Calls for more people with Asthma to be prioritised for the Covid vaccine.

Asthma and Allergy Foundation Chief Executive Martina Ezike says she's been left scared and worried after being told her condition isn't severe enough to be a priority - despite been told to shield during Lockdown.

Author: Lewis MichiePublished 10th Mar 2021

People with Asthma are appealing to the Scottish Government to make them all a priority for the Covid vaccine.

Currently only those with 'severe' asthma are given priority in the queue for the jag - but it's claimed that measure is inconsistent and leave some people who have regular attacks behind, whilst people who haven't experienced symptoms of the condition in years jump the queue.

The Asthma and allergy foundation also say that the severity of someone's condition can change quite literally over night - meaning the information health boards hold can quickly go out of date.

Martina Ezike is the Chief Executive of the foundation - but she is also one of the asthmatics left with a worrying wait to be vaccinated.

She told us:

"I was beyond worried, because I received a letter telling me to shield at the beginning of the pandemic, but then all of a sudden I'm no more important."

"I have a family, I have children, so this is very worrying and it's scary to be honest - I am beyond frustrated."

"It's not for someone who does not has asthma to be able to say who has severe asthma, if you lived with asthma like I do, you'd understand that severity is contextual."

She continued: "For everyone with asthma, we think they should be prioritised for the vaccine."

Another person with the breathing condition told the foundation:

"Excluding people with asthma from the list of people who should be prioritised for the vaccine is beyond belief"

"Living with asthma daily and the difficulties of having to fight for each breathe is hard enough."

The Scottish Government base vaccine priority on advice from the JCVI.

Last month people in priority group six began to receive their vaccines, part of the criteria for this group includes people 16-64 who have: "a chest complaint or breathing difficulties, including bronchitis, emphysema or severe asthma"

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