This site is intended for UK healthcare professionals
Medscape UK Univadis Logo
Medscape UK Univadis Logo
News

COVID-19: British HIV Association updates guidance on vulnerable groups with HIV.

The British HIV Association (BHIVA) and the Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) have updated their 23 March 2020 statement on COVID-19 for people with HIV in the light of the latest UK Government advice. The new statement is dated 25 March and gives advice on which category of the latest government guidance people with HIV should follow.

HIV is not one of the conditions included in the separate guidance for people or households who are isolating and ‘shielding’ for people with conditions that are considered extremely vulnerable. The BHIVA/THT say:

  • There is still no evidence to determine whether people with HIV are at greater risk of contracting COVID-19 or getting severe disease.
  • However, they advise that people with a CD4 < 50, or who have had an opportunistic illness within the last 6 months, should be encouraged to follow the shielding advice for the extremely vulnerable.
  • As this advice is not part of the official PHE guidance, clinicians do not need to contact these individuals with the formal letter that has been circulated to Trusts, but may choose to contact them on a case-by-case basis.

The BHIVA/THT statement gives the following summary of the current situation for people with HIV:

  • People with CD4 >200 and undetectable viral load on ART are considered at no greater risk than the general population; they should follow general government advice.
  • People with CD4 <200, detectable viral load or not on ART may be at higher risk of severe illness; they should also follow general advice.
  • People with a CD4 count <50 or opportunistic illness in last 6 months should follow the government’s shielding advice for extremely vulnerable people.

References


YOU MAY ALSO LIKE