This hasn’t been an easy time for anyone and coronavirus has really changed our lives.

Coronavirus is still here and it’s going to need a big team effort for us to live alongside it safely.

We all have a part to play, by thinking every day about what we should do, rather than what we can do, to protect lives, livelihoods and our ways of living.

Living alongside coronavirus

The COVID vaccine gives us hope.  However being vaccinated doesn’t mean you are fully protected. Even after you’ve had both doses of the vaccine you may still give COVID to someone else.

Even if you’ve been vaccinated you should continue to do these things to protect yourself and the people around you.

If we all remember to do these things every day as we go about our lives, it really will make a difference:

• Stay 2 metres back
• Regular handwashing
• Wear a face covering where required
• Increase ventilation and let fresh air in
• Socialise safely as society opens up
• Keep indoor areas well ventilated
• Self-isolate if you or anyone in your household has any COVID symptoms, or if you’re asked to by a contact tracer
• Book a test if you have any COVID symptoms
• Get vaccinated, when called
• Download the NHS COVID-19 app
• Get a rapid test if you can’t work from home or volunteer, or if they’re available in your area, workplace, school, college or university

How to reduce my risk

It’s important to remember that almost one-in-three people with coronavirus don’t show symptoms.  Whenever we come together, there’s always a risk that the virus will come too.

There are steps you can take to reduce the risk to you and others:

Fresh air and ventilation

Fresh air can help to reduce the spread. Coronavirus spreads through airborne particles when we breathe and talk, and even more when laughing, shouting or exercising. Doing any of these things inside, in a poorly ventilated space, increases the risk even more. Being outdoors, or opening windows and doors if you’re inside, can help to decrease the number of infectious particles hanging around. If you must invite someone into your home, such as a tradesperson – open the windows to let fresh air in and ensure you and they wear a face covering.

Outdoors is safer than indoors

If you meet up with someone in your garden, you can reduce the risk of coronavirus spreading by not sharing crockery or cutlery, keeping social distancing and ensuring no-one goes inside. Allowing someone inside your home, even for a few minutes, increases the risk of catching or spreading the virus for everyone in your household.

Reduce the number of people you meet

We all want to meet our friends again.  But think about what is the most sensible thing for you to do to protect your family, friends and your community. Limiting how many different people you see helps keep you, your family, and friend’s safe.  It’s less risky to see the same one or two people regularly than to see lots of different people occasionally. By only meeting a few people, everyone’s contacts are less and the virus will find it harder to spread.  

Reduce face-to-face time with other people

The main way coronavirus spreads is through close contact with an infected person. So meeting face-to-face increases the risk of getting and giving coronavirus – the shorter the time, the lower the risk.   The NHS Covid-19 App will let you know if you have come into contact with someone who later tests positive for coronavirus. More than 21 million people are using the app like this to keep them safe. Your privacy is protected, so nobody, including the government, will know who you are or where you are.

Social distancing is the best way to stop coronavirus spreading

Staying at least 2 metres away from people you do not live with or who are not in your support bubble, makes a big difference in reducing the chances of the virus spreading. We all forget sometimes - if someone is too close while you are out and about, be kind and try asking them to step back. Don’t be offended if someone asks you to keep your distance too – we can all help each other through. Choosing not to share a lift, choosing less busy times, and using a face covering all help to reduce the risk to you and others.  

If someone needs to visit your home for work reasons, keep your distance and open this windows to let fresh air in.

If you become infected keep your distance from other members of your household as much as possible, especially if they are clinically extremely vulnerable.

Washing your hands

Washing your hands with soap and water or regularly using hand sanitiser when you don’t have access to soap and water helps stop the virus spreading. Our hands touch many surfaces throughout the day and this can help the virus to move around. If you have the virus on your hands you can transfer it to other surfaces or to to your eyes, nose or mouth. This is one way that viruses can enter your body and infect you. Washing or sanitising your hands removes viruses and other germs, so you are less likely to spread them or to become infected.