Latest information
COVID-19 Response: Living with COVID-19 – The government’s plan for removing the remaining legal restrictions while protecting people most vulnerable to COVID-19 and maintaining resilience.
Living safely with respiratory infections, including COVID-19 – Guidance for living safely with respiratory infections, including coronavirus (COVID-19).
Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance – Find guidance about coronavirus (COVID-19) for health and social care settings, other non-clinical settings, and for the general public.
Staying safe
Get NHS advice about coronavirus – including symptoms, testing, vaccination and self-isolation,
Ventilation of indoor spaces to stop the spread of coronavirus
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.
Guidance on protecting people defined on medical grounds as clinically extremely vulnerable
Domestic abuse: how to get help– Find out how to get help if you or someone you know is a victim of domestic abuse.
Help if you are homeless or about to become homeless
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.
If you need mental health support
Coping with mental health problems during coronavirus (Mind)
Getting urgent help for mental health (NHS)
Better Health, Every Mind Matters – Looking after your mental health
Long COVID
Information and guidance about long COVID on NHS.UK – Find out about the symptoms of long COVID and the treatment and support you can get.
Testing and staying at home
Getting tested
Find out who can get tested for COVID-19 – Coronavirus (COVID-19) tests are no longer free for most people. Find out who can get free COVID-19 tests and how to get tested.
Find out if you can order rapid lateral flow tests – You might be eligible to order a free pack of rapid lateral flow tests to be sent to your home. Use this service to check if you’re eligible to order rapid lateral flow tests or order rapid lateral flow tests to be sent to your home if you’re eligible.
Report a test result from a lateral flow test kit – Use this service to report your result to the NHS after using a rapid lateral flow test kit to check if you’re infectious with coronavirus (COVID-19).
People with symptoms of a respiratory infection including COVID-19 – Guidance for people with symptoms of a respiratory infection including COVID-19, or a positive test result for COVID-19.
Staying at home
Help and support while you’re staying at home because of coronavirus (COVID-19)
Vaccination
Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine – The coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine is safe and effective. It gives you the best protection against COVID-19.
Coronavirus vaccination – Book your COVID-19 vaccination, read about the vaccine and find out about getting your vaccination status for travelling abroad.
Vaccination information in other languages
COVID-19 booster vaccine information
Work and support
Plan for Jobs: skills, employment and support programmes for jobseekers – Information and guidance for those looking for a job
Citizens Advice: advice if you’re worried about working
Claim tax relief for working at home
Access to work – Factsheet about Access to Work and how it can help overcome barriers to starting or keeping a job if you have a disability or long term health condition.
Businesses and self-employed
Reducing the spread of respiratory infections, including COVID-19, in the workplace – Public health principles for reducing the spread of respiratory infections, including COVID-19, in the workplace.
COVID-19 financial support for businesses – Find out what financial support you can get for your business.
Recovery Loan Scheme – The Recovery Loan Scheme supports access to finance for UK businesses as they grow and recover from the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Carrying out COVID-19 status checks at your venue or event – Guidance for organisations that choose to use the NHS COVID Pass or equivalent proof of vaccination or testing as a condition of entry, and how to operate the scheme.
Schools, universities, education and childcare
Advice and support for students in higher education
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
Infection prevention and control in adult social care: COVID-19 supplement – Sets out how to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in adult social care settings in England. This guidance applies from 4 April 2022.
Living safely with respiratory infections, including COVID-19 – Guidance for living safely with respiratory infections, including coronavirus (COVID-19).
Transport and travel
Transport and travel guidance – Information for people using transport or working in the transport sector during the coronavirus outbreak.
Overseas travel
Foreign travel during coronavirus (COVID-19): find out what you need to do
Foreign travel advice – Get advice about travelling abroad, including the latest information on coronavirus, safety and security, entry requirements and travel warnings.
Travel abroad from England during coronavirus (COVID-19) – Check what you need to do before you travel and when you return to England
NHS COVID Pass – How to get the NHS COVID Pass and demonstrate your coronavirus (COVID-19) status when travelling abroad and domestically at events and venues in England.
Travel to England from another country during coronavirus (COVID-19) – You do not need to complete a UK passenger locator form before you travel, take any COVID-19 tests or quarantine when you arrive in England.
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.
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
Somerset COVID-19 Weekly Update for Key Stakeholders
Local website information
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