COVID-19 Information

 Some of the guidance surrounding the national lockdown has changed.

From 29 March:

• you can meet outdoors either in a group of 6 (from any number of households), or in a group of any size from up to 2 households (a household can include an existing support bubble, if eligible)
• you can take part in formally organised outdoor sports with any number of people (outdoor sports venues and facilities will be able to reopen)
• childcare and supervised activities are allowed outdoors for all children
• formally organised parent and child groups can take place outdoors for up to 15 attendees. Children under 5 will not be counted in this number

What are the changes to the national lockdown guidance?

As of the 8th March 2021, England has entered the first part of stage one in the roadmap out of lockdown.

England has now entered into a national lockdown in order to help stop the spread of Coronavirus.

Please follow the rules below in order to help keep yourself and others safe.

Leaving home

You must not leave, or be outside of your home except where necessary. You may leave the home to:

• shop for basic necessities, for you or a vulnerable person
• go to work, or provide voluntary or charitable services, if you cannot reasonably do so from home
• exercise with your household (or support bubble) or one other person, this should be limited to once per day, and you should not travel outside your local area.
• meet your support bubble or childcare bubble where necessary, but only if you are legally permitted to form one
• seek medical assistance or avoid injury, illness or risk of harm (including domestic abuse)
• attend education or childcare - for those eligible

Colleges, primary and secondary schools will remain open only for vulnerable children and the children of critical workers. All other children will learn remotely until February half term. Early Years settings remain open.

Higher Education provision will remain online until mid February for all except future critical worker courses.

If you do leave home for a permitted reason, you should always stay local in the village, town, or part of the city where you live. You may leave your local area for a legally permitted reason, such as for work.

If you are clinically extremely vulnerable you should only go out for medical appointments, exercise or if it is essential. You should not attend work

Meeting others

You cannot leave your home to meet socially with anyone you do not live with or are not in a support bubble with (if you are legally permitted to form one).

You may exercise on your own, with one other person, or with your household or support bubble.

You should not meet other people you do not live with, or have formed a support bubble with, unless for a permitted reason.

Stay 2 metres apart from anyone not in your household.

For the full guidance, please head over to the government website at www.gov.uk/guidance/national-lockdown-stay-at-home

A coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine developed by Pfizer/BioNTech has been approved for use in the UK.

The vaccine will be made available from next week (07.12.2020)

The vaccine has met strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness set out by the independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

Other vaccines are being developed. They will only be available on the NHS once they have been thoroughly tested to make sure they are safe and effective.

Vaccine safety

Any coronavirus vaccine that is approved must go through all the clinical trials and safety checks all other licensed medicines go through. The UK has some of the highest safety standards in the world.

Vaccines will only be used if they are approved by the MHRA. The MHRA has been monitoring every stage of coronavirus vaccine development.

So far, thousands of people have been given a coronavirus vaccine and no serious side effects or complications have been reported.

Who will get the vaccine

The NHS will start giving the coronavirus vaccine as soon as it is available and you will be contacted when it's your turn.

At first, the vaccine will be offered to people who are most at risk from coronavirus, before being offered more widely.

We expect the vaccine will first be offered to:

• people who live in care homes and care home workers
• people aged 80 and over
• health and social care workers in England

The final decision on who will get the vaccine first will follow advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

For regular updates on the COVID-19 Vaccine, please visit https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/coronavirus-vaccine/

What local COVID alert levels mean

Local COVID alert levels set out information for local authorities, residents and workers about what to do and how to manage the outbreak in their area. Local COVID alert levels are sometimes called ‘tiers’ or known as a ‘local lockdown’.

Working with local authorities through the contain framework, their approach has been simplified so that there are now 3 local COVID alert levels.

Local COVID alert level: medium (1)

This is for areas where national restrictions continue to be in place.

This means:

• you must not socialise in groups larger than 6, indoors or outdoors (other than where a legal exemption applies)
• businesses and venues can continue to operate, in a COVID-secure manner, other than those that remain closed in law
• certain businesses are required to ensure customers only consume food and drink while seated, and must close between 10pm and 5am
• businesses and venues selling food for consumption off the premises can continue to do so after 10pm as long as this is through delivery service, click-and-collect or drive-through
• schools and universities remain open
• places of worship remain open, subject to the rule of 6
• weddings and funerals can go ahead with restrictions on numbers of attendees
• exercise classes and organised sport can continue to take place outdoors, or indoors if the rule of 6 is followed; there are exceptions for supervised activities for under-18s, and disability sport

You must:

• wear a face covering in those areas where this is mandated

You should continue to:

• follow social distancing rules
• work from home where you can effectively do so
• when travelling, plan ahead or avoid busy times and routes; walk or cycle if you can

Find out more about the measures that apply in medium alert level areas to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Local COVID alert level: high (2)

This is for areas with a higher level of infections where some additional restrictions are in place.

This means on top of restrictions in alert level medium:

• you must not socialise with anybody outside of your household or support bubble in any indoor setting, whether at home or in a public place
• you must not socialise in a group of more than 6 outside, including in a garden or other spaces like beaches or parks (other than where specific exemptions apply in law)
• businesses and venues can continue to operate, in a COVID-secure manner, other than those that remain closed in law
• certain businesses are required to ensure customers only consume food and drink while seated, and must close between 10pm and 5am
• businesses and venues selling food for consumption off the premises can continue to do so after 10pm as long as this is through delivery service, click-and-collect or drive-through
• schools, universities and places of worship remain open
• weddings and funerals can go ahead with restrictions on the number of attendees
• exercise classes and organised sport can continue to take place outdoors; these will only be permitted indoors if it is possible for people to avoid mixing with people they do not live with or share a support bubble with; there are exceptions for supervised activities for under-18s, and disability sport
• you can continue to travel to venues or amenities that are open, for work or to access education, but should look to reduce the number of journeys you make where possible

You must:

• wear a face covering in those areas where this is mandated

You should continue to:

• follow social distancing rules
• work from home where you can effectively do so
• walk or cycle where possible, or plan ahead and avoid busy times and routes on public transport

Find out more about the measures that apply in high alert level areas to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Local COVID alert level: very high (3)

This is for areas with a very high level of infections and where tighter restrictions are in place. The restrictions placed on areas with a very high level of infections can vary, and are based on discussions between central and local government. You should therefore check the specific rules in your area.

At a minimum, this means:

• you must not socialise with anybody you do not live with or have formed a support bubble with, in any indoor setting or in any private garden or at most outdoor hospitality venues and ticketed events
• you must not socialise in a group of more than 6 in an outdoor public space such as a park or beach, the countryside, a public garden or a sports venue
• pubs and bars must close; they can only remain open where they operate as if they were a restaurant, which means serving substantial meals, like a main lunchtime or evening meal, and they may only serve alcohol as part of such a meal
• schools and universities remain open
• places of worship remain open, but household mixing is not permitted
• weddings and funerals can go ahead with restrictions on the number of attendees; however, wedding receptions are not allowed
• exercise classes and organised sport can continue to take place outdoors; these will only be permitted indoors if it is possible for people to avoid mixing with people they do not live with or share a support bubble with; there are exceptions for supervised activities for under-18s, and disability sport
• you should try to avoid travelling outside the very high alert level area you are in or entering a very high alert level area, other than for things like work, education or youth services, to meet caring responsibilities or if you are travelling through as part of a longer journey
• you should avoid staying overnight in another part of the UK if you are resident in a very high alert level area, or avoid staying overnight in a very high alert level area if you are resident elsewhere

You must:

• wear a face covering in those areas where this is mandated

You should continue to:

• follow social distancing rules
• work from home where you can effectively do so
• travel to venues or amenities that are open, for work or to access education, but aim to reduce the number of journeys you make

This is the baseline in very high alert level areas. The government will also seek to agree additional interventions in consultation with local authorities, in order to reduce the spread of the virus. These could include the following options:

• restrictions preventing the sale of alcohol in hospitality or closing all hospitality (except takeaway and delivery)
• closing indoor and outdoor entertainment venues and tourist attractions
• closing venues such as leisure centres and gyms (while ensuring provision remains available for elite athletes, youth and disabled sport and physical activity)
• closing public buildings, such as libraries and community centres (while ensuring provision remains available for youth and childcare activities and support groups)
• closing personal care and close contact services or prohibiting the highest-risk activities
• closing performing arts venues for the purposes of performing to audiences

Check the local COVID alert level of your local area to see which level applies to you.

You can only get a free NHS test if at least one of the following applies:

• you have a high temperature
• you have a new, continuous cough
• you’ve lost your sense of smell or taste or it’s changed
• you’ve been asked to by a local council
• you’re taking part in a government pilot project

You can also get a test for someone you live with if they have symptoms.

If you’re going into hospital

You may need to get tested if you’re due to have surgery or a procedure.

The hospital will arrange this for you. Contact your hospital department if you have any questions. ​

Who cannot get a free test

You cannot get a free NHS test unless you have symptoms, have been asked to by your local council live in England and have been told to by your hospital, or are taking part in a government pilot project.

This applies even if:

• you live with someone who has coronavirus
• you’ve had close contact with someone who has coronavirus
• you’ve come to the UK from a high risk country
• you’re planning to leave the country
• your employer or school has asked you to get a test

You can pay for a private test. Do not use this service.

When to get a test

If you have symptoms, get a test as soon as possible.

Book a visit to a test site to have the test today. Test sites are open 7 days a week, or you can order a test through the NHS Coronavirus App, or by calling NHS111.

The new NHS COVID-19 app, now available to download for free in England and Wales, is the fastest way to see if you're at risk from coronavirus. The faster you know, the quicker you can alert and protect your loved ones and community.

The app has a number of tools to protect you, including contact tracing, local area alerts and venue check-in. 

 The app runs on proven software developed by Apple and Google, designed so that nobody will know who or where you are. And you can delete your data, or the app, at any time.

It has a number of features including:

• Trace: find out when you've been near other app users who have tested positive for coronavirus.
• Alert: lets you know the level of coronavirus risk in your postcode district.
• Check-in: get alerted if you've visited a venue where you may have come into contact with coronavirus, using a simple QR code scanner. No more form filling.
• Symptoms: check if you have coronavirus symptoms and see if you need to order a test.
• Test: helps you order a test if you need to.
• Isolate: keep track of your self-isolation countdown and access relevant advice.

To download the app onto your smartphone, please head over to your usual app store.

Each year the NHS prepares for the unpredictability of flu. For most healthy people, flu is an unpleasant but usually self-limiting disease with recovery generally within a week.

However, there is a particular risk of severe illness from catching flu for:

• older people
• the very young
• pregnant women
• those with underlying disease, such as chronic respiratory or cardiac disease
• those who are immunosuppressed

This year you are also recommended to have the flu vaccine if you are:

• the main carer of an older or disabled person
• a household contact of someone on the Shielded Patients List for COVID-19
• a child aged 2 to 11 years old on 31 August 2020

Below are some frequently asked questions about the flu vaccine, and their answers:

When am I most at risk from flu?

Flu circulates every winter and generally peaks in December and January. This means many people get ill around the same time.

But it's impossible to predict how many cases of flu there will be each year or exactly when it will peak.

Why are people who live with those on the NHS shielded patient list being offered a flu vaccine?

The NHS wants to keep those who are most vulnerable to COVID-19 well this winter and does not want them to catch flu.

If you live with someone who's on the NHS shielded patient list, or you expect to be with them on most days over winter, then you should ask for a free flu vaccine.

How long will the flu vaccine protect me for?

The flu vaccine will provide protection for you for the upcoming flu season. People eligible for flu vaccination should have the vaccine each year.

How long does the flu vaccine take to become effective?

It takes between 10 and 14 days for your immune system to respond fully after you have had the flu vaccine.

If I had the flu vaccine last year, do I need it again now?

Yes. The viruses that cause flu can change every year, which means the flu (and the vaccine) this winter may be different from last winter.

Can the flu vaccine cause flu?

No. The vaccine does not contain any live viruses, so it cannot cause flu.

You may get a slight temperature and aching muscles for a couple of days afterwards, and your arm may feel a bit sore where you had the injection.

Other reactions are rare, and flu vaccines have a good safety record.

For children, the nasal spray vaccine cannot cause flu because the viruses in it have been weakened to prevent this happening.

When is the best time to get my flu vaccine?

The best time to have a flu vaccine is in the autumn, before flu starts circulating. But even if it's later, it's always worth getting vaccinated.

For more information about the seasonal flu vaccination, elegibility, and frequently asked questions, visit 

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/flu-influenza-vaccine/

The most comprehensive winter flu vaccination programme in the UK’s history has been announced by the government today (Friday 24 July).

A significant new group will be eligible for the free flu vaccine as people aged 50 to 64 will be invited later in the season for a vaccination.

As part of an unprecedented drive, a free flu vaccine will also be available to:

• people who are on the shielded patient list and members of their household
• all school year groups up to year 7
• people aged over 65, pregnant women, those with pre-existing conditions including at-risk under 2s

Once vaccination of the most ‘at-risk’ groups is well underway, the department will work with clinicians to decide when to open the programme to invite people aged 50 to 64, with further details to be announced. The NHS will contact people directly, including information about where to go to get the vaccine.

The expanded flu vaccination programme is part of plans to ready the NHS – both for the risk of a second peak of coronavirus cases, and to relieve winter pressures on A&E and emergency care.

As of Monday the 15th June, any adult who lives on their own, or in a household with only children under the age of 18 (such as a single parent/guardian) may form a 'Support Bubble' with another household. This household can be of any size, and can be a mixture of adults and children.

This adult (and any children in their household) may:

-Visit and be visited by this household
-Stay overnight at this household
-Have contact which is closer than 2m with members of this household

They must NOT:
-Alternate between different households. Once a household has been chosen, you cannot swap them to form a different support bubble

REMEMBER -If any person from either household develops symptoms of COVID-19, BOTH households must self-isolate for 14 days.

For more information, please visit https://www.gov.uk/guidance/meeting-people-from-outside-your-household

It has been reported that since the lockdown began, there has been a sharp increase in people seeking help and support for domestic violence.

Whilst generally, the lockdown means that you should not be leaving your home except for essential things such as food shopping and travelling to work (if you have to), the government states that:

"If you are controlled of physically, sexually, economically or emotionally abused by a partner, ex-partner or family member, this is domestic abuse and isolation rules do NOT apply." 

You may therefore leave your home to seek help.

All Boots pharmacies in the UK from 1.5.2020 now have safe spaces. Those needing help can ask staff at the counter to use the consultation room, where they will be able to contact services for help and advice. 

If you are a woman experiencing domestic abuse you may want to contact Refuge, the National Domestic Abuse Helpline, which is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on 0808 2000 247. Calls to this number are free.

If you are a man experiencing domestic abuse, you can call the Men's Life Advice service on 0808 8010 327, Monday and Wednesday 9am-8pm, or Tuesday, Thursday and Friday between 9am-5pm.

Please remember that you are not alone, and help is available. 

Coronavirus testing is available for millions of people from today, after the government loosened rules on who can apply.

Previously, testing was only available to key workers in Engand and their household member. 

Now, all care home staff, care home residents, people aged over 65, and those who must still leave their home in order to go to work are entitled to a test.

Tests are available at a number of pop-up drive-by locations across the country. Home-testing kits are also available in some areas, however they are currently limited. It is hoped that more of these will become available over time.

The government aims to hit its arget of 100,000 tests per day by Thursday, with just over 43,000 taking place as of Monday the 17th April. 

Anyone eligible can book a test on the government's test-booking website. 

Remember, if you think you have coronavirus, you should NOT visit your GP, hospital, or pharmacy.

Due to COVID-19, a number of changes have been made to the services available at the Virgin Care Sexual Health Hub (Ironstone Centre, Scunthorpe).

A summary of the service changes is as follows:

Appointments

All patients will now be provided with a telephone triage consultation. Only urgent or complex patient cases will be seen on  a face-to-face basis.

The number on which to contact the North Lincolnshire Virgin Care Sexual Health Hub is 0300 330 1122

You can access telephone triage to get help with:

• Emergency contraception
• Supply of contraceptive pills (for those wishing to begin this contraception or those wthing to continue with it)
• Complications arising from contraception e.g. significant coil pain, implant pain, signs of infection or serious side effects
• Options for patients who normally have contraceptive injections
• Advice and referral for abortion care
• Advice on treatment for any patient with symptoms of sexually transmitted infections (STI's)

Services which have stopped

• All routine provisions for LARC's (Long Acting Reversibe Contraceptions, including the fitting and removal of the IUD/IUS (coil), and implant. Patients will be offered alternatives such as the contraceptive pill and condoms.
• Cervical screening
• Vasectomies
• STI screening of patients with no symptoms

If your IUD/IUS (coil) or Implant is due for changing, don't worry. There is currently no evidence that leaving any of these in for longer than their licence is harmful. However, if you are worried about the risk of pregnancy, use additonal precautions such as condoms. You can also call the clinic if you require more advice on other options.

Emergency contraception

If you require emergency contraception, please choose one of the following options:

• Call the Virgin Care Sexual Health clinic on 0300 330 1122
• Contact your GP

Online services

A FREE Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, HIV and Syphilis postal testing kit for people aged 16 and over is available to order online here.

If you are under 16, have symptoms or would like other STI tests, please call your local clinic.

PrEP

The clinic is currently unable to run routine PrEP appointments. 

With the current social distancing regulations, some people may choose to stop taking PrEP. For advice on stopping and starting PrEP visit https://www.iwantprepnow.co.uk/how-to-take-prep/

For those taking PrEP, a test every 3 months, alongside a HIV test is recommended (postal test availabel to order)

For people diagnosed with diabetes, this can be a particularly difficult time. 

In response to this, Diabetes UK have updated their webpages with coronavirus advice and information for people living with diabetes, and for their families. 

They also have some information to help people staying at home and managing diabetes, and to help people cope with stress and other emotions. There is also a useful coronavirus thread on thier online forum, where members are sharing tips and their experiences. 

Their dedicated Ramadan advice which is available on thier website also provides information on safe fasting and diabetes, including a factsheet on religious fasting. 

A brand new North of England Diabetes UK Facebook support group has also been started, which provides updates from key Health Care Professionals on local services and and important messages on care and support. 

The National Trading Standard Scams Team have recently released guidance on how to protect yourself from scams and fraud, and what to look out for.

This has come about as a number of new scams have been circulating, relating specifically to COVID-19 (Coronavirus).

Some of these scams include:

• People offering miracle cures or vaccines. There is currently NO specific treatment or preventatve vaccine for COVID-19.
• Home cleaning services
• People claiming to be healthcare workers and offering to deliver home testing kits
• Emails saying you can get refund son taxes, utilites and more
• A number of new mobile phone apps which claim to give COVID-19 updates, but instead lock your phone and demand a ransom
• People offering to do your shopping or collecting medication and asking for money upront and then disappearing

In order to help protect yourself from being scammed, there are a number of things you can do:

• Be cautious and listen to your instincs. Don't be afraid to hang up or close the door to people if you feel uncomfortable
• Take your time and don't be rushed by people
• If someone claims to be from a charity, as them for ID
• Be suspicious of services asking for money upfront, and try and check with a trusted relative or friend if you're unsure
• When online, be aware of fake news stories and adverts for miracle cures, home testing kits and vaccines. Do not order any of these.
• Protect your financial information such as bank details and PIN number. Never give your bank card or PIN number to a stranger. 

Please also note that banks, hospitals and the police will NEVER ask you for bank details over the phone. 

If you think you have been scammed, please report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040, and if you need advice, please call the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133. 

Call your bank if you think you have been scammed.

If you are in immediate danger, call 999.

Here are some frequently asked questions and answers that have been provided by Public Health England on infection control of COVID-19 in care home settings.

Remember that if required, please seek advice from your local authority adult and social care team for operational, staffing, and mutual aid support as needed.

Q- Does the use of gloves, aprons and surgical masks protect service users or staff?

A- This PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) protects the health care worker who is working within 2 meters of the service user and it will also protect the service user in case the healthcare worker has been in contact with an infected patient. This in turn protects other service users and healthcare workers being infected.

Q- Is it important to hand-wash after removing PPE?

A- Absolutely! It ensures you are protected and do not pass the virus onto other vulnerable service users.

Q- If I have to perform chest compressions and defibrillation on a service user am I at risk of COVID-19?

A- In accordance with the guidelines your aprons, gloves and surgical mask will protect you when doing chest compressions and defibrillation only. When a paramedic arrives and if they intubate the service user they will wear higher protection and you will be asked to move away from the area whilst they carry out this procedure so you are protected.

Q-Can a care home take a resident back if they have tested negative for COVID-19 in hospital?

A- Yes. Follow the advice of the discharging ward. It would be advisable to care for the resident in their own room so they are self- isolating as they may have been exposed. Monitor the resident for symptoms.

Q- Can homes admit confirmed positive residents?

A- Yes, they will need to be isolated alone in their own room with en-suite and have dedicated staff, PPE, and follow national guidelines for 7 days following the showing of their first symptoms.

North Lincolnshire Council is working with communities across the area to enable the delivery of food, essential medicine and social contact to vulnerable people who live alone and do not have family, friends or neighbours for assistance.

To make them aware of your circumstances or on behalf of someone else, please register using the form available here:

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=7VVmWP8siUCBl7TBC3s9...

If you cannot complete the form online, you can call the contact centre on 01724 297000 between 8am to 8pm, seven days a week and select option “0” for Covid-19 related support.

If you have a medical condition which makes you extremely vulnerable to coronavirus (COVID-19), you can register with central government for additional support.

You may have received a letter from the NHS telling you that you’re clinically extremely vulnerable, or been contacted by your GP or hospital clinician. If this has not happened, contact your GP or clinician after you register with this service.

It may take time for any support offered through this service to arrive. Wherever possible you should continue to rely on friends, family and wider support to help you meet your needs.

If you have received a letter, or someone you care for has, you can register for support by clicking the link below:

https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus-extremely-vulnerable

The government have set up a new, free to use service which aims to provide official, trustworthy and timely information and advice about Coronavirus (COVID-19), and will further reduce the burden on NHS services.

The GOV.UK Coronavirus Information Service is an automated 'chatbot' service which will allow the British public to get answers to the most common questions about coronavirus directly from the government.

The service will provide information on topics such as coronavirus preventionand symptoms, the latest number of cases in the UK, advice on staying at home, travel advice and myth busting.

The service will also allow the government to send messages to all opted-in users if required.

To use the free GOV.UK Coronavirus Information Service on WhatsApp, simply add 07860 064422 in your phone contacts then message the word 'hi' in a WhatsApp message to get started.

Below is some basic guidance on attending pharmacy, GP and hospital services. 

If you require more in-depth information or advice, please feel free to get in touch with us, or contact the relevant service directly.

Remember, if you are displaying any symptoms of COVID-19, you should NOT leave your home, and instead use the Government's guides on self isolation (Here)

If it is an emergency, please diall 999

Pharmacy:

Only visit your pharmacy if it's necessary and attempt to spend as little time there as possible.

Many pharmacies have introduced distancing measures (e.g. tape on the floor to ensure people keep their distance), however if there is nothing visible, please ensure to keep at least a 2 meter distance between yourself and the next person.

Some pharmacies also offer medication delivery -particularly for people in the vulnerable category for whom it is highly recommended to self-isolate. Please call your local pharmact for more information on this.

GP Practice:

Whilst you can leave your house for necessary medical appointments, many GPs have now stopped face-to-face appointments and are now only doing telephone appointments.

If you had an appointment booked, the practice will most likely contact you and inform you as to whether you should still attend.

Where possible, try to call your practice if you need to book an appointment, or use the online booking service which many practices now offer.

Hospital:

Scunthorpe General Hospital are reviewing all appointments and will let you know if we need to postpone yours. If you don’t hear from them, please attend your appointment as planned. They are trying to minimise face-to-face appointments where possible so you may be offered a telephone or video consultation instead

Visiting Scunthorpe Hospital is only currently allowed in exceptional circumstances: Visiting a patient at the end of their life, one parent visiting a child and birthing partners.

One birth partner can accompany for the labour and birth. Birth partners will then be asked to leave after spending some time together after the birth.

They are no longer allowing partners/family members in antenatal clinics, scans or any other appointments at the antenatal day unit.