No Evidence Shielding Helped Vulnerable People During COVID, Study Shows

A doctor wearing protective equipment is seen unloading a patient outside St. Thomas's Hospital in London, on April 7, 2020. Peter Summers/Getty Images

There is no evidence that shielding benefited vulnerable people as a COVID-19 pandemic response, according to a new study.

A new study of health data has examined the policy of shielding those deemed “clinically extremely vulnerable” (CEV) to the virus, with the study’s main author claiming the UK government policy “was sort of made up at the time and implemented.” Shielding involves minimising the interaction between CEV persons and others.