Staying safe and well during the coronavirus pandemic

The symptoms of coronavirus are:

• a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
• a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
• anosmia - this is the loss of or a change in the normal sense of smell. It can also affect the sense of taste as the two are closely linked.

If someone in your household starts to have symptoms, then that person must get tested and the rest of the household should self-isolate with them whilst they wait for the results. If you or other members of the household don’t have symptoms, then you should not get a test – only people with symptoms should get tested. The vast majority of people who are tested in-person get their results the very next day. Full guidance on self-isolation is available on gov.uk.

Do:

• wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds
• use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
• wash your hands as soon as you get home

Don't

• do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean

Wear a face covering over your nose and mouth in enclosed spaces. New government advice has been issued on when and where people should wear face coverings.

Members of the public should wear face coverings in certain circumstances, such as enclosed spaces where social distancing may not always be possible. Face coverings are required while using public transport in England and are mandatory in shops and supermarkets and in our One Stop Shop, at indoor venues such as museums, galleries, libraries, cinemas and places of worship.

While face coverings do not protect you from contracting coronavirus, it is aimed at protecting people you come into contact with if you are asymptomatic.

Those exempt from wearing face coverings include young children under the age of 11 or those who may have problems breathing while wearing a face covering. More details can be found on the Government Website.

A face covering is made of cloth or other textiles and covers the nose and mouth. You should be able to breathe comfortably through a face covering. You can use also a simple scarf or bandana that ties behind your head or make your own ‘no-sew’ face coverings using the advice available online at gov.uk:

WHEN TO WEAR ONE AND HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN

Stay at least 2 metres apart - or 1 metre with a face covering or other precautions.

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).

Outdoor activity is encouraged, you can meet one person from outside your household.

Please refer to the latest updated guidance from Public Health England:

SOCIAL DISTANCING GUIDANCE 

Please follow the latest government advice and only travel on public transport if you need to, you should cycle or walk wherever possible, or plan ahead and avoid busy times and routes on public transport. This will allow you to practise social distancing while you travel. Passengers and staff are being advised to take precautions to try and stop the spread of the infection.

For questions regarding travel in South Yorkshire you can call the Traveline team on 01709 515151 between 8am and 6pm seven days or follow @TSYalerts  on Twitter. 

Carers (unpaid) are family, neighbours and friends who care for a person/s who could not manage without their vital support.

As the situation with coronavirus evolves, it's important to know what support is available to you as a carer.
Are you new to a caring role? Have your caring duties changed recently? Do you need to talk to someone about your caring role? 
Carer support gives you the opportunity to find out about help available locally and to help make plans for the future.

Please contact Doncaster Carer Reach Out Service in office time (or leave a message outside these times and we will call you back) on 01302986900 or 07713 089 678. You can also email DoncasterCarers@makingspace.co.uk We will utilise social media as an alternative way to communicate via Twitter @CarersDoncaster and Doncaster Carer Reach Out Service Facebook page.

The links below hold vital information to help and assist at this extremely challenging time:

Making Space - Doncaster Carers Reach Out Service

Carers UK website - Coronavirus mental wellbeing

Carers UK website - Coronavirus guidance

Doncaster Council can provide Carer’s Needs Assessments, any carer over 18 years old who are looking person or persons over 18 years old who is disabled, ill or elderly. It is an opportunity to record the impact caring has on your life and what support or services you need. The assessment will consider physical, mental and emotional needs, and whether you are able or willing to carry on caring. Anyone can become a carer, carers can be of any age, from any background. Many carers do not consider themselves to be a carer as they feel its ‘what they do’ e.g. looking after one or both parents, their child who has additional needs (who may now be an adult), best friend or neighbour.

Examples of caring can be made up of a single or combination of the following;

• Emotional support like listening and talking
• Household chores like cleaning, cooking, washing, ironing or shopping
• Medical care such as helping with medicine dosages or delivery
• Personal care like feeding, getting to the toilet, washing and dressing
• Physical care ensuring the person can move around their home

A Carers Needs Assessment can be completed with you in your own right even if the person you care for is not in receipt of care and support through Adult Social Care. Or you can have a joint assessment as a carer with the person you care for if they are known.

Please contact Doncaster Adult Social Services and Wellbeing Team us on 01302 737391 between 8.30 am – 5 pm Monday to Friday. The person who takes your call will make contact with the locality team in your area, this team will make contact with you to arrange a time with you complete your Carers Needs Assessment.

If you are over 60 or clinically vulnerable, you could be at higher risk of severe illness from Coronavirus. You:

• should be especially careful to follow the rules and minimise your contacts with others

• are encouraged to stay at home as much as possible, but are encouraged to go outside for exercise.

• should continue to wash your hands carefully and more frequently than usual and maintain thorough cleaning of frequently touched areas in your home and/or workspace

The full new Government guidance is published here and the Government will write to everybody who is clinically extremely vulnerable to set out detailed advice while the new restrictions are in place.

Clinically vulnerable people are those who are:

• aged 70 or over (regardless of medical conditions)

• under 70 with an underlying health condition listed below (that is, anyone instructed to get a flu jab each year on medical grounds):

  • chronic (long-term) mild to moderate respiratory diseases, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema or bronchitis
  • chronic heart disease, such as heart failure
  • chronic kidney disease
  • chronic liver disease, such as hepatitis
  • chronic neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis (MS) or cerebral palsy
  • diabetes
  • a weakened immune system as the result of certain conditions or medicines they are taking (such as steroid tablets)
  • being seriously overweight (a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or above)
• pregnant

There is a further group of people who are defined, also on medical grounds, as clinically extremely vulnerable to coronavirus – that is, people with specific serious health conditions. Over this period, we are advising the clinically extremely vulnerable to work from home. If you cannot work from home, you are advised not to go to work and may be eligible for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) or Employment Support Allowance (ESA). You are encouraged to stay at home as much as possible, but are encouraged to go outside for exercise. The full guidance is available and the Government will write to everybody who is clinically extremely vulnerable to set out detailed advice while the new restrictions are in place.

See our webpage dedicated to advice for those identified as Clinically Extremely Vulnerable. 

Please also see the government latest guidance to shielded people where the government set out what this means for those that are shielding.

Doncaster CCG have also produced some useful information on Shielding and Support 

We know these are difficult times, so if you feel like you need a little extra support but have no one around to help then please get in touch with us! 

You can call our helpline Monday to Friday between 8.30am – 5pm on 01302 430300 

If you're worried about someone else, encourage them to use the NHS online coronavirus service or call 111.

For people living with cancer, there is more information on our coronavirus information for people living with cancer page.

Help is available. You can find information on our Coping with bereavement webpage.

Please speak with the care home directly to find out their approach to visitors and keeping people safe during the pandemic.