What Government guidance and advice is available?
The UK Government Coronavirus webpages bring together guidance for the general public and for businesses. You can access it at:听.听
This remains the key resource for the latest information and advice. The information below is updated regularly, however it does not supersede advice or information provided by the relevant Government bodies and regulators.
Guidance for the public
The UK Government Coronavirus webpages bring together guidance for the general public and for businesses. You can access it at:听.听 and is available.
Testing
You can get a throat and nose swab test for whether you currently have coronavirus. Testing is most effective within 3 days of symptoms developing.
Who can be tested
Anyone with symptoms can get a听.听
You can get a test:
- for yourself, if you have coronavirus symptoms now (a high temperature, a new, continuous cough, or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste)
- for someone you live with, if they have coronavirus symptoms
- for yourself, if you have been told to have a test before you go into hospital, for example, for surgery
You can get 1 test for each person with symptoms or one for yourself if your hospital tells you that you need it.
This service is for people in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
In England and Wales, you can get a test for a child who lives with you, whatever their age. In Scotland and Northern Ireland, you can only get a test for your child if they are aged 5 or over.
See the Government's听.
Schools and 'key' or 'critical' workers
The UK Government guidance on actions for听. The latest reflects the announcement by the Prime Minister that the government鈥檚 5 tests have been met and the decision, based on all the evidence, to move forward with wider opening of education and childcare settings.听
There is also further UK Government听听for schools and educational settings for critical workers.听听
The Scottish Government have issued separate听guidance听on what constitutes a 鈥渒ey worker鈥. Rather than provide a list, the Scottish Government has identified three different categories of 鈥渒ey worker鈥 and are enabling local authorities to interpret this guidance depending on their regional priorities.
The Welsh Government have issued separate听听on what constitutes a 鈥渃ritical worker鈥, which mirrors that published on 鈥渒ey workers鈥 in England.
The NI Minister of Education issued the听听including information on key workers.
Volunteering听
There are different ways to volunteer during the coronavirus pandemic depending on whether you can go out. You can find out more听.
Guidance for businesses
The UK Government has set out听specifically to support employers and businesses with their preparations. This provides guidance on what to do if someone suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19 has been in business settings; what advice to give to individuals who have travelled to specific areas; and actions to take if staff come into contact with someone who is self-isolating or is a possible or confirmed case of COVID-19.
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has established a helpline for businesses. Please contact them on听0300 456 3565听Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm, or email听enquiries@businesssupporthelpline.org.
Additionally,听听information for employees and employers, including information on simple steps to help protect the health and safety of staff, sick pay and absence from work.
Financial support for businesses听
Coronavirus (COVID-19) support is available to businesses with more information听.听
The Chancellor has set out a package of temporary, timely and targeted measures to support public services, people and businesses through this period of disruption caused by COVID-19. This includes a package of measures to support businesses including:
- a statutory sick pay relief package for听SMEs
- a 12-month business rates holiday for all retail, hospitality and leisure businesses in England
- small business grant funding of 拢10,000 for all business in receipt of small business rate relief or rural rate relief
- grant funding of 拢25,000 for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses with property with a rateable value between 拢15,000 and 拢51,000
- the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme offering loans of up to 拢5 million for听SMEs听through the British Business Bank
- a new lending facility from the Bank of England to help support liquidity among larger firms, helping them bridge coronavirus disruption to their cash flows through loans
- the听HMRC听Time To Pay Scheme
In addition to the measures introduced by the Chancellor the Scottish Government have set out some听听to support businesses during this time. These include rates relief packages for small businesses and grants for those in impacted sectors such as retail and hospitality.
In addition to the measures introduced by the Chancellor the Welsh Government have set out some听听to support businesses during this time. These include rates relief packages for small businesses and grants for those in impacted sectors such as retail and hospitality.
听is a free service offered by Invest Northern Ireland issued the following advice for businesses within NI.
Guidance for pharmaceutical companies
The听National Credentialing Register听has听听of statements from Hospital Trusts on policies restricting 鈥榚xternal鈥 representatives visiting their sites. This includes the contacts at the trusts that enquiries need to be sent to.
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For those conducting COVID-19 research
The UK Government has听developed a process听for prioritising, coordinating and delivering COVID-19 related clinical trials. This support includes expedited identification of sites to ensure appropriate geographical distribution of Urgent Public Health Research to maximise recruitment and minimise over-commitment of resource.
The review process has four steps:
- Provide听information about the study 鈥 research application form.
- Review听of the study by clinical and research experts, with final approval from the DHSC鈥檚 CMO/deputy CMO for England.
- Expedite听the set-up and delivery of studies
- Coordinate听oversight of all COVID-19 research, as managed by NIHR
Additional information
- The听HRA听are听听of all COVID-19 research that鈥檚 been approved by a Research Ethics Committee (REC).
- The听DHSC听has announced听听for the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to aid vaccine research for coronavirus and other infectious diseases.
- DHSC and UKRI听are jointly launching a听rapid response rolling call听for proposals for research into COVID-19. The research scope of this call includes virology, diagnostics, epidemiology, public health, clinical management therapies, vaccines and health and care delivery.
For supporting ongoing research
The听MHRA听has issued a听听which cover managing clinical trials, changes to GxP inspections and medical devices clinical investigations during the COVID-19 outbreak. This guidance is updated regularly. The MHRA have also introduced a range of听听in order to support the medicines supply chain and wider healthcare response to the COVID-19 outbreak in the UK. The MHRA has听for Yellow Card adverse event reporting.
The听HRA听has听 for sponsors, sites and researchers about the COVID-19 pandemic. The guidance covers the setup of new studies, amendments to existing studies and changes being made by sponsors at this time. This guidance is updated regularly.
Until further notice, the NIHR Clinical Research Network听is pausing the set-up of any new or ongoing studies at NHS and social care site that are not nationally sponsored COVID-19 studies.
- Health and Care Research Wales publish rolling听guidance听for those undertaking research in Wales.
- Health and Social Care R&D Division Northern Ireland听听for those undertaking research funded by HSC.
- NHS Research Scotland publish rolling听听for those undertaking research in Scotland.
Please do keep the 大发六合彩 informed of any concerns that you may have around research and development by contacting Jennifer Harris (JHarris@abpi.org.uk).
For those supplying medicines
The听UK Government听has asked pharmaceutical companies where possible to retain any remaining additional stockpiles of medicines that were built in preparation for a 鈥榥o deal鈥 Brexit.听
The Department of Health and Social Care have stood up the听National Supply Disruption Response (NSDR)听to monitor the supply situation and co-ordinate actions to address any incidents of supply disruption where normal procedures are unable to provide a resolution. MAH鈥檚 have received guidance directly from the DHSC. Contact details for the NSDR are:
- Freephone number in the UK:听0800 915 9964
- Direct line:听0044 (0) 191 283 6543
- Email:听supplydisruptionservice@nhsbsa.nhs.uk
Last modified: 22 April 2024
Last reviewed: 22 April 2024