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Social distancing and changes to everyday life


Advice about avoiding close contact with other people (social distancing), looking after your wellbeing and using the NHS and other services during coronavirus.

Social distancing: what you need to do

To stop the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), you should avoid close contact with anyone you do not live with. This is called social distancing. Information:If you live alone or you’re a single parent who lives alone with your children, you can meet with 1 other household without social distancing. This is called a support bubble. Find out more about meeting people from outside your household on GOV.UK.How to avoid spreading the infection It's very important to do what you can to reduce the risk of you and other people getting ill with coronavirus. You can spread the virus even if you do not have symptoms. Do

  • try to stay at least 2 metres (3 steps) away from anyone you do not live with (or anyone not in your support bubble)

  • 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

  • cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze

  • put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards

Don't

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

Read more about staying safe outside your home on GOV.UK. Face coverings Wear something that covers your nose and mouth:

  • on public transport

  • when you go to hospital appointments or visit someone in hospital

If you can, also wear a face covering in other places when it's hard to stay away from people, such as in shops. Face coverings should not be worn by children under 3 and people who would find wearing them difficult (such as people with breathing difficulties). To find out who needs to wear a face covering on public transport, see safer travel guidance for passengers on GOV.UK.Things you can and cannot do The government has published guidance on what you can and cannot do outside your home. This includes guidance about when you can leave your home, seeing other people and going to work.

Important There is separate advice:

Looking after your health and wellbeing To help yourself stay well while you're at home:

  • stay in touch with family and friends over the phone or on social media

  • try to keep yourself busy – you could try activities like cooking, reading, online learning and watching films

  • do light exercise at home or outside – see NHS fitness studio: exercises you can do at home

  • consider taking 10 micrograms of vitamin D each day if you're indoors most of the day – this is to keep your bones and muscles healthy

Information:Advice on mental health while you're staying at home:

If you need medical help It's important to get medical help if you need it, especially if you feel very unwell or think there's something seriously wrong.

If you're advised to go to hospital, it's important to go. Keep going to any appointments you usually have, unless you're told not to. Read about using the NHS and other health services during coronavirus.Information:Get help and support If you're at a higher risk from coronavirus, you can get help from an NHS volunteer with things like getting food, medicines and other things you need. Call 0808 196 3646 (open 8am to 8pm) to get help from NHS Volunteer Responders.More in Social distancing and changes to everyday life

Using the NHS and other health services during coronavirus

At the moment it can be hard to know what to do if you're unwell. It's still important to get medical help if you need it. There are ways to get medical help and prescriptions online or over the phone.Coronavirus help If you think you have symptoms of coronavirus and need medical advice, use the NHS 111 online coronavirus service.Health information and advice The best place to get accurate health information is the NHS website. The NHS website has information and advice on:

You can also check your GP surgery's website. Lots of GP surgeries have online services where you can get advice and support from your GP surgery team. Find your GP surgery to get its website details. Help and support from a GP If you need to contact a GP, do not go into the surgery in person. You can:

Your GP surgery will then give you advice about what to do. A phone or video call with a GP, nurse or other healthcare professional may be booked for you. You'll only be asked to visit the surgery if absolutely necessary. Your GP surgery may be very busy at the moment and you may have to wait longer than usual to speak to someone if it's not urgent. Information:Online services and apps If you're registered with a GP surgery, you can use online services and apps that may allow you to:

  • order repeat prescriptions

  • see parts of your health record, including test results

  • book, check or cancel appointments

You may not be able to book appointments at the moment. Please check your GP surgery's website for how to contact staff (find your GP surgery to get its website details). If you can book an appointment, it is likely to be a phone or video appointment. Find out how to start using online services. Repeat prescriptions If you have a repeat prescription that you usually request at your GP surgery or pharmacy, you can do this online. You can order repeat prescriptions using:

Do not go to your GP surgery or pharmacy to order prescriptions. Call them if you cannot order your prescription online. When you order your prescription, order it at the same time and in the same amount you usually would. Do not order more than you need as this may mean someone else will be unable to get their medicine. Read more about how to order repeat prescriptions online. Dental treatment In England, some routine dental treatments are now available again. Changes have been made to keep you and the dental care team safe. Contact your dentist by phone or email. Only visit if you’ve been told to. If you think you need urgent dental treatment, do not go to a dentist. Instead:

They can give you advice, help you contact an urgent dental service or arrange treatment if needed. Do not contact a GP. They cannot provide dental treatment. Sexual health clinics Call a sexual health clinic if you need help or advice about sexual health issues like sexually transmitted infections (STIs) or contraception. Clinics can be busy, so you may need to wait for your call to be answered and you may need to call more than once. Only go to a clinic if you’ve been told to. Find sexual health clinic contact details Contraception If you need contraception, call your GP surgery or a sexual health clinic as soon as possible. Only go in person if you've been told to. You'll usually have a phone or video consultation. You'll get an electronic prescription you can use to collect your contraception from a pharmacy or get it delivered. It can take longer to get contraception at the moment and some types are not widely available. You'll be told about other types of contraception you can use if you’re unable to get the type you want. See Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare: advice for women seeking contraception during the COVID-19 epidemic. Hospitals Some changes have been made to hospital services:

  • your appointment may be cancelled or rescheduled – keep going to any appointments you usually have, unless you're told not to

  • some appointments may be online, by phone or by video call

  • you may be asked to come to your appointment alone, if you can

  • you must wear something that covers your nose and mouth when you go to a hospital

If you are having surgery or a procedure:

  • you, the people you live with and anyone in your support bubble may need to self-isolate before you go into hospital

  • you may need a test to check if you have coronavirus before you go into hospital

Your hospital will contact you with more information about what you need to do. Information:If you're advised to go to hospital, it's important to go. Urgent medical help If you need urgent medical help, use the regular NHS 111 online service. The 111 online service asks questions about your symptoms to help you get the help you need. Call 111 if you need urgent help for a child under 5 or cannot get help online. Emergency medical help For life-threatening emergencies, call 999 for an ambulance. Try to avoid going straight to A&E instead of calling an ambulance. Information:British Sign Language support You can use a free British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter video service to help with things like medical appointments, calling your GP surgery or speaking to a pharmacist. Get support from a BSL interpreter from BSL Health AccessMore in Social distancing and changes to everyday life

Bereavement advice and support during coronavirus

Most people experience grief when they lose someone important to them. It affects everyone differently. There's no right or wrong way to feel. You may be finding it particularly difficult at the moment because of the changes in place to try to stop the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). Changes have been made to several services, including end of life and palliative care, as well as funeral arrangements. You may feel that you need some extra help and support during this time. Information:NHS bereavement helpline Call the NHS bereavement helpline on 0800 2600 400 for guidance and support if someone you know has died. It's open every day from 8am to 8pm. The nurses on the helpline can give you advice, guidance and practical support during this difficult time. If somebody dies at home Call 999 if somebody dies at home unexpectedly. If there's an end of life care plan in place and the death is expected, call the person's GP. Leave a message if you cannot speak to them. The GP or another healthcare professional may be able to certify the death. Sometimes they may need to report the death to a coroner before it can be certified. Registering a death You need to call a register office to register the death of a relative or loved one. Find a register office on GOV.UK. The register office staff will tell you what you need to do when you contact them. Funeral directors can also register deaths, but not all of them do. In England, Wales, and Northern Ireland a death must be registered within 5 days. In Scotland, a death must be registered within 8 days. Read more about how to register a death on GOV.UK. Seeing someone after they've died It's unlikely you'll be able to see someone after they've died if it happened in a hospital or care home. You may be able to see them at a distance, but this will depend on the rules of the hospital or care home. If they died from coronavirus you will need to stay 2 metres (3 steps) away from them. This means you are unlikely to be able to do any cultural or funeral rituals that involve touching the person's body. This includes washing, dressing, kissing, and holding them. Funerals To stop the spread of coronavirus, current government advice on safe funerals says only close family members and people who lived with the person who died should go to their funeral. Other guidance for funerals that are taking place at the moment includes:

  • anyone at higher risk from coronavirus should not go to the funeral

  • anyone who has symptoms of coronavirus should not go to the funeral

  • a funeral should happen at a crematorium or graveside, not in a place of worship

  • at the funeral you need to stay 2 metres (3 steps) away from anyone you do not live with

  • a funeral car should only be used if absolutely necessary, and only people who live together should use it

  • family members will not be able to carry the coffin

  • you should not advertise the funeral, as people may arrive unexpectedly

  • you may be able to live stream the funeral service for people who cannot attend – ask the funeral director if this is possible

Bereavement and mental health support:

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