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Novel coronavirus, officially named COVID-19 by WHO, is a new respiratory illness that has not previously been seen in humans and which was first identified in Wuhan City in China.
Coronaviruses as a group, are common across the world, and cause symptoms including fever and a cough that may progress to a severe pneumonia causing breathing difficulties.
This coronavirus is classed as an 'airborne high consequence infectious disease'.
Hundreds of thousands of patients in the UK have tested positive for coronavirus and nearly 50,000 people have sadly died from it.
If you are concerned you might have coronavirus, please do not come to the surgery. This is official government advice.
The following is a brief timeline of UK response:
A high temperature (37.8°C or more if you have a thermometer, or if you feel hot to touch on your chest or back if you don't have a thermometer)
A new cough you haven't had before, or if you usually cough, it has got worse, and where you are coughing a lot more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours
Smell and taste are deeply connected, so this applies to either or both sensations - if you have noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal
high temperature new continuous cough loss or change of smell or taste
Please check the updates or type ivy.gs/covid-contact
If you have a high temperature new continuous cough loss or change of smell or taste or a positive covid test then you should follow the self-isolation rules below.
If you are unvaccinated or not doubly vaccinated and come into contact with a covid case, you must self-isolate for a full 10 days, regardless of the covid variant and regardless of the result of any lateral flow tests.
You should take a PCR test. Even if the test is negative, you should continue to self-isolate for the full 10 days.
If you live in the same household as someone with coronavirus, you no longer need to self-isolate if any of the following apply:
Even though you do not need to self-isolate in the above situations, you should take the following precautions whilst the person in your household is self-isolating with covid:
If you develop symptoms, you need to self-isolate and book a PCR covid test as indicated above.
If you test positive on rapid lateral flow slide tests, you will then need to self-isolate and take a PCR test to verify the result. If the PCR is positive, they must self-isolate for 10 days from the day they took the positive rapid test or developed symptoms.
Rules are changing rapidly, please see official guidance.
GOV.UK: Stay at home guidance for covid infection
GOV.UK: Rules for non-household contacts
NB: Staff wearing PPE correctly will not be considered a close contact.
If you are unvaccinated or not doubly vaccinated and come into contact with a covid case, you must self-isolate for a full 10 days, regardless of the covid variant and regardless of the result of any lateral flow tests.
If you are a healthcare worker who has been in contact with a covid case, you are not required to self-isolate if you are both asymptomatic (without symptoms) and fully vaccinated. You must do the following:
If you then develop symptoms, you need to self-isolate and book a PCR covid test as indicated above.
Rules are changing rapidly, please see official guidance.
GOV.UK: Guidance for staff in health and social care settings
Most of the following is good practice for everyone, to reduce infection risk in general
By turning up at surgery, you risk the surgery being placed into a state of lockdown and you will be putting yourself and others at risk. This cannot be stressed enough!
Please do not come to surgery
Use 111 online service or ring 111 if no online access.
If you have a high temperature new continuous cough loss or change of smell or taste then you should self-isolate as defined above.
Your GP cannot 'check you' to tell you if it definitely is coronavirus or not and your GP does not have any access to testing. You need to get a coronavirus test if you have symptoms.
Given community spread of coronavirus, you might well have it if you develop the above symptoms. It is therefore very important that you self-isolate to prevent further spread of infection. This is to protect yourself and others. Please do not come to surgery.
There is no specific treatment for coronavirus, antibiotics do not help.
Find out what to do if you are getting worse
Keeping safe while isolating at home
Follow precautions to prevent spread of infection
See Why can't I come to surgery?
Next time, please consider having a flu jab if you are eligible
In general, those more vulnerable to complications on contracting coronavirus are those patients who are over 70, have underlying long-term conditions, or pregnant women.
If you are eligible to have a flu jab on medical grounds each year, then you are likely classed as vulnerable.
Those classed as vulnerable will not receive any notification from the NHS or from their GP. If you fall into a vulnerable group, you are strongly advised to follow social distancing guidance.
Whatever medical condition you have, the best way to remain well is to avoid catching it in the first place.
Follow precautions to prevent spread of infection
Five things you can do to protect yourself and your community
Find out more about getting help at home.
Shielding has ended - display our previous guidance on this matter.
Some patients are classed as being at very high risk of severe illness requiring admission to hospital if they were to contract coronavirus. Such patients are being identified by the NHS centrally and also by their GP.
Those at extremely high risk will be advised to shield. This is a measure to keep these people safe, and essentially means staying at home at all times, and avoiding any face-to-face contact for at least 12 weeks.
Follow current guidance on shielded patients
Find out more about getting help at home.
Follow precautions to prevent spread of infection
Five things you can do to protect yourself and your community
You have several options on getting help if you are vulnerable or extremely vulnerable:
Download all the above links as a document you can print out.
Information for carers can be found on our Carers page
This service can help if you have no friends or family you can call on and:
They can help with shopping, fetching prescriptions or finding someone to have a chat with.
If you need help you can use the link below to register or you can ring 01629 535091 - Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, Saturday 9am to 1pm, or email ASCH.CommunityResponseUnit@derbyshire.gov.uk .
Derbyshire's Community Response Unit .
Requests are sent out to community partners such as AVCVS to fulfil.
Download an information leaflet .
Amber Valley Community Volunary Service (AVCVS) is based in Ripley, Derbyshire and is the local organisation for the district’s voluntary sector and the main provider of support for local voluntary and community groups.
AVCVS offers a range of support and services to respond to the needs of volunteers, voluntary organisations and community groups.
Email Paulclarke@avcvs.org or ring 01773 748688.
You can now request an NHS volunteer through GoodSAM and NHS volunteers and access a variety of different support options:
Check in and chat support to individuals who are at risk of loneliness as a consequence of self-isolation.
Community support provides collection of shopping, medication or other essential supplies for someone who is self-isolating, and delivering these supplies to their home.
Patient Transport support provides transport to take patients home who are medically fit for discharge.
NHS Transport support provides transport for equipment, supplies and/or medication between NHS services and sites. Also involves assisting pharmacies with medication delivery.
Find your local coronavirus support group at Covid-19 Mutual Aid .
Covid-19 Mutual Aid UK is a group co-ordinating local support for the most vulnerable in our communities.
In this area, there is the Ripley Community Covid Support Group and Corona Virus Helpers Heage And Surrounding Villages .
Contact the Royal Voluntary Service for help and support.
The Royal Voluntary Service co-ordinates olunteers providing much-needed support for over-stretched public services and for people as they age.
Ring 0330 555 0310, 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday.
Although the service that helped you get priority access to supermarket deliveries has now closed you can find several links on the officiall government website .
Your NHS needs you!
NHS Volunteer Responders has been set up to support the NHS during the coronavirus outbreak. To do this the NHS needs an 'army' of volunteers who can support the 1.5m people in England who are at most risk from the virus to stay well.
Find out more about NHS Volunteer Responders .
See also Covid-19 Mutual Aid UK which co-ordinates neighbourly initiatives and has lists of local groups in your area,.
The Royal Voluntary Service is a national charity built on local volunteering giving support to the people that need it in hospitals and communities.
If you have a high temperature new continuous cough loss or change of smell or taste then you need to book a PCR covid test as described below and you should self-isolate.
There are two types of tests, lab PCR covid tests and rapid lateral flow slide tests as described below.
Do not use a lateral flow test - they are not designed for those with symptoms
Don't use a lateral flow test if you have symptoms. They are not designed for those with symptoms.
Anyone with symptoms (including children) needs to get a PCR covid test for coronavirus.
If you have symptoms, self-isolate until you get your results. Do not leave home, except to post a test kit or for a PCR test appointment.
Book a PCR test and the swab is sent to a lab for testing. You should get the results fairly quickly, generally within 24 hours.
Ring 119 to request a test if you have no internet access - however, in our experience, you may have better success gettting a test if you use the online service (or ask someone who can request a test on your behalf), rather than ring up
Find out what to do next
Find out the difference between PCR covid tests and lateral flow tests
If you have symptoms, book a PCR covid test as above
Lateral flow tests are rapid slide tests for screening of people who have no symptoms.
Up to 30% of patients with coronavirus have no symptoms and lateral flow tests are designed to find these cases.
You should be provided with free lateral flow tests as part of your workplace, employment or educational setting and should test regularly as instructed. You can also order tests by following the link below.
Do not use lateral flow tests if you have covid symptoms. Book a PCR covid test instead.
If you have a positive lateral flow test, you need to book a PCR covid test to confirm the result.
Report a lateral flow test result
Find out what to do next
Find out the difference between PCR covid tests and lateral flow tests
Follow precautions to prevent spread of infection
Find out how to treat symptoms
Find out what to do if you are getting worse
Keeping safe while isolating at home
See Why can't I come to surgery?
Please visit our new website page which we have set up to provide the latest information on covid vaccination.
Covid vaccination page SHORTCUT ivy.gs/covid-vacc
Schools, colleges and other educational settings are working very hard to review the government guidelines alongside their own risks assessments to determine the safety of a phased reopening of their institution.
These measures are overseen by the head teacher, the senior leadership and appropriate governing body (or equivalent) for each school’s individual circumstances.
Parents/carers need to work with schools if they have individual concerns about their child.
It is the parents' and carers' choice as to whether they feel it is safe, and not for a GP to decide.
Teachers and other employed staff will also need to work with schools if they have concerns about their own health and whether they can safely return to face-to-face work.
GPs have not been provided with additional/specific guidance regarding decision making for staff or students beyond current public health measures.
Please follow guidance from the Royal Collage of Paediatrics and Child Health
GPs will not be issuing notes or letters on behalf of parents or carers if they do not wish to send their child to school or their child is shielding for themselves, or to protect family members who are shielding and/or vulnerable.
In addition, GPs will not be issuing notes or letters to confirm over-the-counter medicines, or prescribe them so that schools or nurses have an 'official' record of a prescription for them to administer.
The Department for Education has confirmed to the BMA that a prescription is not required and non-prescription medication can be administered where parents have given written consent.
We kindly ask that you do not book an appointment to request such letters pr prescriptions from us.
BMA guidance on over-the-counter medicines
With children returning the school, the usual coughs and colds will start to circulate again. Current advice is that children do not need a covid-test and do not need to self-isolate if they are simply suffering from a common cold.
Symptoms frequently seen with common colds are runny or blocked nose, aches and pains, sneezing and sore throat. Adults and children with a common cold are generally not acutely unwell.
If a child is more poorly with a heavy cold, then they might need a day or two off to recover. Keep off school as you would have done pre-covid.
If a child has definite coronavirus symptoms with high temperature new continuous cough loss or change of smell or taste then you must follow the guidance and self-isolate and test as above.
Other viruses will circulate during winter as they did before coronavirus; we advise that parents follow the guidance on viral illness as above. There is no need to contact a GP because your child has a cold or sniffles, unless they are unwell.
If your child is under the care of a paediatric specialist or was previously shielding due to a long-term health problem, then we advise you to seek specialist advice, or you should follow any advice previously received.
Download our leaflet How can I tell if my child is poorly
Advice on coronavirus in children
Guidance note from Derbyshire LMC for parents
Guidance for parents and carers
You should be following directions for self-isolating as described above.
If you are a confirmed case of coronavirus and your symptoms are mild, you will be advised to self-isolate at home. If you have a more severe case, you might be transferred to and cared for in hospital.
You may have fever, cough or breathlessness or general viral symptoms or only mild or even no symptoms.
There is no specific cure for coronavirus. Any treatment aims to relieve symptoms only, which for a viral illness includes rest, paracetamol and plenty of fluids.
Find out what to do if you are getting worse
Keeping safe while isolating at home
Follow precautions to prevent spread of infection
Use 111 online service or ring 111 if no online access:
Examples of getting worse might be:
Ring 999 if you are very poorly, and inform them of your symptoms and that you are self-isolating.
Use 111 online service if you are feeling worse. Please do not come to surgery.
Keeping safe while isolating at home
Follow precautions to prevent spread of infection
See Why can't I come to surgery?
Current guidance is that hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine should be used only as part of a clinical trial for the treatment of coronavirus.
Dexamethasone is approved to treat all UK hospitalised COVID-19 patients requiring oxygen, including those on ventilators, from June 16, 2020.
If you do not already take such medication, we kindly ask that you do not book an appointment to request them.
Vitamin D is sent directly from the government to shielded patients.
We will not prescribe the treatments to you. Repeat prescriptions will continue to be issued to those existing patients with current clinical need for these medications and for licensed purposes only.
Please check the updates or type ivy.gs/covid-contact
You should be following directions for self-isolating as described above.
After 10 days, if you feel better and no longer have a high temperature, you can return to normal activity.
If you still have a high temperature, continue to self-isolate until your temperature returns to normal.
You may still have a cough for some weeks after, this is normal. It does not mean you have to stay at home for more than 10 days.
If you do not get any better, continue to self-isolate and 111 online service. Please do not come to surgery.
Use 111 online service to find out what to do next. Please do not come to surgery.
Keeping safe while isolating at home
Follow precautions to prevent spread of infection
See Why can't I come to surgery?
Please check the updates or type ivy.gs/covid-contact
If you have a high temperature new continuous cough loss or change of smell or taste then you should self-isolate as described above.
You could be fined if you do not self-isolate following a notification by NHS Test and Trace
Whilst in yourself, you might feel not too bad, and wonder what the fuss is about, there is a risk those who get coronavirus will have severe disease and some will need intensive or critical care.
It is therefore vital to self-isolate so that you do not spread infection to others in the community, some of whom may be vulnerable:
Self-isolation means exactly that, you must not leave your home. Please do not come to surgery.
Use 111 online service to find out what to do next. Please do not come to surgery.
Keeping safe while isolating at home
Follow precautions to prevent spread of infection
See Why can't I come to surgery?
Please check the updates or type ivy.gs/covid-contact
In a situation such as this, self-isolation would be advised officially by 111 or Public Health for contact with a confirmed case, or a suspected case, or whilst awaiting results of a coronavirus test.
By law, a doctor's fit note (sick note or MED 3) is not required for the first seven days of sickness absence.
After seven days, a doctor's note may be required - it is actually for the employer to determine what evidence is required, if any, which may or may not be a doctor's note.
The government strongly suggests that employers use their discretion around the need for medical evidence for a period of absence where an employee is advised to self-isolate in accordance with Public Health advice being issued by the government.
This means that a doctor's note will not necessarily be required. Please download this information sheet .
Emergency legislation is being brought in to allow employees to claim statutory sick pay from the first day off work in order to help contain coronavirus.
Please note, if you are not following any official 111 or Public Health guidance to self-isolate, but you have made the decision yourself to do so, you are not entitled to a doctor's note at all in this situation.
For queries regarding requests for GP letters related to the coronavirus pandemic, please see our GP letters section immediately below.
Keeping safe while isolating at home
Follow precautions to prevent spread of infection
If you have changed your mind and decide not to go on holiday, you do not need a letter from the GP.
Insurers and travel companies should be basing their decisions to offer refunds on advice from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Public Health England, not letters from GPs. Professor Martin Marshall, chair of the Royal College of GPs
We kindly ask that you do not book an appointment to request such letters from us.
Please check foreign travel advice
Please check foreign travel advice by country
Please check our forms and documents policy where it states that we are happy to complete travel cancellation forms if we have been attending you for medical conditions for which we have advised that you cancel or postpone your holiday. We will not write a letter for any other reason.
If you are going away, please check out this infographic guide on staying safe.
If you need a note for your employer because you are self-isolating due to coronavirus or have coronavirus in your household, please see our information on self-isolation notes or use the shortcut ivy.gs/covid-isolationnote. We will not supply sick notes for self-isolation purposes.
If you are in the shielding group, you will have received a text or letter from the NHS or ourselves about this. You can use this letter as evidence for your employer or others, and there is no need for a further letter from us to confirm your status.
GPs are not in a position to perform or sign-off on any risk assessment for you in your workplace - this is your employer's responsibility.
GPs are not in a position to authorise any return to work or home-working plan - this is for your employer or the human resources or occupational health department.
We kindly ask that you do not book an appointment to request such letters from us.
Should your employer need specific medical information about you or a formal report about your condition, we will be able to provide such information to them if we are provided with a copy of your written consent. Such information will be subject to a fee as this is private work not covered by normal NHS service.
GPs are not in a position to provide letters for schooling.
Please see our dedicated section regarding coronavirus and schooling or use the shortcut ivy.gs/covid-school.
We kindly ask that you do not book an appointment to request such letters from us.
GPs are not in a position to provide individual risk assessments or letters for patients to authorise any exemption from wearing a mask.
Face coverings are not to protect you. However, if you are infected but have not yet developed symptoms, it may provide some protection for others you come into close contact with. From a public health point of view, we cannot authorise you to not wear a mask where it is deemed appropriate or regulated by law.
The legislation states that: No person may, without reasonable excuse, enter or remain within a relevant place (e.g., shops, public transport) without wearing a face covering. The only reasonable excuses for medical purposes for not wearing masks are if someone cannot put on, wear or remove a face covering— (i) because of any physical or mental illness or impairment, or disability (within the meaning of section 6 of the Equality Act 2010), or (ii) without severe distress.
At no point does the legislation or any other regulation require GPs to provide letters of confirmation of these conditions, or to authorise exemption from wearing a mask and we therefore politely decline such requests for letters. Self-declaration is sufficient and patients wishing to do so may download and use the resources indicated below.
We kindly ask that you do not book an appointment to request face covering exemption letters from us.
Download a Derbyshire LMC information sheet
Print face covering exemption card
Download face covering exemption file for mobile
This issue has nothing to do with GPs regardless of who has requested this letter. You have various options:
We kindly ask that you do not book an appointment to request such letters from us.
We understand that due to the pandemic, DVLA have a backlog with licence renewals so are advising people they may be able to continue to drive under section 88 of the Road Traffic Act. This may allow you to continue driving even though you do not hold a current driving licence. In practice, this will be when you have applied to the DVLA to renew your licence, but the licence expires while they are processing the application.
However, DVLA are advising people that in order to meet these criteria a GP must document their fitness to drive and a number of practices have received such requests.
The declaration that an applicant is fit to drive must be made by the applicant NOT the GP (s92 of the Road Traffic Act).
Any medical decision about fitness to drive is made by the DVLA in-house medical team, not GPs.
It is not the responsibility of GPs to help DVLA clear their backlog.
We kindly ask that you do not book an appointment to request such letters from us.
You may have residual symptoms after having had coronavirus infection. This is a new condition and more information regarding after effects of infection are emerging.
Please see our dedicated section regarding post-covid recovery or use the shortcut ivy.gs/covid-postcovid or ivy.gs/postcovid.
If you are well, the best way to remain well is to avoid catching it in the first place.
This advice applies whatever medical condition you have.
Follow precautions to prevent spread of infection
Five things you can do to protect yourself and your community
Keep up with updates on coronavirus with the links below or follow this page. We will try to keep this page regularly updated with the changing guidance, as long as we've not been taken out by someone infecting us.
We will aim to keep this page regularly updated with the changing guidance, as long as we've not been taken out by someone infecting us, so please do not come to surgery if you have it.
These are very anxious times for everybody.
Because this virus is entirely new, no-one physically, or figuratively, is immune from its effects.
Everybody has been affected in some way, be it, with colleagues self-isolating or sick, with workplace changes, with national lockdown. One cannot help but be moved by the tragic stories we hear all around the world.
If you feel you need more help and support, please visit the mental health section of our General Practice 2.0 page or use the shortcut ivy.gs/covid-mentalhealth. We have built this page specially to help those who are struggling with their mental health during this current crisis.
For general mental health support, please visit our self-help and self-referral page or use the shortcut ivy.gs/mentalhealth. We have built this page specially to help any patient with mental health issues.
NHS staff who are finding their mental health is being affected during this pandemic can visit a special section on this page for staff, or use the ivy.gs/covid-staffhealth.
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© Dr Michael Wong 2022