VULNERABLE Brits shielding are “eight times” more likely to catch Covid and doesn’t work, scientists have found.
Patients who self-isolated in one area actually had higher rates of infection and death than those who didn’t – including clinically vulnerable people.
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The study, by Glasgow University and published in Scientific Reports, looked at 1.3million patients in Glasgow and Clyde.
Researchers found the 27,747 people advised to shield were eight times more likely to get Covid than low-risk individuals who did not isolate.
They were also five times more likely to suffer an infection than the 353,085 individuals with underlying health conditions who did not shield themselves.
Professor Jill Pell, of Glasgow University, said: “Our study showed that shielding may be of limited value in reducing burden on health services because, in spite of the shielding strategy, high risk individuals were at increased risk of death.
“We believe that, to be effective as a population strategy, shielding criteria would have needed to be widely expanded to include other criteria, such as the elderly.
“To effectively protect high-risk individuals, shielding should be used alongside other population-wide measures such as physical distancing, face coverings and hand hygiene.”
A policy of shielding, or extended self-isolation, was used across the UK to protect people presumed to be at high risk from Covid.
In the shielded group studied, there were 299 (1.1 per cent) confirmed infections and 140 (0.51 per cent) deaths from Covid-19.
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In the moderate risk group, there were 1,859 (0.53 per cent) confirmed infections and 803 (0.23 per cent) deaths; and in the low-risk group, there were 1,190 (0.13 per cent confirmed infections) and 84 (0.01 per cent) deaths from Covid-19.
The study also showed that an age of 70 and over accounted for nearly 50 per cent of deaths.
The study also showed that an age of 70 and over accounted for nearly 50 per cent of deaths.
It comes after millions of high risk Brits were told to “avoid the unjabbed” and limit contacts after July 19 when restrictions lifted.
While many rejoiced at the end of lockdown, around 3.7million people with health conditions and cancers were left fearing the change.
Government guidance told the clinically extremely vulnerable to steer clear of people who could pass on Covid to them.
But ministers were accused of imposing “de facto shielding advice”, as cases rise and mingling increases.
Charities representing people with weakened immune systems have previously told of their horror that members of the public are able to ditch face masks
The MS Society and Blood Cancer UK criticised the Government over the support available for those still vulnerable to the virus, adding that July 19 would not mark “freedom day” for many.
