Coronavirus (COVID-19): Information, advice and guidance

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North Lincolnshire CouncilPeople, health and careCoronavirus (Covid-19)

Coronavirus (Covid-19)

To follow any changes to this service, visit the Council Service Updates page.

Information, guidance and support for residents and businesses in North Lincolnshire in relation to coronavirus (Covid-19).

Coronavirus (Covid-19) is an illness which affects people’s lungs and airways. The virus spreads between people like flu, via respiratory droplets from coughing. The time between exposure and symptom onset is typically five days but may range from two to 14 days. The most common symptoms of Covid-19 are recent onset of a new continuous cough or a high temperature or a loss of, or change in, normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia).

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Latest national guidance

For the latest guidance relating to symptoms of coronavirus (Covid-19) please visit the Government website.

From Monday 12 October 2020, North Lincolnshire is at a medium Covid alert level. For guidance on what this means for restrictions in our area, please visit the Local COVID alert level: medium page on Gov.uk.

It is also still important to follow the basic steps, which include:

  • All individuals should self-isolate if they develop a new continuous cough or fever or anosmia. Anosmia is the loss of or a change in your normal sense of smell. It can also affect your sense of taste as the two are closely linked.
  • Individual’s households should also self-isolate for 14 days as per the current guidelines and the individual should stay at home for 10 days, or longer if they still have symptoms other than cough or loss of sense of smell.
  • If you are showing symptoms of Covid-19 find out how to get tested and read more about track and trace.

This page details the latest, accurate information and advice anyone can follow to help prevent the spread of the virus. It also links to the latest guidance for people, schools, businesses and care settings.

Latest guidance for those shielding

  • The guidance for people who are clinically extremely vulnerable was updated by the Government on 4 September 2020.
  • If you are considered clinically extremely vulnerable to Covid-19, you will have received a letter stating this or been told directly by your GP or hospital clinician.
  • The current advice is that you do not need to shield, but you should still keep your social interactions low where possible.
  • Please visit the Government website for the most up-to-date advice regarding shielding and protecting people are clinically extremely vulnerable.

Looking after yourself

During challenging times, it’s really important we look after ourselves and those around us. This includes our physical health and just as importantly, our mental wellbeing.

There are five steps you can take to improve your mental health and wellbeing. Trying these things could help you feel more positive and able to get the most out of life.

Five ways to wellbeing

National advice and guidance – Stay Alert

The most important thing we can continue to do is to stay alert, control the virus, and, in doing so, save lives.

Keep up to date with the latest changes by reading the full guidance on the Government website.

If you are showing symptoms of Covid-19 find out how to get tested and read more about track and trace.

We can all help control the virus if we all stay alert. This means you must:

  • Work from home if you can
  • Limit contact with other people
  • Keep your distance if you go out (two metres apart where possible)
  • Wash your hands regularly

Self-isolate if you or anyone in your household has symptoms.

Every person in the UK must comply with these measures.

Read the full guidance on staying alert and safe (social distancing) at the Government website. Latest advice can be found on the coronavirus page on the NHS website.

If you would like further clarification on what you can and cannot do, visit the Government’s Coronavirus outbreak FAQs page.

Local advice and guidance

North Lincolnshire Council staff are working hard to support residents during the coronavirus pandemic.

Support form for residents

Please make use of online guidance first, and, if you don’t find the information or support you need, complete the new coronavirus support form. Only use our contact centre number if you really have to. This will help staff to allocate your request and prioritise supporting our most vulnerable residents.

This form is designed for residents.

Complete the coronavirus support form for residents.

For business support please visit the Invest in North Lincolnshire website.

Support for black, Asian and minority ethnic communities (BAME)

British Asian celebrities have joined forces to create a Covid-19 video appeal aimed at promoting safety measures within the British Asian community amid the coronavirus pandemic. Watch the video below from the celebrities encouraging you to follow the rules.

Travel advice

Everyone is being urged to stop all non-essential contact with others and stop all unnecessary travel.

British nationals aged 70 and over, and those with underlying health conditions such as chronic diseases and diabetes, have been advised not to travel.

Waste guidance

Waste from possible cases and cleaning of areas where possible cases have been (including disposable cloths and tissues):

  1. Should be put in a plastic rubbish bag and tied when full.
  2. The plastic bag should then be placed in a second bin bag and tied.
  3. It should be put in a suitable and secure place and marked for storage until the individual’s test results are known.

Waste should be stored safely and kept away from children. You should not put your waste in communal waste areas until negative test results are known or the waste has been stored for at least 72 hours.

  • if the individual tests negative, this can be put in with the normal fortnightly waste collection
  • if the individual tests positive, then store it for at least 72 hours and put in with the normal fortnightly waste collection

If storage for at least 72 hours is not appropriate, arrange for collection as a Category B infectious waste either by contacting 01724 297000 or customerservice@northlincs.gov.uk. We will supply you with orange clinical waste bags for you to place your bags into so the waste can be sent for appropriate treatment.

Fraud and coronavirus

National Trading Standards are warning people to remain vigilant following a rise in coronavirus-related scams. Scams identified include doorstep crime, online scams, refund scams, counterfeit goods, telephone scams, donation scams and loan sharks.

For more information on the types of scams that have been identified, please visit the National Trading Standards website.

For guidance on how to avoid being scammed and reporting fraud, please visit the fraud and corruption page on the North Lincolnshire Council page.

Read a letter from Humberside Police containing advice on scams [PDF, 404KB]

Guidance for schools, businesses, health and social care providers and landlords and tenants

Guidance for schools

This guidance has been updated to reflect the announcement by the Prime Minister that the government’s 5 tests have been met and the decision, based on all the evidence, to move forward with the wider opening of education and childcare settings.

It also includes details on how primary schools can use flexibility to welcome back additional pupils this term, where they have capacity.
Read the full guidance for schools and educational settings on the Government website.

Guidance for businesses and health and social care providers

10 September 2020

Following the announcement of planned changes to social distancing rules from 14 September 2020, the Government has updated some its guidance to businesses. Please visit the Government’s working safely during coronavirus page to check if the guidance for your sector or place of work has been updated.

24 June 2020

The government has published guidance on how hairdressers, hotels, restaurants, pubs and certain other businesses in England can re-open safely from 4 July 2020.

Before re-opening, you must make sure that the risk assessment for your business addresses the risks of COVID-19. You should use the government sector-specific guidance to inform your decisions and control measures.

17 March 2020

On 17 March the Chancellor announced a £350bn support package to help businesses.

Included in these measures are:

  • Extending the business rates holiday to all firms in the hospitality sector
  • Funding grants of between £10,000 and £25,000 for small businesses
  • Mortgage lenders will offer a three-month mortgage holiday

Further guidance is available by clicking the links below:

Guidance for landlords and tenants

Tuesday 19 May, 9.30am

The Minister of Housing has sent a letter setting out the measures that are in place to support social housing residents during the next phase towards reopening society. This letter is being sent directly to all social housing residents. Read the Minister’s letter. 

 

The Government has published non-statutory guidance for landlords and tenants in the private and social rented sectors on:

  • Measures relating to notices seeking possession as amended by the Coronavirus Act 2020
  • Court action on possession cases during the coronavirus outbreak
  • Property access and health and safety obligations in the context of coronavirus restrictions

Read the guidance for landlords and tenants in full at the Government website.

Guidance for food businesses

The government has published guidance for food businesses in relation to Covid-19. This includes information on:

  • maintaining social distancing
  • food hygiene
  • managing employee sickness

Additional guidance is also provided by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH).

Related pages

Contact details

If you have a query about council services during this time, please make use of online guidance first and if you don’t find the information or support you need, complete the coronavirus support form.  Please only use our contact centre number if you really have to. This will help staff to prioritise supporting our most vulnerable residents and allocate your request.

Monday to Saturday, 9am to 6pm

customerservice@northlincs.gov.uk
01724 297000