Covid19 Advice

Getting your Covid-19 vaccine

Please don’t contact your GP practice or Community Pharmacy to seek a vaccine, the NHS will contact you.

When you are invited, please be sure to attend your booked appointments.

Please attend your appointment on your own. If you need assistance, please bring only one person with you. If we have more people attending, it is difficult to maintain social distancing.

Even after having a Covid-19 vaccination, please continue to follow all the guidance to control the virus and save lives – that means staying at home as much as possible and following the ‘hands, face, space’ guidance when you are out.

How will I be invited for a Covid-19 vaccination?

When it is the right time people will receive an invitation to come forward. For most people this will be a letter or phone call, either from their GP or the national NHS. This letter will include all the information a person will need to book appointments. Some services are currently also phoning and texting patients to invite them in.

We know lots of people will be eager to get protected but we would ask people not to contact the NHS to get an appointment until they are contacted. The NHS is working hard to make sure those at greatest risk are offered the vaccine first.

Some people who have been vaccinated by their GP may still get an invitation to a mass vaccination centre or a community pharmacy. This letter can be disregarded if you have already had your vaccine from you GP. This letter is not an invitation for a second dose of your vaccine and remember you can wait for an invitation from your GP if you would prefer to be vaccinated at a local designated hub rather than at a mass vaccination centre.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-vaccination-why-you-are-being-asked-to-wait/why-you-have-to-wait-for-your-covid-19-vaccine

Who is being vaccinated next?

The NHS is prioritising vaccinating those experts have agreed will benefit from having it the most.

From Monday 15th February, people in cohorts 5 and 6 are being invited by the NHS to have their vaccine.

These are:

Cohort 5 - all those 65 years of age and over
Cohort 6 - all individuals aged 16 years to 64 years with underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of serious disease and mortality.

Local GP vaccination services are focusing initially on the clinically vulnerable from cohort 6 because of the relationship between general practice and those with long term conditions, and continuity of care.

People may also receive a letter from the National Booking Service inviting them to book at a Large Vaccination Centre. In the North East this is Newcastle’s Centre for Life and the NHS Nightingale Hospital North East, Sunderland with a third Large Vaccination Centre location opening in Durham opening soon.

People may wish to wait a little while until they receive an invitation from their own GP practice as this is likely to be closer to where they live and might be more convenient depending on individual circumstances.

We know people are very keen to have their vaccine but remember it might be more convenient to wait for your local vaccination service run by GPs to get in touch.

People should not be worried about travelling to a large vaccination centre, everyone in the priority cohorts who wants to have a vaccination can do so from their local GP vaccination service.

If you want to wait to be called by your local GP vaccination service then don’t respond to the national booking service invitation.

The way the cohorts are being invited may result in a younger person with a underlying health condition being offered an appointment before someone in the over 65 year age group. This doesn't mean you have been missed so please wait until the NHS contacts you.

In the meantime the message remains the same - the NHS will be in contact with you when the time is right for you to be invited for your vaccine. Please do not contact the NHS, please wait for the NHS to contact you.

SMS

Over 65s & adults with conditions are vaccinated next. You can use national booking service or wait to be invited to local GP service. Do not telephone surgery. Find out more: https://digital.nhs.uk/coronavirus/vaccinations/national-booking-service

How NHS test and trace service works

Part 1: for someone with symptoms of coronavirus

isolate: as soon as you experience coronavirus symptoms, medical advice is clear: you must self-isolate for at least 7 days. Anyone else in your household must self-isolate for 14 days from when you started having symptoms
test: order a test immediately at www.nhs.uk/coronavirus or call 119 if you have no internet access
results: if your test is positive, you must complete the remainder of your 7-day self-isolation. Anyone in your household must also complete self-isolation for 14 days from when you started having symptoms. If your test is negative, you and other household members no longer need to self-isolate
share contacts: if you test positive for coronavirus, the NHS test and trace service will send you a text or email alert or call you with instructions of how to share details of people with whom you have had close, recent contact and places you have visited. It is important that you respond as soon as possible so that we can give appropriate advice to those who need it. You will be told to do this online via a secure website or you will be called by one of our contract tracers.

Part 2: if you are contacted by the NHS test and trace service because you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus

alert: you will be alerted by the NHS test and trace service if you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus. The alert will usually come by text, email or phone call. You should then log on to the NHS test and trace website, which is normally the easiest way for you and the service to communicate with each other – but, if not, a trained call handler will talk you through what you must do. Under-18s will get a phone call and a parent or guardian will be asked to give permission for the call to continue
isolate: you will be told to begin self-isolation for 14 days from your last contact with the person who has tested positive. It’s really important to do this even if you don’t feel unwell because, if you have been infected, you could become infectious to others at any point up to 14 days. Your household doesn’t need to self-isolate with you, if you do not have symptoms, but they must take extra care to follow the guidance on social distancing and handwashing and avoid contact with you at home
test if needed: if you develop symptoms of coronavirus, other members of your household must self-isolate immediately at home for 14 days and you must book a test at www.nhs.uk/coronavirus or call 119 if you have no internet access. If your test is positive, you must continue to stay at home for at least 7 days and we will get in touch to ask about your contacts since they must self-isolate. If your test is negative, you must still complete your 14-day self-isolation period because the virus may not be detectable yet - this is crucial to avoid unknowingly spreading the virus.

Click here for more information on the NHS Test and Trace service.

Ageing Better Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough and Stockton Mind

A little while ago, we took the decision to cancel our usual face to face Taster events based on Government advice.

This is still the case for the moment, but we are doing everything we can to ensure you can still join in with activities and meet new people.

The latest edition of our Taster Sessions booklet has lots of online sessions for you to enjoy. This includes a 'legendary game show' get together, brilliant bingo sessions, digital workshops and online coffee mornings.

Click here to view all activities: https://issuu.com/ageingbettermiddlesbrough/docs/tasters_booklet_july_aug_2020_upd

Just email the staff member who is hosting the activity, and they will send all of the information you need.

All you need is access to Zoom on your tablet, mobile phone or laptop.

Not sure how to access Zoom? We can help. Call our dedicated team of digital volunteers on 01642 061019 and they will talk you through any issues you may be having.

Covid19 Advice and Help for Patients

Community Support Hubs

Local Authorities have been directed to set community support hubs to coordinate support responses to vulnerable patients at greater risk from the Covid-19 virus. Please see below overview the details and a contact numbers of the Community Support Hubs established by each local authority within the Tees Valley. Their role is to provide support to people who might not have support from friends or family members in the following key areas:

Information and advice
Emotional support
Delivery of shopping / newspapers / prescriptions
walking or taking care of your pets
health advice
making meals

Middlesbrough Hub - telephone 01642 729777
https://www.middlesbrough.gov.uk/

Redcar and Cleveland hub - tel 01642 771122
https://www.redcar-cleveland.gov.uk

email support@redcar-cleveland.gov.uk

facebook - redcar and cleveland Coronavirus support group

ONLINE ISOLATION NOTES - PROVIDING PROOF OF CORONAVIRUS ABSENCE FROM WORK

Online isolation notes are via NHS111 online, for patients that are self-isolating. An isolation note can be obtained without contacting a doctor and practices are not able to provide these; the notes can be accessed through the NHS website and NHS 111 online

WHO SHOULD BE SOCIAL DISTANCING?

THIS BROAD GROUP OF PATIENTS (WHO ARE NORMALLY ELIGIBLE FOR AN ANNUAL FLU JAB) SHOULD TAKE STEPS TO REDUCE THEIR SOCIAL INTERACTIONS IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE TRANSMISSION OF THE VIRUS

This group has been identified to the public as 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 system as the result of conditions such as HIV and AIDS, or medicines such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy
Being seriously overweight (a BMI of 40 or above)
Those who are pregnant

EXTREMELY VULNERABLE

WHO SHOULD UNDERGO STRICT SOCIAL ISOLATION WITH NO CONTACT BEYOND THAT WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY? (WE'RE CALLING THIS "SHIELDING PATIENTS" WHO ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE AND AT THE HIGHEST RISK)

THIS GROUP OF PATIENTS WILL RECEIVE A LETTER FROM EITHER THEIR CANCER SPECIALIST, THEIR CONSULTANT OR HOSPITAL SPECIALIST AND FOR A SMALL NUMBER OF COMPLEX CASES WHERE ASKED FROM US (THEIR GP)

Full advice on shielding person:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19

What do i do if i live with someone who is shielded?
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19

Do you need a letter regarding Coronavirus to give to your employer about providing sick notes?

Letter to patients requesting sick note for Coronavirus (DOCX, 69KB)

Requests for certification of absence from the workplace may fall into five categories:

Personally affected so isolating for seven day
Personally affected and remaining unwell for over seven day
Household contact affected so isolating for fourteen days as per government advice
At risk group so following government advice
Those in full time education

5 circumstances you may need a sick note and how to get one (DOCX, 65KB)

GENERAL NHS HEALTH ADVICE

Underlying lung disease (British Lung Foundation)
https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/coronavirus

People with Asthma
https://www.asthma.org.uk/advice/triggers/coronavirus-covid-19/

People with Diabetes
https://www.diabetes.org.uk/about_us/news/coronavirus

Older people
https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/health-wellbeing/conditions-illnesses/coronavirus/#

Young people with anxiety
https://youngminds.org.uk/blog/what-to-do-if-you-re-anxious-about-coronavirus/

The GPs at Crossfell surgery do not prescribe for short, self-limiting illnesses, (cough, sore throat, indigestion, constipation etc) where medicines can be bought over the counter

Find out the most effective ways to treat things like heartburn and a blocked nose at home, and save yourself a trip to the GP surgery.

Remember: you can also get advice from your local pharmacist for lots of health issues, including when to visit your GP. And there's no need for an appointment.