Coronavirus Advice for Carers - latest update from Forward Carers

Forward Carers have updated our Coronavirus Advice for Carers page on our website, which includes the following changes:

  • On Wednesday 22 December, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation recommended that high-risk children aged 5-11 should have access to the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid vaccine.
  • On December 23, it was announced that where operationally viable, NHS England has requested vaccination centres offer priority access for frontline staff, including unpaid carers and social care staff, which includes access to queue management and priority lines. The Department for Health and Social Care has developed a letter for unpaid carers and frontline social care workers to take to any vaccination site, here is a copy of the letter to take with you http://ow.ly/NcYS50HksQE.
  • From 11 January in England, people who receive positive lateral flow device test results for Coronavirus will be required to self-isolate immediately and won’t be required to take a confirmatory PCR test. You must still report your result.
  • From Monday 17 January, people with Coronavirus in England can end their self-isolation after 5 full days, as long as they test negative on day 5 and day 6. Full details can be found on the self-isolation section on this page.
  • On Wednesday 19 January, the government announced that the measures put in place under Plan B in England will be lifted. The government is no longer asking people to work from home. People should now talk to their employers to agree arrangements to return to the office.
  • From 20 January: Face coverings will no longer be advised for staff and pupils in secondary school and college classrooms.
  • From 27 January: Face coverings will no longer be advised for staff and pupils in communal areas of secondary schools, nor for staff in communal areas of primaries.  
  • From 27 January: There is no longer a legal requirement to wear a face covering. The government suggests that you continue to wear a face covering in crowded and enclosed spaces where you may come into contact with other people you do not normally meet. 
  • From 27 January: Venues and events will no longer be required by law to check visitors’ NHS COVID Pass. Some venues may still choose to run the NHS COVID PASS voluntarily and request it.