A coalition of three major health charities are calling for the government to urgently improve their communication of Covid-19 guidance as new YouGov data released today (Wednesday 4 May 2022) reveals that just 63% of people are aware that they should work from home if they have the virus, suggesting that 37% of people may not be aware of this.
Kidney Care UK, The MS Society, and Blood Cancer UK are warning that the mass confusion around current guidance has left the lives of up to 500,000 immunocompromised people in the UK – who are at higher risk of Covid-19 – at risk.
The data also revealed only 55% of the general public are aware they should avoid people at risk for 10 days if they have Covid-19, while nearly a quarter (23%) admitted to not being aware of any of the Government Covid-19 advice listed in the survey question.
The research also suggests that there was confusion around guidance with one in five (21%) mistakenly believing that wiping down online shopping deliveries and wearing gloves in the supermarket were part of the current guidelines to reduce the spread of Covid-19.
People who have certain health conditions, or who take specific medication, are considered immunocompromised. This means they do not have the same level of protection from the COVID-19 vaccine as the general public.
- Read Government COVID-19 guidance for immunocompromised individuals, April 2022
- Current Government guidance for people with symptoms of a respiratory infection including COVID-19, or a positive test result for COVID-19
Fiona Loud, Policy Director of Kidney Care UK, said: “This research suggests that without better communications, immunosuppressed people such as those with kidney transplants remain at considerable risk not only from the virus, but also from friends, family and colleagues who simply are not aware of the role they can plan in helping keep these people safe. For everyone to ‘live with Covid’ the Government must act now and make sure that the public and employers are left in no doubt as to what they can do to make sure that everyone, and in particular those who are most at risk, are as safe as possible. This needs to be made clear and promoted widely as 1 in 4 people (25%) are still not aware that immunosuppressed people do not have adequate protection from Covid-19, even after having their vaccines and remain at higher risk of catching and becoming seriously ill or dying from Covid-19. It is clear that the government needs to do better.”
Phillip Anderson, Head of Policy at the MS Society, says: “Covid-19 cases remain very high and it’s vital the general public and employers understand the practical measures they should take to protect those who are immunocompromised, including people with MS. But, the Government’s confused and lack-lustre messaging is leaving the public in the dark, and it’s of real concern that 16% of people have not taken any measures in the past week to reduce the spread of the virus and protect those at highest risk. It is simply unacceptable that people feel forced to go into work when they have COVID-19, putting others at risk. We urge the Government to do more to publicise their COVID-19 guidance, and to raise awareness of the ongoing risk for immunosuppressed people.”
Helen Rowntree, Director of Research, Services and Engagement at Blood Cancer UK, added: “Given the Government’s focus on getting back to normal and lack of focus on making sure people understand the guidance that is still in place, immunocompromised people are being left to rely on the kindness of strangers. So we would urge anyone who gets COVID-19 symptoms to consider those people who might still be vulnerable and are less protected by the vaccines.”
Kidney Care UK has co-ordinated advice and guidance for employers and employees throughout the pandemic, which has recently been updated.
All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2099 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 13th - 14th April 2022. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+)