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NHS Test and Trace App

  • Someone on iphone.jpgThe national NHS Test and Trace App is now available.
  • The app is key part of the country’s fight against COVID-19.

Members of the public are strongly encouraged to download the app to their smartphones now. The app is available via the Google Play Store and Apple App Store
It will be used, alongside traditional  contact tracing, to notify users if they come into contact with someone who later tests positive for coronavirus.

Find out more about the app here

On this page:

Select heading links below to view information on this web page.

Further information section - this includes:

  • Advice videos with Dr Craig Melrose
  • More information on the support helpline
  • Easy Read documents and further resources including information for Disabled Children
  • North East & North Cumbria Integrated Care System - Regional Info Links and Advice
  • Chief Medical Officer Statement
  • Media Enquiries

Symptoms and advice

Coronavirus symptoms:

- High temperature
- New continuous cough
- Loss of taste or smell

No one in your household should leave home if any one person has symptoms.
Find out how to get a test, and how long to isolate, at:
- https://nhs.uk/coronavirus
- Information on testing in Cumbria

Stay alert to the symptoms of coronavirus

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.

How long to stay at home:
  • if you have symptoms, stay at home for 7 days
  • if you live with other people, they should stay at home for 14 days from the day the first person got symptoms
  • If you live with someone who is 70 or over, has a long-term condition, is pregnant or has a weakened immune system, try to find somewhere else for them to stay for 14 days.

If you have to stay at home together, try to keep away from each other as much as possible.

Further advice about staying at home

How to avoid catching or spreading coronavirus
Do
  • wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds
  • always wash your hands when you get home or into work
  • use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
  • 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
  • try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell
Don't
  • do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean​​​​​​

Poster - wash your hands with soap and water more often for 20 seconds

Updated GOV.UK guidance from 1 June 2020

COVID-19: management of staff and exposed patients and residents in health and social care settings

Guidance on the management of staff, patients and residents who have been exposed to COVID-19.

The link above takes you to guidance which provides advice on the management of staff and patients or residents in health and social care settings according to exposures, symptoms and test results. It includes:

  • staff with symptoms of COVID-19
  • staff return to work criteria
  • patient exposures in hospital
  • resident exposures in care settings
COVID-19: guidance on shielding and protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable

Information for shielding and protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable from COVID-19.

The link above takes you to guidance for people who are clinically extremely vulnerable, including children. It’s also for their family, friends and carers.

People who are clinically extremely vulnerable should have received a letter telling them they’re in this group or been told by their GP.

It’s for situations where a clinically extremely vulnerable person is living at home, with or without additional support. This includes clinically extremely vulnerable people living in long-term care facilities for the elderly or people with special needs.

If you have been told that you’re clinically extremely vulnerable, you should:

NHS 111

NHS 111 has a specialist online Coronavirus help service. Use this service if:

  • you feel you cannot cope with your symptoms at home
  • your condition gets worse
  • your symptoms do not get better after 7 days

Please only call 111 if you cannot get help online.

Mental wellbeing and keeping safe during the coronavirus outbreak
Emergency support line for vulnerable people needing urgent help

Cumbria County Council and partners launched an emergency support service for people at high risk of becoming seriously ill, as a result of COVID-19, and who do not have support available from friends, family or neighbours.

The Emergency telephone support line is 0800 783 1966.

Or you can email your request for help to: COVID19support@cumbria.gov.uk.

The telephone ‘call’ centre will operate Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5pm and 10am to 2pm at weekends. The service will also accepts referrals from members of the public who may be concerned about people in their community.

COVID-19 Testing sites in Cumbria

Testing for Covid-19 is now available to people in Cumbria at a range of locations. Four sites can be accessed by anyone who is an essential worker, with a further four sites currently testing health and social care staff only (including the independent and voluntary sectors). Find out more here

Information on Red Hubs

During the current COVID-19 outbreak, patients experiencing certain symptoms (breathing issues and / or fever), patients who are self isolating because a member of their household has symptoms, and who have been telephone assessed by a GP to need a face-to-face examination will be called to one of our local 'Red Hubs'. 

More on Red Hubs - including locations, process and what to expect...

PPE for Personal Assistants

If you are in receipt of direct payments and use these for a personal assistant who does not already receive Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) from the NHS or other sources then you can access PPE through Cumbria County Councils Emergency PPE Helpline. The helpline can be contacted between 9.00 and 17.00 Monday to Friday and 10.00 to 14.00 at the weekend. The number for the Emergency PPE Helpline is 0800 783 1967.

Links to helpful information

If people have questions about care homes / domiciliary care they need to make contact via the following email: strategic.commissioning@cumbria.gov.uk

Guidance for Health Professionals

Advice on the Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Care Workers, Social Workers and Occupational Therapists During the COVID-19 pandemic:

Further information

Advice on what to do if you think you have coronavirus

Why it's important to stay at home


NHS teams are working hard for you

What the NHS has been doing to prepare for coronavirus

The helpline 0800 783 1966 is there to support those at ‘high risk’ and include people over 70 years old, pregnant women and those with underlying health conditions who should be protecting themselves by staying at home. The majority of these people will already be receiving support from family, friends or local voluntary groups with tasks like shopping or collection of medicines if they require it. But we know that a small number of people will not have this support. If they have no alternative, these people will now be able to call the Freephone number to request help with getting food, medicines, essential supplies and home deliveries.

Cumbria County Council has been working closely with District Councils, CVS, Cumbria Community Foundation, community and voluntary sector, private sector and military to establish these new arrangements. To support the new helpline every area is coordinating a supply of essential food, medicines and supplies which can only be accessed via the emergency helpline or email. The requests received asking for help will then be matched with local support and supplies being offered by community groups, volunteers, councils and businesses.

Cumbria is already seeing widespread community and voluntary sector support for the response to COVID-19 and informal support, including neighbourhood WhatsApp groups and community Facebook groups, alongside a commitment from existing community emergency planning groups, local churches and faith groups and formal voluntary sector organisations who are working with the county council and partners including District Councils and NHS.

The Chief Medical Officer has stated, NHS services are likely to come under intense pressure as the coronavirus spreads, and we need to ensure that we have as many beds available as possible to care for patients with severe respiratory problems when the number of infections peaks. 

Therefore, in line with well-established plans for situations like this, every hospital in England has now been asked to suspend all non-urgent elective operations from 15 April for at least three months, with some other procedures likely to be rescheduled before then so we can train our staff and adapt certain areas.
  
Urgent and emergency cases and cancer treatments will be carrying on as normal, but we know many people waiting for treatment will be disappointed or worried, and we will be contacting everyone affected as soon as possible.

Slide explaining how your GP practice are working during pandemic. They are operating in a different way to provide safe care to patients.