mteb/FeedbackQARetrieval huggingface dataset:
Guidance Guidance for the public on the mental health and wellbeing aspects of coronavirus (COVID-19)
Where to get further support
Managing physical symptoms that are triggered by stress and anxiety
It is quite common to experience short-lived physical symptoms when your mood
is low or anxious, for example:

faster, irregular or more noticeable heartbeat
feeling lightheaded and dizzy
headaches
chest pains or loss of appetite

It can be difficult to know what is causing these symptoms, but often people
who experience them due to stress, anxiety or low mood find that they get
worse when they focus on them. See advice from the NHS on managing the
physical symptoms.
If you are concerned about your physical symptoms, then do contact NHS 111
online.
For advice on coronavirus (COVID-19) and any symptoms see the NHS
website.
If you are experiencing stress, feelings of anxiety or low mood, you can use
the NHS mental health and wellbeing advice
website for self-
assessment, audio guides and practical tools Every Mind
Matters also provides simple
tips and advice to start taking better care of your mental health. If you are
still struggling after several weeks and it is affecting your daily life,
please contact NHS 111 online. If you have no internet
access, you should call NHS 111.
In a medical emergency call 999. This is when someone is
seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk. A mental health emergency
should be taken as seriously as a physical health emergency.
Guidance Guidance for the public on the mental health and wellbeing aspects of coronavirus (COVID-19)
People with a learning disability
You may be finding the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak stressful. You may be
worried about changes that might happen because of it, including having to
stay at home. You may also be worried about your family or those close to you.
Public Health England has easy read
guidance
on coronavirus (COVID-19) and how it may affect you. There is also other
information available about coronavirus (COVID-19) from
Mencap and
how to manage difficult feelings you are having.
There are ways you can take care of yourself and prevent spreading the virus:

as you are asked to now stay at home you should keep in touch with people you trust (like friends, family and employer) over the phone or internet - follow the advice from the stay at home and social distancing guidance
there may also be self-advocacy groups in your area offering more support online or by phone - you can ask your families or carers for help to search for these groups
it is also important to get information about coronavirus (COVID-19) only from places you can trust, such as the NHS website

While it is important to be aware of coronavirus (COVID-19), it is important
not to forget about any other health conditions you might have. Make sure you
take any medication you have been prescribed, keep any hospital appointments
you have (unless you have been told otherwise by the hospital) and tell people
if you can’t attend appointments.
Guidance Guidance for the public on the mental health and wellbeing aspects of coronavirus (COVID-19)
People living with dementia
You may feel concerned about coronavirus how it could affect you. Alzheimer’s
Society has published information on coronavirus for people affected by
dementia.
If you’d like to connect and talk with other people affected by dementia, you
can visit the Alzheimer’s Society online community Talking
Point.
A range of information on information on dementia is also available from
Alzheimer’s Research UK.
If you are still feeling worried and want more help you can call the
Alzheimer’s Society Helpline on 0300 222 11 22.
You can also speak to a dementia specialist Admiral Nurse on Dementia UK’s
Helpline, on 0800
888 6687.
Guidance Guidance for those who provide unpaid care to friends or family
General advice
Facemasks
We do not recommend the use of facemasks as an effective means of preventing
the spread of infection, unless advised by a healthcare professional.
Facemasks play an important role in clinical settings, such as hospitals,
where staff are trained in the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) but
there is little evidence of benefit from their general use outside of these
settings.
Guidance Guidance for those who provide unpaid care to friends or family
General advice
Maintaining your own health while you are looking after others
It is important that you look after your own health and wellbeing as well as
supporting others you care for, especially given the potential for additional
stresses at the current time and the potential for reduced access to support
such as respite care. There is information in the Stay at home
guidance and the Guidance on social distancing for everyone in the UK and
protecting older people and vulnerable
adults about looking after your wellbeing, as
well as more detailed guidance on self-care and sources of support for mental
health and wellbeing during the
outbreak.
Tips include taking care of your mind as well as your body and getting support
if you need it. Daily physical activity is important for health and wellbeing,
including managing stress, and encouraging positive feelings and sleep. You
can look for ideas of exercises you can do at
home
from Public Health England (PHE).
Draw on support you might have through your friends, family and other networks
during this time. Try to stay in touch with those around you over the phone,
by post, or online. Let people know how you would like to stay in touch and
build that into your routine. This is also important in looking after your
mental wellbeing and you may find it helpful to talk to them about how you are
feeling.
There are sources of support and information that can help, such as the Every
Mind Matters website.
Remember it is OK to share your concerns with others you trust and in doing so
you may end up providing support to them, too. Or you can use a NHS
recommended helpline.
It may also be helpful to contact your local carers support organisation who
can help with contingency planning. You can find out about local carer
organisations at Carers UK. There is also an online forum on Carers
UK.
Guidance Guidance for those who provide unpaid care to friends or family
General advice
Protecting yourself and the person you care for
Keep up to date with announcements and advice on GOV.UK and follow the latest
advice set out in the Guidance on social distancing for everyone in the UK
and protecting older people and vulnerable
adults, which includes tips on how to help
protect a vulnerable person you live with.
Cleaning your hands frequently throughout the day by washing with soap and
water for at least 20 seconds or using hand sanitiser will help protect you
and the people you live with. This step is one of the most effective ways of
reducing the risk of infection for you and other people. This includes when
you arrive at the home of the person you care for, if you do not live with
them, or have been out.
See specific situations below for what to do if you or the person you care for
display symptoms.
Guidance Guidance for those who provide unpaid care to friends or family
General advice
Caring for someone who is clinically ‘extremely vulnerable’
The guidance on shielding and protecting the clinically extremely
vulnerable people
from COVID-19 gives details. From the week of 23 March, those in the
clinically ‘extremely vulnerable’ group should also have received a letter
from the relevant GP or specialist with further information.
If you are caring for someone who falls into the clinically ‘extremely
vulnerable’ category for risk of severe illness from COVID-19, there are some
simple steps that you can take to protect them and to reduce their risk.
Ensure you follow advice on good hygiene:

only care that is essential should be provided
wash your hands when you arrive at the home of the person you care for and often thereafter, using soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitiser
cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards
do not visit if you are unwell and make alternative arrangements for their care
provide information on who they should call if they feel unwell, how to use the NHS 111 online coronavirus service and leave the number for NHS 111 prominently displayed
find out about different sources of support that could be used and access further advice on creating a contingency plan is available from Carers UK
Guidance Guidance for those who provide unpaid care to friends or family
General advice
What you should be doing to prepare
Where you or the person you care for have no symptoms then please refer to the
guidance on hygiene on the NHS
website.
We advise all carers to create an emergency plan with the person they care
for, to use in circumstances where help from other people to deliver care may
be needed. Depending on the circumstances, this could be help from family or
friends, or a care provider.
In order to create an emergency plan that fits the needs of the person you
care for, you will need to set out:

the name and address and any other contact details of the person you look after
who you and the person you look after would like to be contacted in an emergency
details of any medication the person you look after is taking
details of any ongoing treatment they need
details of any medical appointments they need to keep

You should also ensure that it is in a format that can readily be shared with
other people who will need to discuss the plan with the person you care for.
Further information can be found at Carers
UK.
You may be able to arrange help and support from family and friends, but it
can be reassuring to have the involvement of your local authority or
healthcare provider in case informal
arrangements fall through. It may also be helpful to contact your local carers
support organisation who can help with contingency planning. You can find out
about local carer organisations at Carers UK.
You can also find information out about local services on the Carers Trust
website.
Guidance Guidance for those who provide unpaid care to friends or family
General advice
If you need time off work to care for a relative who has symptoms or is self-isolating
You should talk to your employer about your caring needs and what arrangements
can be put in place. Information regarding statutory sick pay entitlements can
be found in the Guidance for
employees.
Some people may be entitled to benefits as a carer, such as Carer’s Allowance.
You should check on GOV.UK for further details.
Guidance Guidance for those who provide unpaid care to friends or family
If you or the person you care for has symptoms
If you are a carer and you have symptoms
If someone in your household has symptoms you should follow the Stay at home
guidance which states that if you live alone and you have symptoms of
COVID-19, however mild, stay at home for 7 days from when your symptoms
started.
If you live with others and you are the first in the household to have
symptoms of coronavirus, then you must stay at home for 7 days, but all other
household members who remain well must stay at home and not leave the house
for 14 days.
The 14-day period starts from the day when the first person in the house
became ill. For anyone else in the household who starts displaying symptoms,
they need to stay at home for 7 days from when the symptoms appeared,
regardless of what day they are on in the original 14-day isolation period.
However, we appreciate this may not be easy to achieve where you provide close
contact care for a spouse or relative such as washing and bathing.
If you care for a person in a clinically ‘vulnerable group’ do not visit if
you are unwell and make alternative arrangements for their care with family
members and friends. If you cannot organise alternative care you can contact
your local authority or NHS
trust.
If you care for a person in a clinically ‘extremely vulnerable group’, you
should strictly avoid contact with the person you care for and, where
possible, ask friends and family who can support you for help in providing
care. You should distance yourself from the person you care for as much as
possible and follow the above guidance.
If you cannot organise alternative care you can contact your local
authority or health care
provider. If you do not know how to do
this, you can contact NHS 111. It may also be helpful to contact your local
carers support organisation. You can find out about local carer organisations
at Carers UK.
Guidance Guidance for those who provide unpaid care to friends or family
General advice
If the person you care for is concerned about their usual paid carer coming in and out of their home and the risk of infection
The government has issued guidance to home care providers to ensure that
appropriate levels of hygiene are achieved to reduce the risk of infection.
Speak to the care provider about the processes they are following to maintain
good hygiene.
If the person you care for receives regular health or social care from an
organisation, either through your local authority or paid for by themselves, inform their care provider that they
are reducing social contacts and agree on a plan for continuing their care.
As a carer, the Guidance on social distancing for everyone in the UK and
protecting older people and vulnerable
adults provides advice on the extra precautions
you can take to help keep the person you care for safe.
Guidance Guidance for those who provide unpaid care to friends or family
General advice
If the person you care for is in a care home
If you have no symptoms, you should keep in contact with the care home to
understand any local arrangement to keep in touch with residents and follow
the Guidance on social distancing for everyone in the UK and protecting older
people and vulnerable
adults. This guidance includes tips on how to
maintain contact with relatives or friends such as staying in touch via phone
or post where you are unable, or it is not advisable, to visit.
Guidance Guidance for those who provide unpaid care to friends or family
General advice
Accessing alternative care quickly if you are unable to provide care
Having to organise alternative care can be difficult and concerning. Where
possible, you should contact friends and family who may be able to give
immediate help in providing care. You should follow the guidelines set out in
the Stay at home
guidance and the Guidance on social distancing for everyone in the UK and
protecting older people and vulnerable
adults to protect those coming into the home of
the person who needs care.
If you cannot organise alternative care you can contact your local
authority or health care
provider.
If you do not know how to do this, you can contact NHS 111.
Guidance Guidance on shielding and protecting people who are clinically extremely vulnerable from COVID-19
Staying at home and shielding
If you’re clinically extremely vulnerable, you’re strongly advised to stay at
home at all times and avoid any face-to-face contact to protect yourself.
This is called ‘shielding’ and the advice is:

Do not leave your house.
Do not attend any gatherings, including gatherings of friends and families in private spaces, for example, family homes, weddings and religious services.
Strictly avoid contact with someone who is displaying symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19).

The Government is currently advising people to shield until 30 June 2020 and
is regularly monitoring this position.
Guidance Guidance on shielding and protecting people who are clinically extremely vulnerable from COVID-19
If you develop symptoms
If you think you have symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19), seek clinical advice
using the NHS 111 online coronavirus service or call
NHS 111. Do this as soon as you get symptoms. Do not visit the GP, pharmacy,
urgent care centre or a hospital but if you need treatment, hospitals are
still there to support and advise you.
In an emergency, call 999 if you’re seriously ill. Explain that you are
clinically extremely vulnerable to coronavirus and are likely to get very
unwell.
Prepare a single hospital bag. This will help the NHS provide you with the
best care if you need to go to hospital as a result of catching coronavirus
(COVID-19). Your bag should include:

your emergency contact
a list of the medications you take (including dose and frequency)
any information on your planned care appointments
things you would need for an overnight stay (for example, medication, pyjamas, toothbrush and snacks)
your advanced care plan (only if you have one)

*[GP]: general practitioner (family doctor)
Guidance Guidance on shielding and protecting people who are clinically extremely vulnerable from COVID-19
Looking after your mental wellbeing
Social isolation, reduction in physical activity, unpredictability and changes
in routine can all contribute to increasing stress.
Many people, including those without existing mental health needs, may feel
anxious. Reasons for increased anxiety may include potential effects on
support with daily living, ongoing care arrangements with health providers,
support with medication and changes in daily routines. It is important that
you take care of your mind as well as your body and that you get further
support if you need it.
If you’re receiving services for your mental health, learning disability or
autism and are worried about the impact of isolation, contact your key worker
or care coordinator or provider to review your care plan. If you have
additional needs, contact your key worker or care coordinator to develop a
safety or crisis plan.
Understandably, you may find that shielding and distancing can be boring or
frustrating. You may find your mood and feelings are affected and you may feel
low, worried, anxious or have problems sleeping, and you might miss being
outside with other people. Follow the advice that works for you in the
guidance on how to look after your mental health and wellbeing during
coronavirus
(COVID-19). At times like
these, it can be easy to fall into unhealthy patterns of behaviour which in
turn can make you feel worse.
Constantly watching the news can make you feel more worried. If you think it
is affecting you, try to limit the time you spend watching, reading or
listening to media coverage of the outbreak. It may help to only check the
news at set times or limit this to a couple of times a day.
Try to focus on the things you can control, such as where you get information
from and actions you can take to help you feel prepared. The Every Mind
Matters page on anxiety and
NHS mental wellbeing audio guides provide further
information on how to manage anxiety.
If you’re still struggling after several weeks and it’s affecting your daily
life, contact NHS 111 online. If you have no internet
access, you should call NHS 111.
Staying mentally and physically active
There are simple things you can do that may help, to stay mentally and
physically active during this time such as:

you can find free 10 minute workouts from PHE or other exercise videos to try at home on the NHS Fitness Studio
spend time doing things you enjoy such as reading, cooking, other indoor hobbies or listening to favourite radio programmes or watching TV
try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, drink enough water, exercise regularly, and try to avoid smoking, alcohol and drugs
try spending time with the windows open to let in the fresh air, arranging space to sit and see a nice view if possible, and get some natural sunlight or get out into any private space, keeping at least 2 metres away from your neighbours and household members at all times

*[PHE]: Public Health England
Guidance Guidance on shielding and protecting people who are clinically extremely vulnerable from COVID-19
Unpaid carers who provide care for someone who is clinically extremely vulnerable
If you’re caring for someone who is clinically extremely vulnerable, there are
some simple steps that you can take to protect them and to reduce their risk.
Ensure you follow advice on good hygiene:

only provide care that is essential
wash your hands when you arrive and often, using soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitiser
cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards
do not visit or provide care if you are unwell and make alternative arrangements for their care
provide information to the person you care for about who they should call if they feel unwell, how to use NHS 111 online coronavirus service and leave the number for NHS 111 prominently displayed
find out about different sources of support that could be used; further advice on creating a contingency plan is available from Carers UK
look after your own wellbeing and physical health during this time. See further information from Every Mind Matters

More information on providing unpaid
care is available.
Guidance Guidance on shielding and protecting people who are clinically extremely vulnerable from COVID-19
Handwashing and respiratory hygiene
There are general principles you should follow to help prevent the spread of
airway and chest infections caused by respiratory viruses, including:

wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use a hand sanitiser. Do this after you blow your nose, sneeze or cough, and before you eat or handle food
avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in a bin
clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces in the home
Guidance Guidance on shielding and protecting people who are clinically extremely vulnerable from COVID-19
If you do not want to be shielded
Shielding is for your personal protection. It’s your choice to decide whether
to follow the measures we advise.
For example, if you have a terminal illness, or have been given a prognosis of
less than 6 months to live, or have some other special circumstances, you may
decide not to undertake shielding.
This will be a deeply personal decision but we advise calling your GP or
specialist to discuss this.
*[GP]: general practitioner (family doctor)
Guidance Guidance on shielding and protecting people who are clinically extremely vulnerable from COVID-19
Help with food and medicines if you’re shielding
Ask family, friends and neighbours to support you and use online services.
If you cannot get the help you need, the government can help by delivering
essential groceries and support. It may take time for support offered through
this service to arrive. If you have not received a letter from the NHS then
you may not be able to receive the support offered through this service. If
you urgently need food or care, contact your local council.
Getting your prescriptions
Prescriptions will continue to cover the same length of time as usual.
If you do not currently have your prescriptions collected or delivered, you
can arrange this by:

Asking someone who can pick up your prescription from the local pharmacy (this is the best option, if possible).
Contacting your pharmacy to ask them to deliver your prescription to you or to help you find a volunteer (who will have been ID checked) to deliver it.

You may also need to arrange for collection or delivery of hospital specialist
medication that is prescribed to you by your hospital care team.
If you receive support from health and social care organisations, such as
having care provided for you through the local authority or health care
system, this will continue as normal.
Your health or social care provider will be asked to take additional
precautions to make sure that you are protected. The advice for formal carers
is included in the home care
provision.