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Coronavirus (COVID-19)

For information and advice, read our pages on coronavirus or call our dedicated helpline

Home Coronavirus (COVID-19) Coronavirus – Useful national and local links
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Coronavirus – Useful national and local links

National and local information, advice and guidance

  • Latest information

  • COVID-19 Government Plans

  • National advice and information

  • What you can and cannot do

  • Health and wellbeing

  • Work, financial support and working safely

  • Businesses and self-employed people

  • Schools, education and childcare

  • Healthcare workers, carers and care

  • Transport and travel

  • Support if someone dies

  • Local advice and guidance

  • Contact

Latest information

Coronavirus restrictions remain in place across the country

Some of the rules on what you can and cannot do have changed. However, many restrictions remain in place.

Find out what you can and cannot do

 

 

If you need help, you can call our coronavirus helpline on 0300 790 6275

COVID-19 Government Plans

COVID-19 Winter Plan – The government’s plan for managing COVID-19 through the end of 2020 and into the start of 2021.

Adult Social Care: coronavirus (COVID-19) winter plan 2020 to 2021 – The government’s ambitions for the sector and the challenges facing adult social care this winter.

Staying mentally well: winter plan 2020 to 2021 – The government’s plans to support people’s wellbeing and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic this winter.

COVID-19 mental health and wellbeing recovery action plan – The Governments plan to prevent, mitigate and respond to the mental health impacts of the pandemic during 2021 to 2022.

National advice and information

You can find all the latest national Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance and support on GOV.UK

What you can and cannot do

Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance – For health and social care settings, other non-clinical settings, and for the general public.

Advice on accessing green spaces safely and protecting yourself and others from coronavirus

Making a support bubble with another household – How you can safely expand the group of people you have close contact with during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Making a childcare bubble with another household – How you can get informal childcare for anyone under 14 from friends and family you do not live with.

Guidance on shielding and protecting people defined on medical grounds as clinically extremely vulnerable

Get support if you are clinically extremely vulnerable

Accessing food and essential supplies – How to get food and other essential supplies during the coronavirus pandemic.

Face coverings: when to wear one, exemptions and how to make one – This page explains when to wear a face covering, exemptions from wearing one, and how to make your own face covering. And there’s a helpful video explaining how to use face coverings properly.

Optional badges/lanyards to promote ongoing social distancing– Optional badges that can be used to show the carrier may have difficulties or concerns in maintaining social distancing.

Health and wellbeing

GOV.UK advice

How to stop the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) – Advice for everyone to help stop the spread of coronavirus

Find out about which coronavirus test you should get – How to get tested for coronavirus (COVID-19)

Get a test if you have symptoms – Use this service to order a test if you have at least one of these 3 coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms.

Get a test if you do not have symptoms – Find out if your area offers rapid lateral flow test sites

Guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection– Stay at home guidance.

NHS test and trace: what to do if you are contacted– An overview of NHS Test and Trace, including what happens if you test positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) or have had close contact with someone who has tested positive.

Guidance for contacts of people with confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) infection who do not live with the person

Guidance on looking after your mental health and wellbeing

Guidance on supporting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing

Domestic abuse: get help during the coronavirus outbreak– Find out how to get help if you or someone you know is a victim of domestic abuse.

How to help safely– Guidance on how to stay safe as a volunteer.

Ventilation of indoor spaces to stop the spread of coronavirus

NHS advice

Get all the latest NHS information and advice about coronavirus

NHS: Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine – Find out about the vaccination, including who will get the vaccine first and information about vaccine safety

Coronavirus vaccination – Book or manage your coronavirus vaccination appointments. You can also read about the vaccine and what will happen on the day of your appointment.

You can find out more on the roll out of the NHS vaccination programme in Somerset on the NHS Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group website

Health at home – How to access NHS services online

NHS Live Well – Advice, tips and tools to help you make the best choices about your health and wellbeing.

Better Health, Every Mind Matters – Looking after your mental health

Work, financial support and working safely

Getting financial help and staying safe at work – Get coronavirus (COVID-19) support if you are working less or not working – and find out how to stay safe at work. All work and financial support information on GOV.UK

Find out what support you can get if you’re affected by coronavirus– Use this service to find out what help and advice you can get from the government and other organisations. You can use it for yourself or someone else.

Check if your employer can use the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme – Find out if you’re eligible, and how much your employer can claim if they put you on temporary leave (‘furlough’) because of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Coronavirus (COVID-19): what to do if you’re employed and cannot work

Coronavirus (COVID-19): what to do if you were employed and have lost your job

Redundancy: your rights

Plan for Jobs: skills, employment and support programmes for jobseekers – Information and guidance for those looking for a job

How to return to work safely if you cannot work from home

Enabling safe and effective volunteering during coronavirus (COVID-19) – This guidance aims to help organisations and groups understand how to safely and effectively involve volunteers during the pandemic.

Claim financial support under the Test and Trace Support Payment scheme

NHS Test and Trace service in the workplace – Guidance on the NHS Test and Trace service for employers, businesses and workers

Advice for pregnant employees risk assessments in the workplace and occupational health during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Citizens Advice: advice if you’re worried about working

What to do if you’re already getting benefits – Guidance for people who were receiving benefits before the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

Businesses and self-employed people

All coronavirus business support information on GOV.UK  – Getting financial help and keeping your business safe. Get coronavirus (COVID-19) support for your business or if you’re self-employed, and find out how to keep your business and your employees safe.

Working safely during coronavirus– Find out how to make your workplace COVID-secure.

Reporting outbreaks of coronavirus (COVID-19)– Guidance for businesses and organisations on how to recognise, contain and report incidents of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Register to order coronavirus tests for your employees – Use this service to get the forms you need to order coronavirus (COVID-19) rapid lateral flow tests for your employees.

Closing certain businesses and venues – This guidance sets out restrictions on certain businesses and venues in England under the different local COVID alert levels.

Reopening businesses and venues in England – This guidance details the steps to reopen certain businesses and venues (from 8 March 2021).

Check if your business is eligible for a coronavirus grant due to national restrictions (for closed businesses)

NHS Test and Trace service in the workplace – Guidance on the NHS Test and Trace service for employers, businesses and workers

Guidance for voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations

Information for farmers, landowners and rural businesses – The latest information for farmers, landowners and rural businesses during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

Advice for people in England with animals – Advice for pet owners and livestock keepers on looking after the welfare of animals during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Providing apprenticeships during coronavirus – Find out how apprenticeships will continue during the coronavirus (COVD-19) outbreak.

Safer transport guidance for operators – Safer working principles and risk assessment for transport operators and organisations.

Schools, education and childcare

All coronavirus education and childcare information on GOV.UK  – Guidance for teachers, school leaders, carers, parents and students. Coronavirus (COVID-19) information for parents, schools, colleges and universities: closures, exams, learning, health and wellbeing.

Critical workers and vulnerable children who can access schools or educational settings

What parents and carers need to know about schools and other education settings during the coronavirus outbreak – Information for parents and carers about going back to schools, nurseries and colleges in January 2021.

Households and bubbles of pupils, students and staff of schools, nurseries and colleges: get rapid lateral flow tests – Find out who is eligible for twice-weekly testing and how to get tested if you do not have symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19). This guidance is for people without symptoms.

Advice and support for students in higher education

Making a childcare bubble with another household – How you can get informal childcare for children aged 13 or under from friends and family you do not live with.

Face coverings in education – Guidance on the use of face coverings for schools and other education institutions that teach people in years 7 and above in England.

Safe working in education, childcare and children’s social care – Preventing and controlling infection, including the use of PPE, in education, childcare and children’s social care settings during the coronavirus outbreak.

Guidance for parents and carers of children attending out-of-school settings during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

Schools, parents and young people helpline – The Department for Education (DfE) has set up a dedicated helpline for schools, parents or young people. Available Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm, phone 0800 046 8687 or email DfE.coronavirushelpline@education.gov.uk

Healthcare workers, carers and care

NHS – Guidance for people working in healthcare

Guidance for people working in Adult Social Care

Visiting arrangements in care homes – Sets out how care homes can support families and visitors to visit residents from 8 March.

Guidance for Children’s Social Care Services

Providing home care – Information for those providing personal care to people living in their own home during the coronavirus outbreak.

Providing unpaid care– Information for people who are caring, unpaid, for friends or family during the coronavirus outbreak.

Providing unpaid care to adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults

Supporting adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults

Young carers and young adult carers: providing care during coronavirus – Guidance and information for people under the age of 25 who are providing care for someone during the coronavirus outbreak.

Supporting people outside of their home – For people who need support when outside their home and people who provide this support during Coronavirus

Guidance for people receiving direct payments– Advice for people who buy care and support through a direct payment, as well as local authorities, clinical commissioning groups and those who provide care and support.

Transport and travel

Follow the national lockdown travel rules

Transport and travel guidance – Information for people using transport or working in the transport sector during the coronavirus outbreak.

Safer travel guidance for passengers – Walking, cycling, and travelling in vehicles or on public transport during the coronavirus outbreak.

Overseas travel

Travel advice – Guidance for British people travelling overseas during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, if they are legally permitted to travel internationally.

Entering or returning to the UK

How to quarantine when you arrive in England – What to do before and after you arrive in England, including staying at home and ordering coronavirus (COVID-19) tests.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): testing for people travelling to England – You must have proof of a negative COVID-19 test to travel to England from abroad.

Travel corridors – List of countries and territories from where you can travel to England and may not have to self-isolate.

Foreign travel insurance – Wherever you’re travelling, it’s important to take out appropriate travel insurance before you go.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): safer air travel for passengers – How to travel safely in airports and on aircraft during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

Support if someone dies

What to do if someone dies – Check what to do after a death – how to register the death, notify government departments and manage financial issues.

Guidance for arranging or attending a funeral during coronavirus

NHS bereavement advice and support during coronavirus

Local advice and guidance

Somerset County Council information

Latest Coronavirus updates – You can find our latest updates to services here

Our affected services – Includes s summary of our services affected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

Our Coronavirus section – latest local and national advice and information

Somerset Newsroom – You can find our latest press releases here


Local Outbreak Management Plan Summary – a summary of the plan for managing COVID-19 outbreaks to protect residents

Local Outbreak Management Plan for Somerset – a plan for managing COVID-19 outbreaks to protect residents


COVID-19 Dashboard – The latest statistics and trends for Covid-19 cases in Somerset

COVID-19 Process for use of Local Powers for Events


Local website information

Age UK Somerset – Support for older people, their families and carers

Somerset Community Connect – Information on care, health and wellbeing for adults.

Somerset Safeguarding Adults Board – Guidance for safeguarding adults in Somerset

Somerset Armed Forces Covenant Partnership – A partnership between councils, colleges, health services, charities, the military and reservists

Somerset Survivors – Domestic abuse help and advice


Somerset’s Local Offer – Information and advice for parents, carers and families including children and young people with special educational needs.

Somerset SENDIAS – provides information, advice and support about Special Educational Needs and Disability for parent carers, children and young people (up to the age of 25).

The Somerset Parent Carer Forum are keeping their Facebook pages and website as up to date as possible for parents and carers.

The Somerset Carers Service is keeping their website up to date with key info and have their advice lines available for carers.

Somerset Safeguarding Children’s Board – Guidance for safeguarding children in Somerset


Somerset Bereavement Support Service – The service is here if you’ve been bereaved and need emotional support or someone to talk to. Phone 0800 304 7412 9am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday.


Healthy Somerset – Health and wellbeing in Somerset

Mind in Somerset – You can phone the Mindline Somerset Coronavirus support helpline on 01823 276892 (Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week)

NHS Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group – Information on health and local services including vaccinations.

St Margaret’s Hospice – Essential COVID-19 symptomatic advice and care resources for healthcare professionals and care providers.

Somerset Activity and Sport Partnership (SASP) has set up a Be Active at Home web page which is divided into sections to show activities for all.


Spark Somerset – Supporting Somerset volunteer communities to respond to COVID-19, sharing the latest information, best practice guidance for groups and useful resources.

Corona Helpers – Register your COVID-19 volunteer group, find more people to help and offer help.

Somerset Prepared is a multi-agency partnership working closely with communities to deliver advice, support and training to help enhance local resilience to emergencies.


COVID-19 Response for Gypsy, Traveller and Roma communities in Somerset


Travel Somerset has the latest updates transport and travel updates, including information on Community Transport.

Face coverings on First Bus service – If you, or someone you care for have a face covering exemption and you are unable to wear a face covering please be prepared to inform the bus driver and show an Extra help to Travel card (Journey assistance card). You can download the card here.


Somerset Waste Partnership – Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Advice and service updates


Devon and Somerset Trading Standards – Provides advice and support to businesses, works to protect consumers and the economy by ensuring legal and honest trading. They also support the agriculture industry to ensure good animal health and welfare.


Links to District Council information and advice

Mendip District Council
Sedgemoor District Council
South Somerset District Council
Somerset West and Taunton

If you can’t find the help you need, or your need is more urgent, please phone the
Somerset Coronavirus Helpline

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