Social distancing, self-isolation and shielding

If you develop symptoms of coronavirus, you should self-isolate and order a test as soon as possible by visiting www.nhs.uk/coronavirus or calling 119.

You and members of your household will need to self-isolate until your test results come back. 

If you have been identified as someone who is extremely vulnerable and develop symptoms you should seek clinical advice using the NHS 111 online coronavirus service or call NHS 111. Do this as soon as you get symptoms.

If you test positive for coronavirus, you will need to self-isolate for 7 days from the point at which you first developed symptoms. If after 7 days you still have symptoms, other than a cough or loss of taste and smell, you should continue to self-isolate. You do not need to continue to self-isolate if, after 7 days, you still have a cough or loss of taste and smell as these can last for several weeks after the infection has passed.

If you live with other people, all other household members must stay at home for 14 days from when you started having symptoms, unless they also develop symptoms of coronavirus. If they develop symptoms of coronavirus, then they should also book a test right away. If the results come back positive then they should isolate for 7 days from the start of their symptoms. After 7 days they will be able to return to normal, so long as they are feeling better. If their results come back negative then they must continue the isolation of 14 days with the rest of the household.

If you test positive for coronavirus, the NHS test and trace service will contact you by text message, email or phone call and ask you to share details of your recent interactions, including people you have recently had direct contact with.

You can find out more about how the track and trace service works here.

If your test comes back negative, then you are at low-risk of having coronavirus. Other members of your household and support bubble will no longer need to self-isolate and if you feel well you can also stop self-isolating. However, if you still feel unwell it is better to stay inside as you may have another virus, such as a cold or the flu, so you should try not to be around other people.

If you have been in recent contact with someone who has received a positive coronavirus test result, you may be contacted by the NHS test and trace service and told to self-isolate for 14 days. Members of your household will not need to self-isolate with you unless you or they develop symptoms of coronavirus.

Read more about how the test and trace service works here. 

After people have completed their period of self-isolation, they should continue to follow Government advice on social distancing. This means following Government guidance, staying two metres away from people (or following the one metre plus rule where this isn’t possible) outside of your household and support bubble, and continuing to take precautions, including washing your hands regularly with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.

If you or anyone in your household develops symptoms of coronavirus after your first period of self-isolation, or if you are contacted by the test and trace service, then you must start a new period of self-isolation. 

If you have received a letter from the NHS or your GP, then the first thing you should do is register at the Government’s dedicated website or call 0800 028 8327. The last date for registration is 17 July so make sure to do it before then.

You should register even if you don’t need support with daily tasks and getting supplies as this lets the government know that you’re being supported and have received your letter.

Being asked to shield may feel overwhelming and you might be worried about how you’ll cope. To help you prepare for this, you may wish to:

• speak to your carers or others who help you in the house and plan what happens if they become unwell. You can find more information here.  
• ask someone else to pick up food and prescriptions. This could be a carer, family member, friend, trusted neighbour or a local community group. If you don’t have anyone who can help, the Government should include information about how they can help support you when registering online or over the phone. Many pharmacies are also offering a home delivery service or are being given additional help to provide support, so you should speak to your pharmacy about other options.
• keep in touch with your friends and family via phone, internet and social media
• prepare a hospital bag, including a list of the medicines you’re taking – in case you need to go into hospital.

Members of your household who aren’t clinically extremely vulnerable don’t need to shield and can leave the house in line with Government guidance.  But to help you stay safe, they should take precautions when going outside, including washing their hands regularly with soap and warm water and making sure that they socially distance from people outside of your household or support bubble

Previously, the Government advised that people who are shielding should try to socially distance from others in their household. From the 6^th July this advice is being updated and you will no longer need to socially distance from people you live with.

This is a personal decision, but if you get support for essential tasks – perhaps they help you to get out of bed, move around your house, clean, prepare food, take your medication, or get dressed – then we suggest that you carry on letting carers come in and support you as they usually do.

Don’t be afraid to ask health and care workers how they’re going to maintain good hand hygiene whilst in your home.

If someone usually does the shopping or picks up essential supplies for you, then they can continue to do this. Leave a list on the doorstep or let them know over the telephone. When they’re back from getting these supplies, they should leave the shopping on the front doorstep, knock on the door and step back 2 metres while you safely receive it.

If you’re unable to carry or lift the shopping, then you could consider opening the door and then going into another room to keep your distance. What’s important is that you keep a distance of 2 metres at all times. If someone you don’t know is coming into your house then you may wish to ask to see their identification.

If the person who cares for you feels unwell or has symptoms of coronavirus, they should not carry on providing any care or support and you need to make alternative arrangements.

Perhaps you can identify another family member, friend, trusted neighbour or local community support group to step in and help. If those options aren't available or appropriate for you, it would be a good idea to also contact your local council and local charities to see how they could help.

While the Government’s guidance is in place to protect those who are at greater risk, being asked to shield can still have an impact on your health - both physically and mentally. Seeing restrictions eased for the rest of the population can make it even harder. 

You may feel sad, angry, frustrated, lonely and anxious – all of which are completely normal in these circumstances. 

In addition, you may feel more inactive than before or be more inclined to not eat as well due to a lack of motivation.

We have some tips on managing your physical and mental wellbeing while you stay at home here.

Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic the way that people receive healthcare and treatment has changed. Some people may have had appointments cancelled or seen them take place in a different way, such as over the phone or home visits from health professionals.

The NHS has put in place plans so it can begin to provide treatment again in a safe way, with infection-control processes in place. Appointments will continue to be held remotely where possible, but some people will be asked to start attending face-to-face appointments again. If you have any concerns about how you will receive treatment or care you should speak to your GP or hospital clinician.

You may be worried about everything going on, feel vulnerable or just want to do all you can to avoid catching coronavirus. That’s totally understandable. And while it’s your choice, the guidance suggests you should only shield if it’s absolutely necessary.

Everyone else is being instructed to follow the social distancing guidance. Beyond that it is up to you to decide on the steps you want to take.

This is something you may wish to discuss with your family and/or your GP or specialist but please be aware that the dedicated support line is only currently available to those who have received letters.

If you want to do more than only social distancing, you might want to think about limiting your social contact by asking family, neighbour or friend to collect your shopping and any prescriptions or exercise at home rather than outdoors.

For further advice on how to manage please see our Coronavirus hub which includes information on a range of things, including staying at home and shopping. 

We understand that being asked to shield can be overwhelming and that the longer you are asked to stay inside, the harder it may become. 

Whilst we encourage all those who have been identified as extremely vulnerable to follow the advice on shielding, shielding is a personal choice and  you cannot be fined or sanctioned for not doing so. 

Some people, particularly if they are receiving end of life care, may decide that it’s not the right choice for them and choose to follow guidance in place for the general population instead. 

This is a difficult and deeply personal decision and we would encourage anyone considering this to speak with their GP or specialist and your family. It’s important that everyone knows your wishes. If you do choose to not follow the shielding guidance, you should continue to follow social distancing and hand washing measures.

NHS England have asked GPs to review the list of people who were considered clinically extremely vulnerable and in some cases this has led to some individuals being removed from the list of those that need to shield.

Your GP or clinician should have had a discussion with you before you were notified but this hasn’t happened on all occasions.

If you have received communication and you are not sure what it means you should contact your GP or clinician.

You are still eligible for support from the NHS Volunteer Responders and if you have a regular supermarket delivery slot these will continue.

Having been advised to shield and not leave your home for a long period of time the prospect of going outside even for restricted purposes may feel daunting.

If you do go outside you should think about the following measures to keep yourself safe:

• Stay 2 metres away from others at all time, this includes those in your household where possible.
• If you are seeing someone from outside your household this should be the same person each time.
• Avoid busy places where possible and try to go outside at times when there will be fewer people around, such as in the morning.
• Practise good hygiene and hand washing practices.
• Make sure that other measures to protect yourself outside are followed such as wearing sun cream when appropriate and staying hydrated.

From the 6 of July people who are shielding are able to form a support bubble with one other household if you or the other household live alone or with dependents under 18.

The Government are starting to lift restrictions on people who have been shielding and from the 1 August people will no longer need to shield.

Cases of coronavirus have been decreasing steadily and the chances of coming into contact with someone who has coronavirus are now much lower. It also seems that the chances or coronavirus spreading is lower in summer.

The Government have been closely monitoring the ‘R’ number (reproduction number), which is the average number of people someone who has coronavirus will pass it on to. When the R number is below 1, it means the number of infections will continue decreasing. You can see the latest R number here

This doesn’t mean that the risk from coronavirus has disappeared though. The Government are constantly monitoring the situation and if cases of coronavirus begin to increase may reintroduce some restrictions. It is also important for everyone to continue taking precautions. Although the advice to shield is being paused, the list of those shielding will remain and if things change you will be contacted.

We know that many people are worried about the shielding guidance being paused in August. If you have not left the house since the start of the pandemic, you may be unsure what to expect. You may also be worried about whether it is safe to be going outside or nervous that other people might not be following the guidelines.

We have all had to adapt our lives during the lockdown and may have developed new ways to cope. Changing these routines can seem daunting. There are things you can try to help manage your feelings. You could start by making small changes to your routine to help ease yourself into going outside. For example, you might want to start by going for a short walk or meeting up with a close friend outside. Let your friends and family know that what you are comfortable with, and don’t feel pressured into doing everything at once.

There are lots of things which are uncertain and which we cannot control. Try to focus your energy on the things that you can control and plan how you will manage the things you are most worried about.

You might find it helpful to talk through how you are feeling with someone you trust. If you know other people who have been shielding you could chat to them about how they are managing. You may also want to speak to your hospital clinician or your GP.

People who have been shielding will still be able to get food parcels until the end of July. You can register for a food parcel until 17 July on the Government’s website or by calling 0800 028 8327.

From 1 August the guidance for people who are shielding will change and it will be possible for those who have been shielding to go to supermarkets and pharmacies. As such, from 1 August Government food parcels will no longer be being delivered but there will be other support in place if you still need help.

Online delivery priority slots will still be reserved for people who have been shielding. You will need to have registered for support from the Government by 17 July if you want to be eligible for a priority delivery slot going forward. This will mean that your name will be provided to supermarkets to enable you to get an online delivery slot.

The NHS Volunteer Responder scheme will still be available for anyone who needs help getting food, essentials, or medicine, or who wants a chat. You can refer yourself to the NHS Volunteer Responder scheme by calling 0808 196 3646.

Your local Age UK may also be able to provide you with support. Find your local Age UK here.

If you have been reliant on food parcels it is a good idea to think in advance about how you will get food and medicines after 1 August. If you are worried about how you will get food, you can speak to your local authority. We have some more information on shopping which can be found here, it includes information on other delivery options and offers provided by supermarkets.

The Government are constantly monitoring the risk of coronavirus. If the risk of catching coronavirus increases in the future it may be necessary for some people to shield again. If this happens the Government will write to everyone who needs to shield with advice on what to do.

The evidence on who is most at risk from coronavirus is still being developed and scientists are learning more about the virus every day. This means that the list of people who are clinically extremely vulnerable may change and, if shielding is reintroduced, the groups of people who need to shield may be different to those who have shielded so far, based on individual risk factors.

Unless you have formed a support bubble with another household because you or they live alone, then the advice remains that until August 1 you should not have people coming into your home unless they are providing you with essential care or to carry out repair work where it is an emergency and a threat to the household.

From 1 August the advice to shield is being paused so you can have people in your house or visit those in other houses as long as it is in line with the current government guidance.