Coronavirus (COVID-19) Advice

Wash your hands

This page has been designed to provide up-to-date information, guidance and advice with regards to Coronavirus (COVID-19). It will be updated regularly.

Regularly updated resources from Shropshire Council are also available here. 

On 16th March, the Government introduced new guidance on social distancing for everyone in the UK. It is available in full here. The new guidelines advise on social distancing measures we should all be taking to reduce social interaction between people in order to reduce the transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19). It is intended for use in situations where people are living in their own homes, with or without additional support from friends, family and carers. If you live in a residential care setting - guidance is available at residential care setting

The Government has now introduced three new measures: 

  1. Requiring people to stay at home, except for very limited purposes

  2. Closing non-essential shops and community spaces

  3. Stopping all gatherings of more than two people in public

Every citizen must comply with these new measures. The relevant authorities, including the police, will be given the powers to enforce them – including through fines and dispersing gatherings.

You should only leave the house for one of four reasons:

  • Shopping for basic necessities, for example food and medicine, which must be as infrequent as possible.
  • One form of exercise a day, for example a run, walk, or cycle - alone or with members of your household.
  • Any medical need, or to provide care or to help a vulnerable person.
  • Travelling to and from work, but only where this absolutely cannot be done from home.

These four reasons are exceptions - even when doing these activities, you should be minimising time spent outside of the home and ensuring you are 2 metres apart from anyone outside of your household.

These measures must be followed by everyone. Separate advice is available below for individuals or households who are isolating, and for the most vulnerable who need to be shielded. If you work in a critical sector outlined in this guidance, or your child has been identified as vulnerable, you can continue to take your children to school.

The Government has ordered certain businesses - including pubs, cinemas and theatres. This requirement now also applies to a further set of businesses and other venues, including:

  • all non-essential retail stores - this will include clothing and electronics stores; hair, beauty and nail salons; and outdoor and indoor markets, excluding food markets.
  • libraries, community centres, and youth centres.
  • indoor and outdoor leisure facilities such as bowling alleys, arcades and soft play facilities.
  • communal places within parks, such as playgrounds, sports courts and outdoor gyms.
  • places of worship, except for funerals attended by immediate families.
  • hotels, hostels, bed and breakfasts, campsites, caravan parks, and boarding houses for commercial/leisure use (excluding permanent residents and key workers).

Further guidance on which businesses and premises must remain closed is available here and here. 

 

 

Those who are at increased risk of severe illness from coronavirus (COVID-19) are advised to be particularly stringent in following social distancing measures.

This group includes those who are:

Note: there are some clinical conditions which put people at even higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19. If you are in this category, next week the NHS in England will directly contact you with advice the more stringent measures you should take in order to keep yourself and others safe. For now, you should rigorously follow the social distancing advice in full, outlined below.

People falling into this group are those who may be at particular risk due to complex health problems such as:

  • People who have received an organ transplant and remain on ongoing immunosuppression medication
  • People with cancer who are undergoing active chemotherapy or radiotherapy
  • People with cancers of the blood or bone marrow such as leukaemia who are at any stage of treatment
  • People with severe chest conditions such as cystic fibrosis or severe asthma (requiring hospital admissions or courses of steroid tablets)
  • People with severe diseases of body systems, such as severe kidney disease (dialysis)

What is social distancing?

Social distancing measures are steps you can take to reduce the social interaction between people. This will help reduce the transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19).

They are:

  1. Avoid contact with someone who is displaying symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19). These symptoms include high temperature and/or new and continuous cough;
  2. Avoid non-essential use of public transport, varying your travel times to avoid rush hour, when possible; 3.Work from home, where possible. Your employer should support you to do this. Please refer to employer guidance for more information;
  3. Avoid large gatherings, and gatherings in smaller public spaces such as pubs, cinemas, restaurants, theatres, bars, clubs
  4. Avoid gatherings with friends and family. Keep in touch using remote technology such as phone, internet, and social media.
  5. Use telephone or online services to contact your GP or other essential services.

Everyone should be trying to follow these measures as much as is pragmatic.

For those who are over 70, have an underlying health condition or are pregnant, we strongly advise you to follow the above measures as much as you can, and to significantly limit your face-to-face interaction with friends and family if possible.

This advice is likely to be in place for some weeks.

How can I avoid getting and spreading the virus?

Scientists are not yet 100% certain about how this virus spreads but it's likely it's via droplets from coughs and sneezes. The virus spreads easily and can stay on surfaces, it's possible that a lot of us will get it and be affected by it, but if you follow the advice below you will reduce your risk and the risk to others.

  • Clean hands - wash hands with soap and water often and for at least 20 seconds. Do this before leaving home and after returning home, before eating and drinking, and after coughing or sneezing
  • Cover your mouth and nose - with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze - tissue in the bin and wash, or disinfect, your hands immediately
  • Don't touch your face - keep your hands away from your face - especially your eyes, nose and mouth
  • Clean surfaces - disinfect surfaces around you  - especially mobiles, computers, keyboards, worktops, desks, handles...
  • Avoid ill people - stay away from people who have symptoms

What are the symptoms?

If you are infected you may have very minor symptoms, minor symptoms or more severe symptoms, but the NHS cites two symptoms to look out for as:

  • A new continuous cough
  • A fever or high temperature

What should I do if I have either of the above symptoms?

  • Protect others - don't call NHS 111
  • Protect others - don't call, or go to your GP
  • Protect others - don't go to your local hospital

Isolate yourself immediately

However, if:

  • You are, or become, unable to manage with your symptoms at home
  • Your conditions get worse
  • Your symptoms do not get better after 7 days

You should use the online 111 service or if you can't use the online service call 111

Isolating yourself

The Government's Stay at Home advice is available here. The main points are:

  • if you live alone and you have symptoms of coronavirus illness (COVID-19), however mild, stay at home for 7 days from when your symptoms started. (See ending isolation section below for more information)
  • if you live with others and you or one of them have symptoms of coronavirus, then all household members must stay at home and not leave the house for 14 days. The 14-day period starts from the day when the first person in the house became ill
  • it is likely that people living within a household will infect each other or be infected already. Staying at home for 14 days will greatly reduce the overall amount of infection the household could pass on to others in the community
  • for anyone in the household who starts displaying symptoms, they need to stay at home for 7 days from when the symptoms appeared, regardless of what day they are on in the original 14 day isolation period. (See ending isolation section below for more information
  • if you can, move any vulnerable individuals (such as the elderly and those with underlying health conditions) out of your home, to stay with friends or family for the duration of the home isolation period
  • if you cannot move vulnerable people out of your home, stay away from them as much as possible
  • if you have coronavirus symptoms:
    • do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital
    • you do not need to contact 111 to tell them you’re staying at home
    • testing for coronavirus is not needed if you’re staying at home
  • plan ahead and ask others for help to ensure that you can successfully stay at home and consider what can be done for vulnerable people in the household
  • ask your employer, friends and family to help you to get the things you need to stay at home
  • wash your hands regularly for 20 seconds, each time using soap and water, or use hand sanitiser
  • if you feel you cannot cope with your symptoms at home, or your condition gets worse, or your symptoms do not get better after 7 days, then use the NHS 111 online coronavirus service. If you do not have internet access, call NHS 111. For a medical emergency dial 999

Shielding and protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable 

The NHS will be contacting people who have certain serious underlying conditions which put them at particular risk, recommending additional protective measures. You can read the details here. Extremely vulnerable people are strongly advised to stay at home at all times and avoid any face-to-face contact for a period of at least 12 weeks from the day you receive their letter. Please note that this period of time could change.

 

Support for businesses

The Chancellor has set out a package of temporary, timely and targeted measures to support public services, people and businesses through this period of disruption caused by COVID-19.

This includes a package of measures to support businesses including:

  • a Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
  • deferring VAT and Income Tax payments
  • a Statutory Sick Pay relief package for SMEs
  • a 12-month business rates holiday for all retail, hospitality, leisure and nursery businesses in England
  • small business grant funding of £10,000 for all business in receipt of small business rate relief or rural rate relief
  • grant funding of £25,000 for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses with property with a rateable value between £15,000 and £51,000
  • the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme offering loans of up to £5 million for SMEs through the British Business Bank
  • a new lending facility from the Bank of England to help support liquidity among larger firms, helping them bridge coronavirus disruption to their cash flows through loans
  • the HMRC Time To Pay Scheme

Full, regularly updated details will be available here.

Closure of educational settings

On 18th March, the Government announced the closure of schools and nurseries from 23rd March. It has issued guidance for parents and carers here, and for schools, colleges and local authorities here. 

The guidance outlines these key principles:

  1. If it is at all possible for children to be at home, then they should be.
  2. If a child needs specialist support, is vulnerable or has a parent who is a critical worker, then educational provision will be available for them.
  3. Parents should not rely for childcare upon those who are advised to be in the stringent social distancing category such as grandparents, friends, or family members with underlying conditions.
  4. Parents should also do everything they can to ensure children are not mixing socially in a way which can continue to spread the virus. They should observe the same social distancing principles as adults.
  5. Residential special schools, boarding schools and special settings continue to care for children wherever possible.

Key workers 

If your work is critical to the COVID-19 response, or you work in one of the critical sectors listed below, and you cannot keep your child safe at home then your children will be prioritised for education provision:

Health and social care

This includes but is not limited to doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics, social workers, care workers, and other frontline health and social care staff including volunteers; the support and specialist staff required to maintain the UK’s health and social care sector; those working as part of the health and social care supply chain, including producers and distributers of medicines and medical and personal protective equipment.

Education and childcare

This includes nursery and teaching staff, social workers and those specialist education professionals who must remain active during the COVID-19 response to deliver this approach.

Key public services

This includes those essential to the running of the justice system, religious staff, charities and workers delivering key frontline services, those responsible for the management of the deceased, and journalists and broadcasters who are providing public service broadcasting.

Local and national government

This only includes those administrative occupations essential to the effective delivery of the COVID-19 response or delivering essential public services such as the payment of benefits, including in government agencies and arms length bodies.

Food and other necessary goods

This includes those involved in food production, processing, distribution, sale and delivery as well as those essential to the provision of other key goods (for example hygienic and veterinary medicines).

Public safety and national security

This includes police and support staff, Ministry of Defence civilians, contractor and armed forces personnel (those critical to the delivery of key defence and national security outputs and essential to the response to the COVID-19 pandemic), fire and rescue service employees (including support staff), National Crime Agency staff, those maintaining border security, prison and probation staff and other national security roles, including those overseas.

Transport

This includes those who will keep the air, water, road and rail passenger and freight transport modes operating during the COVID-19 response, including those working on transport systems through which supply chains pass.

Utilities, communication and financial services

This includes staff needed for essential financial services provision (including but not limited to workers in banks, building societies and financial market infrastructure), the oil, gas, electricity and water sectors (including sewerage), information technology and data infrastructure sector and primary industry supplies to continue during the COVID-19 response, as well as key staff working in the civil nuclear, chemicals, telecommunications (including but not limited to network operations, field engineering, call centre staff, IT and data infrastructure, 999 and 111 critical services), postal services and delivery, payments providers and waste disposal sectors.

If workers think they fall within the critical categories above they should confirm with their employer that, based on their business continuity arrangements, their specific role is necessary for the continuation of this essential public service. If your school is closed then please contact Shropshire Council, who will seek to redirect you to a local school in your area that your child, or children, can attend.

Guidance on free school meals

The Government has published guidelines on free school meals here. This guidance explains what schools should do to make sure eligible pupils have continued access to free school meals where:

  • the pupil has to stay at home because they and/or wider family members are displaying coronavirus (COVID-19) related symptoms
  • the school is only open for certain groups or is closed temporarily

Travel advice

The Government advises against all but essential travel around the UK. Essential travel does not include visits to second homes, camp sites, caravan parks or similar, whether for isolation purposes or holidays. People should remain in their primary residence. Not taking these steps puts additional pressure on communities and services that are already at risk.

Rail services will be limited.

Foreign & Commonwealth Office travel advice is constantly under review so that it reflects the Government's latest assessment of risks to British people.

The Foreign Secretary has advised all British tourists and short-stay travellers currently abroad to return to the UK where commercial flight options are still available. British travellers should contact their tour operator or airline now. 

If you are abroad and need advice, please call the Consular Hotline on +44 (0) 207 008 1500. 

If travel advice changes while you are abroad:

The Government usually advises you to follow the advice of local authorities. Your safety and security is the responsibility of the local authority where you are.

If you are abroad when travel advice changes, contact your airline or travel company, and your insurance provider as soon as you are able.

You should also keep checking the FCO's travel advice. If the Government advises people to leave a country, it will say so. 

Quarantine while you are abroad:

If the local authority where you are proposes to quarantine you for your own protection, you should follow their advice. When you are abroad, your safety and security is their responsibility.

If there are suspected cases of coronavirus where you are, you may need to remain in your hotel room or accommodation for 14 days, move to quarantine facilities, take tests for coronavirus and, if positive in some cases, be hospitalised abroad. You should also contact your airline or travel company, and your insurance provider as soon as you can. 

Guidance for people with dementia

Local Alzheimer’s Society teams will continue to provide information, support and guidance to those who need it. To ensure the wellbeing of our service users, volunteers and staff, we have made some changes to how this support is provided. This may change depending on future government guidance.

Direct support for people affected by dementia:

  • All face-to-face and home visits have currently been suspended.
  • We will increase the number of keeping in touch telephone calls with service users to help support their wellbeing and guard against isolation.
  • We will be extending the operating hours of our national Dementia Connect Support Line. Trained advisors can be contacted via 0333 150 3456 for advice and guidance
  •  

Group support:

  • All local group sessions have been suspended.      
  • We are working with our volunteers to develop ways to continue to support group members via other methods.

Online support:

  • Advice and guidance on a range of issues is available on our website.
  • We would encourage people to join Dementia Talking Point. This is our online community where people affected by dementia can receive valuable support from people in similar situations.

Further support:

  • Constituents with questions about what they should be doing and how they should be interacting with people living with dementia at this time can access this guidance.
  • Any community groups or individuals that come forward asking how they can support vulnerable adults can be directed to Alzheimer’s Society for information and guidance. This includes our online Dementia Friends awareness sessions.