Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the inclusion of adults with Down's Syndrome on the Clinically Extremely Vulnerable list.

I know that this has been a challenging time for everyone, and I am extremely grateful for the sacrifices that everyone has made during this time.

Early in the pandemic, the Government made a decision to try to protect those individuals thought to be at greatest risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes. A list was put together using advice from the UK Chief Medical Officers on which medical conditions meant people faced the highest risk. This list is updated as we learn more about COVID-19 and who is most affected.

Our understanding of who is most at risk of becoming very unwell or dying from COVID-19 has grown since the start of the pandemic. We now have information that adults who have Down’s syndrome are at a higher risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19. As with all groups, the older you are the higher your risk of becoming seriously unwell.

Researchers have developed a tool that estimates a person’s risk of being admitted to hospital and of dying from COVID-19 based on information about the person such as their age, gender, ethnic group or whether they have long standing illnesses. The tool considers a wide range of features that research shows could mean a person was at greater risk. It shows that most adults who have Down’s syndrome are at a greater risk.

While shielding has not been reinstated, clinically extremely vulnerable people are encouraged to restrict social contact to minimise risk, while following Government guidelines about meeting up with others and remaining socially distant.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.

Yours,

EDWARD LEIGH MP