CORONAVIRUS UPDATE - JULY AND AUGUST 2020

Age UK Portsmouth continues to care for and support the needs of people in Portsmouth and South East Hampshire – we are safely operating with full Personal Protective Equipment our in and around the home services. We are here to help you.

How is guidance to those shielding (clinically extremely vulnerable) being relaxed? From 6 July 2020, the government will be advising:

1. you may, if you wish, meet in a group of up to 6 people outdoors, including people from different households, while maintaining strict social distancing
2. you no longer need to observe social distancing with other members of your household
3. in line with the wider guidance for single adult households (either an adult living alone or with dependent children under 18) in the general population, you may from this date, if you wish, also form a ‘support bubble’ with one other household. All those in a support bubble will be able to spend time together inside each other’s homes, including overnight, without needing to socially distance

This is a small advisory change that brings those affected a step nearer others in their communities. However, all the other current shielding advice will remain unchanged at this time.

From 1 August the government will be advising that shielding will be paused. From this date, the government is advising you to adopt strict social distancing rather than full shielding measures. Strict social distancing means you may wish to go out to more places and see more people but you should take particular care to minimise contact with others outside your household or support bubble.

This means that from 1 August 2020:

1. you can go to work, if you cannot work from home, as long as the business is COVID-safe
2. children who are clinically extremely vulnerable can return to their education settings if they are eligible and in line with their peers. Where possible children should practise frequent hand washing and social distancing
3. you can go outside to buy food, to places of worship and for exercise but you should maintain strict social distancing
4. you should remain cautious as you are still at risk of severe illness if you catch coronavirus, so the advice is to stay at home where possible and, if you do go out, follow strict social distancing

The guidance for the clinically extremely vulnerable group remains advisory. More detailed advice will be updated into this guidance as the changes in advice come into effect on 6 July and 1 August.

Guidance on shielding and protecting people who are clinically extremely vulnerable from COVID-19 can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19#parents-and-schools-with-clinically-extremely-vulnerable-children