COVID-19

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information

 

The COVID-19 outbreak has been a difficult time for us all, including local health, care, wellbeing and community support services.

These services have had to adapt to help protect the public, their staff, clients and visitors, with many introducing a ‘digital’ way for you to use their service. This may have involved using technology such as computers, tablets or smartphones to use the service via the internet.

Our Digital Health Devon project offers free digital guidance showing people how they can use the internet to access local health, social care and wellbeing resources such as appointment-booking, prescription-ordering and online consultation services.

Digital Health Devon have volunteer Digital ‘trainers’ who donate their time to helping local people with their digital queries. This could be via regular weekly online ‘virtual drop in sessions’ using Zoom, social media or even 1-to-1 advice and guidance either over the phone, via email or webchat.

Click here to contact Digital Health Devon and find out more about the Digital trainers’ availability.

 

Advice and Guidance

 

We are working closely with all our national and local partners in the voluntary and statutory sector to ensure we share the latest trusted advice and guidance.

With this in mind our staff and volunteers have been supporting a local community helpline, started initially for those affected by the Coronavirus Pandemic and open to the people of Torbay to request help, volunteer their assistance or refer anyone they believe/know needs help.

For more information on the helpline, please click here.

The NHS continues to advise regular handwashing and cough etiquette, and that you should also self-isolate (stay at home) for 10 days if you have any of the following symptoms:

  • high temperature
  • a cough
  • difficulty breathing
  • or loss of smell or taste

If you do have any of the symptoms above, do not go to your GP, a pharmacist or a hospital. If you feel you cannot cope at home, your condition gets worse, or you do not get better after 10 days, please call 111 or visit https://111.nhs.uk/covid-19.

The Government says we can all help control the virus if we do the following:

  • Wash hands – keep washing your hands regularly
  • Cover face – wear a face covering in enclosed spaces
  • Make space – stay at least 2 metres apart – or 1 metre with a face covering
  • NOT meet in groups larger than 6 (some limited exceptions)

Please consult the local restrictions page to see if any restrictions are in place in your area.

To download the contact-tracing app NHS COVID-19, please click here.

 

Further Information

 

Please click the button below to view some of the useful latest information, advice and guidance related to COVID 19 from our partners and another of the services we run – the local independent healthcare consumer champion in Devon, Plymouth & Torbay – Healthwatch.

 

 

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