Please see below our daily communication update on the coronavirus illness (COVID-19) outbreak which we would appreciate you sharing with your practice staff.You can find all previous COVID-19 communications on G-Care.
Please note that in writing to you today we recognise that the guidance from the Department of Health and Public Health England is changing rapidly. However,we feel it is important to support our GP practices by providing the most up to date information we have.
Prime Minister COVID-19 statement
Prime Minister Boris Johnson made a statement on COVID-19 yesterday(16.03.2020)evening. The full transcript of the speech can be found here.The main updates are for:households with a possible COVID-19 infection;social distancing and vulnerable people. Succinct details of these announcements can be found below.
COVID-19: guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection
This guidance is intended for:
- People with symptoms that may be caused by coronavirus, and do not require hospital treatment, who must remain at home until they are well;
- Those living in households with someone who shows symptoms that may be caused by coronavirus.
The main messages are:
- If you live alone and you have symptoms of COVID-19, however mild, stay at home for 7 days from when your symptoms started.
- 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.
- 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.
If patients have coronavirus symptoms they are being advised:
- Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital;
- Do not 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.
- 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.
COVID-19: guidance on social distancing and for vulnerable people
This guidance on social distancing is for everyone in the UK and protecting older people and vulnerable people.
- It advises on social distancing measures we should all be taking to reduce social interaction between people in order to reduce the transmission of 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 is advising those who are at increased risk of severe illness from coronavirus (COVID-19) to be particularly stringent in following social distancing measures.
This group includes those who are:
Aged 70 or older (regardless of medical conditions).
Under 70 with an underlying health condition listed below (i.e.anyone instructed to get a flu jab as an adult each year on medical grounds):
- chronic (long-term) 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), a learning disability or cerebral palsy;
- diabetes;
- problems with your spleen –for example, sickle cell disease or if you have had your spleen removed;
- a weakened immune systemas the result of conditions such as HIV and AIDS, or medicines such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy;
- being seriously overweight (a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or above).
- Those who are pregnant.