Last Updated 01 April 2021
Coronavirus Information
Below is some simple advice about what you can do to protect yourself from coronavirus and to support your community to stay well.
From Monday 29 March, further restrictions will be easted in England as part of Step 1 in the roadmap to easing COVID-19 laws. Find out more on Knowsley News.
Stay Informed
The latest official national guidance on COVID-19 (coronavirus) from Public Health England & The Department of Health and Social Care can be found at:
gov.uk/coronavirus and at: www.nhs.uk/coronavirus
Click here for Easy Read guidance from Mencap.
Click here BSL Sign Language videos from Signhealth.
Service Changes
During the current situation, some services may be affected. If you need to see a GP, call your practice on the usual practice number. Do not attend the practice building.
Find a list of Knowsley GP practices, their websites and contact numbers here.
Below is a list of our provider organisations and the link to their service change website.
Visit the Knowsley Council website for everything you need to know about updates and changes to council services: www.knowsleynews.co.uk/coronavirus-what-you-need-to-know/
Vaccinations
Find the latest update on the COVID-19 vaccination programme, here.
Hands - Face - Space
- Wash your hands regularly.
- If you can, wear a face covering that covers your nose and mouth.
- Always keep a 2 meter distance whenever possible.
Guidance on what everyone should do is available in English here on the government website, and on this same page there is information in Easy Read and several community languages covering advice for everyone and for people more at risk people.
What should I do if I have symptoms?
Advice on self-isolation can be found on the NHS website.
You should immediately self-isolate and stay at home if you have one, two or all three of the following symptoms:
- a high temperature (37.8C or over)
- a new, continuous cough.
- Loss or change in your normal sense of smell or tatse.
Contact the NHS 111 coronavirus 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 go to 111.nhs.uk in the first instance. Only call 111 if you need help urgently. BSL users can use the NHS 111 video interpreter service.
Contact your GP practice for advice over the phone or online.
How long should I self-isolate for?
- If you have symptoms, stay at home for 7 days
- If you live with other people, you should ALL 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 wherever possible
Guidance about what to do if you have symptoms of coronavirus is available here on the government website in English, Easy Read and several community languages.
Testing
As well as isolating as soon as you or someone else in your household starts having symptoms you should order a test immediately at: nhs.uk/coronavirus (or you can call 119 if you have no internet access).
If you test positive for coronavirus:
· You'll be contacted by email, text or phone by the NHS Test & Trace Service and advised on what to do next.
· Text messages will come from the NHS. Calls will come from 0300 0135000.
If someone else tests positive:
NHS Test & Trace may also get in contact to inform you that someone who you have recently been in contact with has tested positive. If this happens, you should respond as quickly as possible and follow all of the advice they give you.
Instructions for the COVID-19 self-test kit with translations are available.
SMART testing is open to anyone who is NOT experiencing symptoms of COVID-19.
The three testing sites are at the Volair leisure centres in Halewood, Huyton and Kirkby.
Test and Trace App
The NHS COVID-19 app is part of a large scale coronavirus (COVID-19) testing and contact tracing programme called NHS Test and Trace.
The app will be used, alongside traditional contact tracing, to help notify users if they have come into contact with someone who tests positive for coronavirus. The app also allows people to report symptoms, order a coronavirus test, check in to venues by scanning a QR code and it helps the NHS trace individuals that have coronavirus.
The app will help the NHS understand if the virus is spreading in a particular area, and so local authorities can respond quickly to stop it spreading further and save lives.
If you choose to download the app, there are six key features that will help you and your community:
- Trace: The app detects and logs other nearby app users using random unique IDs. If any of those users later test positive for coronavirus (COVID-19), you will receive an exposure alert with advice on what to do. If you are under 18, you are advised to show this alert to a trusted adult.
- Alert: You can check the app every day to see whether where you live has become a high-risk area for coronavirus. If it is, you will also receive a notification to let you know. This will help you make daily decisions to protect yourself and those you love.
- Check-in: The app allows you to record when you visit a venue by “checking-in” when you arrive, using the venue’s QR code. The app records the time you spend at the venue without recording any personal information. You will receive an alert if you have recently visited a venue where you have come into contact with coronavirus.
- Symptoms: If you feel unwell, you can use the app to check if your symptoms could be related to coronavirus (COVID-19). The app will give you a list of potential symptoms and you can then choose the ones that apply to you. It will then tell you if your symptoms suggest you have coronavirus.
- Test: If you have coronavirus symptoms, the app will take you to a website where you can book a test to see if you have coronavirus or not.
- Isolate: If you have been advised by the app to self-isolate, the app provides a countdown timer so that you can keep track of how long you need to self-isolate. When you reach the end of your self-isolation period, the app will send you a notification reminder with a link to the latest advice for you. If you are under 18, you are advised to show this message to a trusted adult.
The app does this while protecting a user’s anonymity. Nobody, including the government, will know who or where a particular user is. Read more about how the app protects your data and privacy.
