in a household with someone who is clinically extremely vulnerable are not advised to follow this guidance however, and should instead continue to attend work and school in accordance with the general advice and regulations set out.
National restrictions will apply in England from 5 November until 2 December.
You must stay at home, with a limited set of exemptions. After 4 weeks we will look to return to a local and regional approach, based on the latest data. https://t.co/shgzOurdZCpic.twitter.com/7j9DDayqxr
People who are defined as clinically extremely vulnerable are at very high risk of severe illness from coronavirus (COVID-19) and there are two ways in which a person may be identified as clinically extremely vulnerable:
You have one or more of the conditions listed below, or
Your hospital clinician or GP has added you to the Shielded Patients List because, based on their clinical judgement, they deem you to be at higher risk of serious illness if you catch the virus.
According to the guidance, adults with the following conditions are automatically deemed to be clinically extremely vulnerable:
Solid organ transplant recipients
Those with specific cancers:
People with cancer who are undergoing active chemotherapy.
People with lung cancer who are undergoing radical radiotherapy.
People with cancers of the blood or bone marrow such as Leukaemia, Lymphoma or Myeloma who are at any stage of treatment.
People having Immunotherapy or other continuing antibody treatments for cancer.
People having other targeted cancer treatments that can affect the immune system, such as protein kinase inhibitors or PARP inhibitors.
People who have had bone marrow or stem cell transplants in the last six months, or who are still taking immunosuppression drugs.
Those with severe respiratory conditions including all Cystic Fibrosis, severe asthma and severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
Those with rare diseases that significantly increase the risk of infections (such as Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID), Homozygous Sickle Cell Disease, etc).
Those on immunosuppression therapies sufficient to significantly increase risk of infection.
Adults with Down’s Syndrome.
Adults on dialysis or with Chronic Kidney Disease (Stage 5).
Pregnant women with significant heart disease, congenital or acquired.
Other people who have also been classed as clinically extremely vulnerable, based on clinical judgement and an assessment of their needs, and GPs and hospital clinicians have been provided with guidance to support these decisions.
The updated guidance, which clinically extremely vulnerable individuals are strongly urged to follow in addition to national measures, includes:
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Socialising
Those classed as clinically extremely vulnerable should stay at home as much as possible, except to go outdoors for exercise – which can be done with those they live with or in their support bubble – or to attend health appointments.
They should try to keep all contact with others to a minimum and avoid busy areas.
Whenever they do go out, they should continue to maintain strict social distancing, wash their hands regularly and avoid touching their face, as well as try to stay two metres away from other people within your household, especially if they display symptoms of the virus or have been advised to self-isolate.
Work
If those classed as clinically extremely vulnerable cannot work from home, they should not attend work.
They may be eligible for Statutory Sick Pay, Employment and Support Allowance, Universal Credit or the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme during this period of national measures.
People in the same household who are not clinically extremely vulnerable can still attend work, in line with the new national restrictions.
We will get through this – but we must act now to contain the spread of coronavirus.
It is my sincere hope and belief that by taking tough action now, we can allow families across the country to be together. pic.twitter.com/81yGUSYcB7
As evidence has shown there is a very low risk of children becoming very unwell from COVID-19, most children originally on the shielded patient list now no longer need to be and can therefore still attend school.
Parents who are unsure should contact their child’s usual GP or hospital clinician to check whether they should still be considered clinically extremely vulnerable.
If a GP or clinician has advised that a child should remain on the shielded patient list, they are advised not to attend school, but children who live with someone who is clinically extremely vulnerable, but aren’t themselves, should still attend school.
Travel
Those classed as clinically extremely vulnerable should avoid all non-essential travel.
They should however continue to travel to hospital and GP appointments unless told otherwise by their doctor.
They are strongly advised not to go to any shops or pharmacies, but should they need help to travel to an appointment, they are encouraged to speak to their healthcare professional to arrange transport support with NHS Volunteer Responders.
For the latest information, guidance and support during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the UK, please do refer to official sources at gov.uk/coronavirus.
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News
Rochdale has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2025
Emily Sergeant
Rochdale has officially been named Greater Manchester’s Town of Culture for 2025.
Taking over the reins from Bolton – which held the title in 2024 – and following in the footsteps of Stockport before that, which held the title in 2023, and even hosted a massive ‘Town of Culture Weekender’ festival with 50+ free events to celebrate and bring its title year to a close, it’s now the turn of the north-eastern Greater Manchester borough of Rochdale.
Rochdale’s year will build on the town’s already-rich cultural history and international reputation as the home of the co-operative movement.
More than 35 arts organisations will be bringing together an ambitious programme of festivals, exhibitions, events, and performances throughout the year.
Unfamiliar with what the ‘Greater Manchester Town of Culture’ title is all about? It’s an accolade that’s handed out every year to different boroughs across the region.
Bury was the inaugural title-holder 2020 and held onto it in 2021 too due to the COVID pandemic, before being followed by Stalybridge in 2022, Stockport in 2023, and of course, Bolton in the year just gone.
The title celebrates Greater Manchester’s culture and heritage.
As well as getting a new title to shout about, it also sees the towns given a grant from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) culture fund to help develop a programme of cultural events and activities throughout the year.
Rochdale has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2025 / Credit: The Manc Group | Rochdale Council
In Rochdale’s case, you can expect the ‘very best local talent’, as this year is promising to put ‘people power’ centre stage, with residents helping to plan, develop, and deliver a lineup of creative activities, alongside a number of major events.
This includes the popular free days out for families, an exciting new urban arts festival, two different food and drink festivals, a lantern parade, the Ignite Fire Festival, a Pride parade, and so much more.
You can also expect live music performances, a new people’s gallery, and even some major international collaborations that are yet to be announced.
Rochdale is taking over the reins from Bolton, which held the title in 2024 / Credit: Rochdale Council
“Rochdale is a place with a rich cultural history, so it is great to name it Greater Manchester’s town of culture as it’s town hall and town centre enter a new era,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham as the borough was crowned this week.
“Rochdale submitted a fantastic bid for this which, was incredibly exciting and ambitious, while being firmly rooted in its local talent and deep history.
“We are definitely going to see the very best of what Rochdale has to offer over the next 12 months and people will come from far and wide to see it.”
Featured Image – Rochdale Council
News
The Lowry Theatre undergoes revamp following Biffa Award grant
Danny Jones
The Lowry in Salford Quays has had a bit of TLC with one of its biggest theatre spaces undergoing a pretty significant refurb this past month.
Following a well-deserved grant distributed via the Biffa Award, a multi-million-pound fund that helps to build communities and transform lives through community and environmental projects across the UK, the legendary local theatre received nearly £75k last year.
As a result, all 440 seats and various other aspects of The Lowry‘s Quays Theatre have now been renovated and refurbished.
The short story is, she looks more gorgeous than ever – see for yourself:
Being initially handed over in March 2024, The Lowry was awarded a total of £74,816 to reupholster seating in the venue’s Quays Theatre with new padding and fabric.
After almost 25 years of constant use as one of the most popular theatres in the North, the seats in the Quays Theatre were much in need of a refurb, and with work completed in December, Lowry visitors can now enjoy watching the venue’s wide range of theatre, dance, comedy and drama in comfort.
The work was actually carried out between July and December, with seats being carefully removed in batches and reupholstered off-site.
This was made possible due to the Biffa Award’s most recent ‘Cultural Facilities’ theme, which aims to improve recreation, interest and education, drawing funds from the UK government’s wider Landfill Communities Fund.
The old fabric and padding were disposed of sustainably, with lots of it being repurposed where possible to minimise waste and all the new materials used meet current guidance for safety and quality.
The Lowry’s Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Development, Gwen Oakden, said of the long overdue update:“It is so important that our audiences are able to enjoy our world-class performing arts programme in a comfortable and welcoming space.
“For many visitors to the Quays Theatre, this is their first experience of live performance – often to see a family show or as part of a school trip. We really want it to be the best experience possible, and for them to begin a lifelong relationship with Lowry.
“As a registered charity, without the generous support of this Biffa Award, for which we’re hugely grateful, we couldn’t have carried out this important work for our audiences.
As we head into our 25th Anniversary year, we are delighted to be able to welcome audiences and visitors can enjoy the beautiful and revived Quays Theatre.”
As for the Biffa side of things, Grants Manager Rachel Maidment added: “We are delighted to have supported The Lowry in refurbishing the Quays Theatre seating, ensuring audiences can continue to enjoy performances in comfort.
“Through Biffa’s Cultural Facilities theme, we fund projects that provide engaging and inspiring spaces for communities. The Lowry is a key cultural venue, and we’re proud that our funding, made possible through the government Fund, has helped enhance the experience for visitors for years to come.”
Like most Mancs, we love The Lowry, so here’s to hosting countless more theatregoers in the most comfortable seats possible for generations to come.
We’ve been to some brilliant performances around here of late.
The Manc -
4th November 2020 
