Dr Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 13 May to Question 38861 on Coronavirus: Disease Control, for what reasons people living with post-polio syndrome have not been included in the clinically extremely vulnerable category; and if he will make it his policy to include them in that category.  [48244]

[Due for Answer on 2 June. Answered on 4 June.] 

HOLDING ANSWER: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

ANSWER

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Health and Social Care (Jo Churchill): Those on the clinically extremely vulnerable list include those who have specific medical conditions that, based on what we know about the virus so far, place someone at greatest risk of severe illness from COVID-19. Disease severity, history or treatment levels will also affect who is in this group.

Some conditions are not suitable for blanket inclusion in the clinically extremely vulnerable and this is the case for post-polio syndrome where there is a spectrum of severity. Some patients with post-polio syndrome experience mild symptoms, and it would not be proportionate for them to be included in the clinically extremely vulnerable and advised to shield.

General practitioners and hospital clinicians can exercise their clinical judgement and continue to add people to, or remove them from, the list depending on the circumstances of each individual case. People will only be removed from the list following a discussion with their clinician.