COVID-19 Germ Defence
Information for Patients
We are letting you know about a very useful website called Germ Defence which was created by a team of doctors and scientists to give you advice that has been proven to reduce the spread of viruses in the home. It can help you plan how to protect yourself and members of your family from infection by COVID-19 and ‘flu.
It’s easy to use and only takes 10 minutes – just click on this link: www.germdefence.org (If this link does not open when you click on it, please copy and paste it into your web browser.)
Please pass details of the Germ Defence website to your friends and family.
There’s a button at the bottom of the Germ Defence website for sharing by social media.
If you’d like to know more:
- Over 20,000 people previously took part in research about Germ Defence
- People who followed the advice in Germ Defence had fewer and less severe illnesses – and so did the people they lived with
- Results of the study were published in The Lancet medical journal
- Germ Defence has been updated with COVID-19 advice to help prevent a wave of COVID-19 and ‘flu this Autumn/Winter
Information about how the Germ Defence website is being evaluated is available here.
Regionwide Survey about COVID-19 Impact on Lives
Sunderland residents are being urged to complete a region wide survey about how Covid-19 has impacted their lives.
The survey features questions about health, work, testing, self-isolating and vaccines. This will help to develop a regionwide insight into the impact of the pandemic. It is being supported by Durham University, the National Institute for Health Research and the NHS Integrated Covid Hub North East.
Councillor Graeme Miller, Leader of Sunderland City Council, said:
“We know this last year has been really difficult for everyone as we have all struggled to cope with everything the COVID pandemic has thrown at us and the impact it has had on our daily lives.
“We hope the results of this survey will help us identify what additional support people might need to manage changes to their livelihoods and day to day living.
“So I would urge all of our residents to please complete the survey to help us understand more about how your day-to-day life has been affected, including health and wellbeing, work, household finances, shopping, social and leisure activities.
“We would also like to hear your views on vaccination, the economy and the easing of lockdown restrictions and social distancing. These will play a vital part in informing local recovery plans over the coming months.”
The information provided will be used by local councils, Durham University, NHS NE Integrated Covid Hub, and the National Institute for Health Research in line with current data sharing practices. Individual responses to the survey will be completely confidential.
The survey is accessible from the link below:
COVID-19 Vaccination Programme Survey
We Want to Hear What You Experience
Healthwatch Sunderland and Healthwatch South Tyneside provide an independent voice for people who use publicly funded health and social care services. Our role is to ensure that people’s views are listened to and fed back to service providers and commissioners in order to improve services.
Healthwatch are currently working with the NHS to find out people’s experiences of receiving their COVID-19 vaccine in the Sunderland and South Tyneside areas by asking those who have had their vaccine to complete this short survey.
The results of this survey will be shared with the NHS to help them understand directly from you what is going well, but also what else could be done to improve the delivery of the vaccine to local people.
The survey should take no longer than 5-10 minutes to complete, and be found by clicking the following link:
We would appreciate it if you could please complete the survey yourself if you have received or been invited to receive your Covid injection, and to also share wider with your contacts to encourage as many responses as possible.
If you have any questions about this engagement, please contact:
BEWARE: Vaccine Fraud
***BE ALERT TO VACCINE FRAUD***
Criminals are using the COVID-19 vaccine as a way to target the public by tricking them to hand over cash or financial details. They are sending convincing looking text messages letting people know they are eligible for the vaccine or phoning people directly pretending to be from the NHS, or local pharmacy.
PLEASE BE ALERT TO THESE SCAMS
The NHS will:
- NEVER ask for payment – the vaccine is free
- NEVER ask for your bank details
- NEVER arrive unannounced at your home to administer the vaccine
- NEVER ask you to prove your identity by sending copies of personal documents such as your passport
FURTHER GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT
National Cyber Security Centre
- If you receive a call you believe to be fraudulent, hang up.
- If you are suspicious about an email you have received, forward it to [email protected].
- Suspicious text messages should be forwarded to the number 7726 which is free of charge.
ActionFraud: National Fraud & Cyber Crime Reporting Centre
If you believe you have been the victim of fraud or identity theft, you should report this directly to Action Fraud either online at actionfraid.police.uk or tel. 0300 123 2040
CrimeStoppers
If you have any information relating to vaccine fraud you can stay 100% anonymous by contacting Crimestoppers COVID Fraud Hotline online: covidfraudhotline.org or phone 0800 587 5030.
The COVID Vaccine and Your Experience
COVID-19 vaccine centres across Sunderland are now up and running and Healthwatch Sunderland would like to hear from anyone who has had their appointment for their vaccine, to let them know how it went.
They would like to know about the whole experience, from booking your appointment to receiving your vaccine and whether your experience was good or bad.
This feedback will help Healthwatch inform providers what is working well and what, if anything, could be improved.
You can give your feedback here: https://bit.ly/34i4cn6
Also, if you have any questions about the vaccine, you can contact them on the following:
Telephone: (0191) 514 7145
Email: [email protected]
or visit their new COVID Vaccine frequently asked questions page here: https://bit.ly/2KoFcDx
Winter Wellness Free Resources
Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
There’s light at the end of the tunnel. Support our mental health Winter Wellness Campaign, click on the link below for more information.
Mental health self help is available: https://web.ntw.nhs.uk/selfhelp/
For a free campaign pack email: [email protected]
Suspected Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Important information to keep you safe while isolating at home.
Please read this Leaflet:
The leaflet is for patients with suspected coronavirus who have not been admitted to hospital and will be isolating at home.
Adult Pulse Oximetry Monitoring COVID-19 Diary
COVID-19 Vaccination: A Guide for Adults
This guide explains about the COVID-19 Vaccination, who is eligible and who needs to have the vaccine to protect them from Coronavirus.
In the UK, there are two types of COVID-19 Vaccine to be used once they are approved. They both require two doses to provide the best protection.
After you have had the first dose you need to plan to attend your second appointment. You should have a record card with your next appointment written on it for an appointment in 21 or 28 days.
It is important to have both doses of the vaccine to give you the best protection.
Remember:
COVID-19 is spread through droplets breathed out from the nose or mouth, particularly when speaking or coughing. It can also be picked up by touching your eyes, nose and mouth after contact with contaminated objects and surfaces.
Guidance on Seeing Friends and Family
Limits on the number of people you can see socially are changing.
From Monday 14 September, when meeting friends and family you do not live with you must not meet in a group of more than 6, indoors or outdoors.
From September 14 – when the new rules apply – it will be against the law to meet people you do not live with in a group larger than 6 (unless you are meeting as a household or support bubble).
The police will have the powers to enforce these legal limits, including to issue fines (fixed penalty notice) of £100, doubling for further breaches up to a maximum of £3,200.
Face Masks and Getting Tested
Guidance note for patients requesting face mask/coverings exemption letters.
Sunderland Local Medical Committee is the statutory body that advises and supports GPs and practice teams. We have prepared this guidance note:
Getting Tested
Please click on the link below for information on testing:
Those Vulnerable to COVID-19
Updated Guidance for the Clinically Extremely Vulnerable to COVID-19
The government has made some changes to its guidance for people who are shielding because the transmission of COVID-19 in the community has gone down.
The changes from 6 July are:
- you no longer need to socially distance from people you live with
- if you want to, you can meet in a group of up to 6 people outdoors, including people from other households
- you may also form a ‘support bubble’ with one other household if you want to, but one of the households in the ‘support bubble’ should be a single adult household (either an adult living alone or with children under 18 only). You can all spend time together outside and inside each other’s homes, including overnight, without needing to socially distance.
- the government support offer has been extended: you can still get a food box, care and/or medicine delivery until 31 July if you want them, and have registered online by 17 July. If you have been recently advised to shield there is more information on the page below outlining on the support available to you below.
- the latest evidence indicates that the risk of serious illness for most children and young people is low. All children and young people should continue to shield until 31 July. A clinical discussion with your paediatric specialist or GP will be needed before any child or young person is removed from the shielded patient list. Health services will be in touch with children and their families over the summer, ahead of the new school term, to discuss what the new evidence means for them personally in the longer term. Families, carers and young people do not need to make immediate contact.
COVID-19 Links
Using Public Transport
Government Guidelines for Using Public Transport
Please click the links below:
Please click the links for further information:
Please click the links for further information:
COVID-19 Infographics
As a group of doctors, medical students and volunteers, we’ve created infographics to help summarise key points about COVID-19 in a variety of languages to get the right information, in an easy to understand format, to these communities.
Click on the link and follow the steps:
Coronavirus Outbreak
The NHS in England and Public Health England (PHE) are well prepared for outbreaks of new infectious diseases. The NHS has put in place measures to protect patients, our community and NHS staff while ensuring as many services as possible are available to the public.
If you have symptoms associated with coronavirus including a new continuous cough and a high temperature, you are advised to stay at home for 7 days.
Please do not book a GP appointment or attend your GP practice.
If you live with other people, they should stay at home for at least 14 days, to avoid spreading the infection outside the home. After 14 days, anyone you live with you does not have symptoms can return to their normal routine.
But, if anyone in your home gets symptoms, they should stay at home for 7 days from the day their symptoms start. Even if it means they’re at home for longer than 14 days. The most up-to-date public guidance is always online at:
If your symptoms are serious, or get worse, NHS 111 has an online coronavirus service that can tell you if you need further medical help and advise you what to do.
Only call 111 direct if you are advised to do so by the online service or you cannot go online. For the latest COVID-19 advice please visit:
Like the common cold, coronavirus infection usually occurs through close contact with a person with novel coronavirus via cough and sneezes or hand contact.
A person can also catch the virus by touching contaminated surfaces if they do not wash their hands. Testing of suspected coronavirus cases is carried out in line with strict guidelines. This means that suspected cases are kept in isolation, away from public areas of GP surgeries, pharmacies and hospitals and returned home also in isolation. Any equipment that comes into contact with suspected cases are thoroughly cleansed as appropriate.
Specific guidance has also been shared with NHS staff to help safeguard them and others. Patients can be reassured that their safety is top priority, and are encouraged to attend all appointments as usual.
Everyone is being reminded to follow Public Health England Advice to:
- Always carry tissues with you and use them to catch your cough or sneeze. Then bin the tissue, and wash your hands, or use a sanitiser gel.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after using public transport.
- Use a sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are unwell.