As Covid-19 restrictions ease once again, understanding what you can and can’t do can feel confusing and hard to keep up with.
We strive for our local community to be well informed of the latest government guidelines so that they feel empowered with key information to take the necessary actions to stay safe and access support.
Despite the final coronavirus restrictions being lifted in England on 19 July, self-isolation still applies until 16 August. This means that everyone, even those double-jabbed or under-18s, must quarantine for 10 days if they are in contact with someone who has tested positive.
It’s important that you understand there is still help available to you.
If you cannot work because of coronavirus, you could get Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) if you’re having to self-isolate. This can be because:
- You or someone you live with has Covid-19 symptoms or has tested positive for Covid-19
- You’ve been notified by the NHS or public health authorities that you’ve been in contact with someone with Covid-19
- Someone in your support bubble has Covid-19 symptoms or has tested positive for Covid-19
- You’ve been advised by a doctor or healthcare professional to self-isolate before going into hospital for surgery
Isolation grants are also available for those on low incomes who are forced to quarantine. You may be eligible if you are employed or self-employed, cannot work from home, and will lose income as a result.
If you need help with food whilst self-isolating, speak to your local foodbank about whether or not they can deliver a food parcel or if someone would need to collect it for you. We are able to refer you to certain foodbanks, for more information see here.
Although restrictions have lifted, it’s important that you still take precautions to help protect yourself from the virus and should continue to wash your hands regularly, wear a face covering in crowded indoor spaces and try to limit your contact with those outside your households.
As a charity, we understand that it can be hard to get Covid-19 information and in addition to that ensuring it is reliable. That is why for the last 6 months we have been working with diverse communities to help support them throughout the pandemic on issues affecting them.
There is increasing evidence that people from a Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic background have had a greater impact from coronavirus. This why we are working in partnerships to improve access to information, and creating forums to share insight and feedback.
We have been doing this by creating a network of volunteer Community Champions from different ethnic groups, and empowering them with up-to-date information about Covid-19 to share with their communities.
We will continue to run regular drop-in sessions, as well as holding more events with expert speakers on topics such as dealing with life after lockdown, COVID safety in schools and Universal Credit.
As we continue to live through this pandemic and its ever-changing form, we are looking to grow our network of champions across all communities to reach as many people as we can.
If you’re interested in becoming a Mid Sussex Community Champion, visit here or an Adur & Worthing Community Champion, visit here.
For the latest information on lateral flow testing, see here.
