Please note that the information in this article regarding shielding measures and timelines around the easing of lockdown are no longer in date. For the latest information, visit our coronavirus news section.
Over the last few days there have been several announcements by both Westminster and the devolved governments about next steps in relation to Covid-19. Unfortunately, while a recovery strategy has been published by the Government, the guidance within this is not the same for all four home nations. This has understandably led to some confusion for UK residents and what guidance they should be following.
In Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, the clear message continues to be the same – stay at home. The Prime Minister has set out his strategy for moving out of lockdown which is for England only at this stage. However, there is no change across the UK for those who are shielding. The shielding guidance for Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England is the same as before.
The plan for England to move out of lockdown is described in a government document called ‘Our Plan to Rebuild’. This discusses ‘smarter shielding’ within its fourteen supporting programmes. It details what is being provided in terms of support to those who are shielding and says that staying at home and avoiding face-to-face contact should be adhered to until the end of June. It does state that the guidance on shielding is to be kept under review, but that it is likely the Government will continue to advise people who are clinically extremely vulnerable to shield beyond June. Annex B within the document provides the most current and continuing guidance.
Unfortunately, there is no clear guidance on what next steps look like. Children’s Liver Disease Foundation recognises how frustrating this is, as well as the potential impact ongoing shielding could have on the wider wellbeing of individuals, especially children. Charities like CLDF working with the most vulnerable groups are continuing to seek clarity on what the next steps could be, in order to safely reintroduce the most vulnerable into society if a vaccine is not found within the next 6 months. We will update our families as soon as there is any further information or guidance on this.
If you have any questions or want any further advice or support please e-mail us at families@childliverdisease.org or call us on 0121 212 6028.
Further information
Please find the full ‘Our Plan to Rebuild: The UK Government’s Covid-19 recovery strategy” document below:
You can view the latest guidance for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland below:
https://gov.wales/topic/980/latest
https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/
https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/coronavirus
To find out more information on who should currently be shielding and how, you can read our article here.
