Shielding advice for residents in Northumberland

People who are currently shielding in Northumberland have been contacted and offered advice in the run up to measures being eased on August 1st.

 

The Northumberland Communities Together (NCT) team, which is an initiative run by the county council, have been contacting those who have been shielding and those who have been in receipt of support from government deliveries to ensure they are supported beyond August 1st.

 

The team will be able to give them advice and support with access to food, shopping support, digital support, medication pick-ups and helping to re-build confidence in integrating back into their community.

 

NCT will continue to support communities and residents to be safe, well and connected to each other and to support community activities.

 

Government guidance states that shielding will pause from August 1, unless the transmission of COVID-19 in the community starts to rise significantly.

 

Cllr Cath Homer, cabinet member responsible for the voluntary and community sector at the council said: “We understand that for many of those who have been shielding throughout this pandemic the relaxing of measures from August 1 will be a concern and something which they may be feeling anxious about.

 

“We have been contacting all of our shielded residents in preparation for this date to offer them some reassurance and guidance as to how they can slowly start to go out more and see more people. For those who still need it we will also be able to give people advice on how they can continue to have prescriptions collected and food delivered.”

 

If you or someone you know has been shielding and would like to hear from the team please email northumberlandcommunitiestogether@northumberland.gov.uk, or call 01670 620015 between 9am to 6pm, seven days a week.

 

Guidance from August 1 for those who are shielding states:

 

• the government will no longer be advising you to shield
• the support from the National Shielding Service of free food parcels, medicine deliveries and care will stop
• NHS Volunteer Responders will carry on delivering the food you buy, prescriptions and essential items if needed
• you will still be eligible for priority supermarket slots, but only if you registered before July 17
• You may still be at risk of severe illness if you catch coronavirus, so stay at home as much as you can and continue to take precautions when you do go out. You can do this by washing your hands regularly, avoiding touching your face and keeping 2 metres away from people outside of your household or bubble wherever possible.

 

From 1 August, people will also be advised you could go out to more places and see more people, for example, the advice is:

 

• you can go to work, as long as the workplace is COVID-secure – but carry on working from home if you can
• children who are clinically extremely vulnerable can go back to school (when the rest of their class goes back)
• you can go outside to buy food, to places of worship and for exercise – keeping 2 metres away wherever possible