A letter to GPs from NHS England said a “new data-driven risk assessment has been developed to help identify people who may be at risk from Covid-19”.
The letter adds: “It has been used at a national level to help identify an additional group of patients with specific multiple risk factors which, combined, may put them at similar risk to those who are clinically extremely vulnerable to severe outcomes.
“As a precautionary measure, this group will now be added to the shielded patient list (SPL) on the advice of the chief medical officer.”
Dr Jenny Harries said: “We have a new, evidence-based, data-driven, predictive risk model which allows us to identify adults with multiple risk factors that make them more vulnerable to COVID-19.
“We can now identify additional people, and help protect them now and in the future.”
