Coronavirus: Obese people may be told to stay home if second wave hits

As warnings of a second wave of coronavirus loom, obese people are among vulnerable groups who may be instructed to stay at home this autumn, it has been reported.

The government is said to be mulling over a “more sophisticated model” for shielding, in preparation for winter and to avoid another national lockdown. Part of the plan is to employ a “stiletto not a sledgehammer” approach by pinpointing people who are especially vulnerable to the virus and telling them to remain indoors, a cabinet minister told The Sunday Telegraph.

The newspaper revealed that officials are analysing NHS data on vulnerable groups, such as those who are obese and over the age of 50, in preparation for a possible second wave.

A cabinet minister was quoted as saying: “They are understanding that age does come into it. The shielding cohort is way too broad. You can’t say that every fat person has to shield – it will be more subtle.”

At the start of August, millions of people who were told to shield at the start of the lockdown were able to leave their homes for the first time in four months.

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