Updated 5.1.2021

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

We have made a list of questions we are most often asked. We will update these regularly.

Question: What are the current restrictions in England from 4 January 2021?

Answer: As of 4 January 2021, there is a national lockdown in England which means you must stay at home unless you have a ‘reasonable excuse’. This means a reason that the government allows. The full list guidance is available here: National lockdown: Stay at Home – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Question: I was ‘shielding’ during the lockdown in early 2020, do I need to again?

Answer: If you are ‘clinically extremely vulnerable’ to Covid-19 you should shield again. You will get a letter from the NHS if you are affected by this, and this will be addressed to you. Information about the letter is available here COVID-19: letter to clinically extremely vulnerable people – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Question: Can I/my personal assistant get a Covid-19 Vaccine?

Answer: The Covid 19 vaccine will be offered from December 2020 in priority order which will be:

1. People who live in a care home for older adults and their carers
2. People 80 years of age and over and frontline health and social care workers
3. People 75 years of age and over
4. People 70 years of age and over and ‘clinically extremely vulnerable’ people (you can check if this includes you on the government’s website Priority groups for coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination: advice from the JCVI, 2 December 2020 – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) )
5. People 65 years of age and over
6. People aged 16 years to 64 years with underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of serious disease and mortality
7. People 60 years of age and over
8. People 55 years of age and over
9. People 50 years of age and over

As of 2 December 2020

The NHS will contact you when it is your turn for a vaccine if you will be offered one. It is important not to contact the NHS to ask for one before then.

How and where vaccines will be offered is not confirmed yet, but you can get further information from the NHS website here: Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Question: Can I get a Coronavirus antibody test for my Personal Assistant (PA) ?

Answer: Anyone who works in social care can get an antibody test. The antibody test will tell you if you if you have had Coronavirus/Covid-19 before, but this does not mean that you will definitely be protected from in future.

Your PA can find out how to get a test here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-antibody-tests/coronavirus-covid-19-antibody-tests

Question: What is a ‘support bubble’?

Answer: A support bubble is a close support network between a household with only one adult in the home (known as a single-adult household) and one other household of any size.

You can find more information about making a support bubble here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/making-a-support-bubble-with-another-household

Question: What is the latest guidance for people who get a Direct Payment?

Answer: The latest guidance (September 2020) and easy read version is available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-people-receiving-direct-payments

Question: I am worried about the new rules that I will have to wear a face covering in shops. I would find this very difficult, what should I do?

Answer: The government has announced that from 24 July 2020 people will need to wear a face covering in shops, in the same way as they do on public transport unless they are not able to do so because of a disability or health condition.

The guidance makes it very clear that you do not have to wear a face covering if your disability or health condition makes it difficult for you to.

There is also guidance on what to do if other people wearing masks makes it difficult for you to understand what is being said.

The full guidance is available here

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own

Question: I have a disability that makes it difficult to wear a mask, but I’ve heard that I have to wear one to use public transport, is this true?

Answer: No. If you have a disability that makes it difficult to wear a mask you do not have to wear one. There is guidance available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-safer-travel-guidance-for-passengers#exemptions-face-coverings

Question: Can I get a Coronavirus/Covid-19 test for me and/or my personal assistant?

Answer: Yes, if you or your personal assistant has the symptoms below you can get a test. Symptoms are:

-A high temperature. Feeling hot, you do not need to take your temperature

– A new, continuous cough. Coughing a lot for more than an hour

– If you feel you have lost your sense of taste or smell, or your sense of taste or smell has changed

To get a test for your personal assistant (and anyone they live with) they will need to use the government’s self referral portal for essential workers https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-getting-tested#how-to-arrange-a-test

To get a test for yourself, you will need to use the NHS website www.nhs.uk/coronavirus

If you can’t use the website you can use the new NHS phone service to arrange a test by calling 119.

Question : What if my Personal Assistant is off sick and cannot get a sick note?

Answer: Please write down the dates your personal assistant was off sick and let your payroll provider know these dates by email. Your Personal Assistant can give you a sick note at a later date. Please keep the sick note with your Direct Payment records.

If your Personal Assistant is self- isolating because of coronavirus symptoms they do not need a sick note and will get Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) as normal.

Question: Can I get Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) for my Personal Assistant?

Answer: Yes.

If you or anyone one who lives with you has symptoms of coronavirus this can be provided free of charge. If your Personal Assistant normally gets PPE to support you, this should continue. 

If your direct payment contains funding to purchase PPE for your Personal Assistant, you should continue to use that funding to purchase PPE.  

If you live in Lancashire there is a supply of PPE available at the office of our partner, Disability Equality North West. You can contact them by email at [email protected]

If you live in Cheshire, please contact your Arrangement of Care and Support Adviser at Disability Positive who will be able to help you.

If you live in Bolton, we will update details as soon as we can.

. There is also government guidance if you receive a direct payment available here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-people-receiving-direct-payments

Our services during the coronavirus outbreak

We are here to help, so please let us know if you are struggling. We will do our best to help you. 

During the new national lockdown in November 2020 all of our services will be working in the same way as they were during October 2020, and we will update this page if anything changes.

Please call us on 01606 331 853 if you need any support. 

Community engagement activities including Good Company, Buzz Group will run weekly calls by Zoom.

We are planning to run some small social distanced in person activities in November if we can.

We are doing wellbeing checks with all of our customers, to check that you are ok and if you need anything.  

What is coronavirus?

COVID-19 or coronavirus is a new illness that has infected many people around the world. 

An easy read guide to coronavirus is available here, produced by Inclusion North

If you have it, you may have a fever (high temperature) and a cough. You may also loose your sense of smell and taste. Sometimes this can get worse and become severe pneumonia (a chest infection) which can make it difficult to breathe.

If you have a long term health condition, are older, or have a weakened immune system, coronavirus can be much more serious.  

If you think you have the symptoms (the signs of having coronavirus) you should use the NHS website or call 111. The website will ask about your symptoms and you may be asked to go for a test. https://111.nhs.uk/covid-19

Do not contact your GP unless you are not well.

Links to advice on coronavirus

Below are links to general advice and information 

These links are to information or support not managed by Disability Positive but may be useful:

• Coronavirus overview – nhs.uk website
• National lockdown: Stay at Home – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
• Coronavirus Vaccines – nhs.uk website
• Postcode checker for Covid alert levels in England – GOV.uk website
• Guidance on Covid-19 for people who receive a Direct Payment GOV.UK website
• Frequently Asked Questions for people who employ a Personal Assistant -Skills for Care website
• How to make a ‘support bubble’ with another household – GOV.uk website
• Easy read guide to coronavirus 
• Coronavirus: NHS Advice – nhs.uk website
• NHS Coronavirus 111 Service
• Coronavirus: latest information and advice – GOV.UK website
• Cheshire West and Chester Council Coronavirus information  
• Cheshire West and Chester Council FAQs on Coronavirus
• Live Well Cheshire West and Chester – advice and information
• Cheshire East Council Coronavirus Information
• Lancashire County Council Coronavirus Information  
• Bolton Council Coronavirus Information
• Government advice on Coronavirus for supporting living and home care gov.uk  website
• Advice on Coronavirus for carers from Carers UK 
• Facebook support group ‘The Bunker’. This is a support group for disabled people who are self isolating and employ a personal assistant. 
• Disability Rights UK