Shielding is one of the government interventions aimed at reducing mortality from COVID-19. Those considered at highest clinical risk of mortality and severe morbidity from COVID-19 (defined as Clinically Extremely Vulnerable) were identified to be on the Shielded Patient List (SPL).

These individuals were asked to stay at home and avoid face-to-face contact for a period of at least 12 weeks during the peak of the pandemic in the UK.

This publication considers data relating to emergency admissions, mortality and positive COVID-19 tests for a subset of patients on the English SPL compared with an age-matched sample of the general population.