New National Lockdown
The government announced a new national lockdown on Monday 4th January 2021.
This means you must stay at home, unless you need to:
• Shop for basic necessities, for you or a vulnerable person.
• Go to work, or provide voluntary or charitable services, if you cannot reasonably do so from home.
• Exercise with your household (or support bubble) or one other person, this should be limited to once per day, and you should not travel outside your local area.
• Meet your support bubble or childcare bubble where necessary, but only if you are legally permitted to form one.
• Seek medical assistance or avoid injury, illness or risk of harm (including domestic abuse).
• Attending a Covid-19 vaccine or test appointment is an appropriate reason to go out.
If you are clinically extremely vulnerable you should only go out for medical appointments, exercise or if it is essential. You should not attend work.
The infection rate in Kent and Medway remains high. We all need to play our part if we are going to get back to the things we love sooner, rather than later.
Visit the GOV.UK website to check for full information on what you can and cannot do during the national lockdown.
Help ease the pressure on the NHS
Your local NHS is very busy at the moment. You can help ease the pressure by choosing the right service for you when you need medical help or advice.
Knowing the right place to go can help you get the treatment you need faster. Please choose wisely and help us help you.
Acute hospitals and the ambulance service are particularly busy treating patients who are very ill so please consider an alternative to A&E if your condition is not serious or life threatening.
For example, Urgent Treatment Centres (UTC) and Minor Injury Units (MIU) are equipped to diagnose and deal with many of the most common ailments people attend emergency departments for, including sprains, minor burns and minor illness, and are open either 24 hours a day or 8:00am to 8:00pm. Appointments can be booked at an Urgent Treatment Centre by going online at 111.nhs.uk or by calling 111. Patients are also able to “walk in” without an appointment but may have to wait longer to be seen depending on their condition.
You can also help ease the pressure on local health services by making sure your medicine cabinet is fully stocked with the basic essentials, such as paracetamol and upset tummy remedies, and by ordering repeat prescriptions from your GP in good time so that you don't run out of regular prescribed medication.
Your guide to health care services in Kent and Medway
Acute hospitals and the ambulance service are particularly busy treating patients who are very ill so please consider an alternative to A&E if your condition is not serious or life threatening.
For example, Urgent Treatment Centres (UTC) and Minor Injury Units (MIU) are equipped to diagnose and deal with many of the most common ailments people attend emergency departments for, including sprains, minor burns and minor illness, and are open either 24 hours a day or 8:00am to 8:00pm. Appointments can be booked at an Urgent Treatment Centre by going online at 111.nhs.uk or by calling 111. Patients are also able to “walk in” without an appointment but may have to wait longer to be seen depending on their condition.
You can also help ease the pressure on local health services by making sure your medicine cabinet is fully stocked with the basic essentials, such as paracetamol and upset tummy remedies, and by ordering repeat prescriptions from your GP in good time so that you don't run out of regular prescribed medication.
Your guide to health care services in Kent and Medway
Kent and Medway Covid-19 vaccine programme
Details of vaccine services across Kent and Medway are being kept up-to-date on our website here
On 6th January we published details of more services opening soon so please check the website if you have not already seen the latest information.
Local GP services have been inundated with queries about the vaccine. We understand people are keen to know when they will be invited. People will be contacted directly when the vaccine is available for them. Please help us keep GP phones free by only calling about the vaccine if you have received an invitation.
Vaccine Intentions Survey
To help us provide useful information to people in Kent and Medway considering having the Covid-19 vaccine, we would like your views on whether you intend to have the vaccine and if there are any specific questions you have about it.
Vaccine Intentions Survey
To help us provide useful information to people in Kent and Medway considering having the Covid-19 vaccine, we would like your views on whether you intend to have the vaccine and if there are any specific questions you have about it.
Rapid-result coronavirus testing for people who don’t have symptoms now available across Kent and Medway.
The testing will find people who don’t currently have symptoms, who may be unknowingly spreading the virus in the community. The services are part of a drive to help reduce the spread of the virus in Kent and Medway.
To find your nearest test site and how to book:
Kent residents
Medway residents
Kent residents
Medway residents
Kent Together
Kent County Council is offering help and support through the Kent Together programme, for vulnerable people who need urgent support.
Kent Together can help people with:
• Making sure they have enough food and supplies.
• Picking up prescriptions (except in Tunbridge Wells).
• Making sure they have someone to talk to by phone, Skype or Facetime.
You can find out more here or by calling 03000 41 92 92.
Read the full bulletin at >> http://bit.ly/3hXzPrg
Read the full bulletin at >> http://bit.ly/3hXzPrg
NHS Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group
