Help & Support
Last update: 2021-01-29
Should any families be impacted by Covid over this term or experience other similar problems please email:
School Leaver Booster Vaccinations (Year 9 Students) (UPDATE 29th January 2021)
(Update from the Solent NHS Trust School Aged Immunisation Team)
It is an opportunity for those in Year 9 to attend community clinic settings around the City to receive the SLB vaccinations, they must email us to book an appointment to attend. For those Year 9s that might be in school attending, we have clinics that run after school finishes and on a couple of Saturdays in February to give those the opportunity to book an appointment.
Please see the letter below to view how to book and the timings available.
Self-isolating
How to self-isolate and protect Portsmouth
You must self-isolate if you have coronavirus symptoms, have tested positive or are contacted by Test and Trace as you may have been infected - even if you don't have symptoms. You must also self-isolate if you live or share a support bubble with someone who has symptoms or tested positive.
Self-isolating is hard but it is really important to stop others from getting ill. If you don’t self-isolate when you should, you will be breaking the law and could be fined.
The difference between staying at home and self-isolation
Self-isolating is much stricter than the instruction to stay at home that we’ve seen set out under national and local restrictions. If you’re self-isolating, you should not leave the house for any reason – other than to get a coronavirus test if you have symptoms.
Click here to find out more about the latest coronavirus rules for everyone.
When to self-isolate
- If you tick one or more of the boxes below, you must stay at home and self-isolate:
- You have symptoms of the virus
- You tested positive for the virus
- You live or share a support bubble with someone showing symptoms
- You live or share a support bubble with or someone who has tested positive
- You have travelled to the UK from certain countries
- You have been contacted by NHS Test and Trace or local contact tracing teams and been told to self-isolate
- An alert from the NHS COVID-19 app telling you to self-isolate
- A child or young person has been told by school/college/university to stay at home and self-isolate.
- Most people will need to self-isolate and not leave home at all for 14 days. You can find out more on the NHS website.
What you can and can't do when you self-isolate
You can't
- You can’t pop to the shops or pharmacy
- You can’t leave the house for exercise or to walk the dog
- You can’t go to a place of work
- You can’t catch a bus or train
- You can’t go out to pick up a takeaway
- You can’t go to school or drop your children off at school
- You can’t meet up with other people
You can
- You can work from home
- You can exercise in your home or garden
- You can ask others to deliver food or medicine to your doorstep
- You can leave the house to get a coronavirus test if you have symptoms but you must go straight there and back. It is best to walk or drive yourself there if you can.
Find out more about getting a test.
How to keep others safe at home
If you’re self-isolating it’s really important to do what you can to help protect others at home from coronavirus. Here are a few simple things you can do:
- Keep shared spaces like the bathroom and kitchen clean using normal household products
- Regularly clean things people touch the most such as taps, worktops, tables, door handles, light switches and handrails
- Wash your hands regularly with soap and water
- Don’t share towels, including hand towels and tea towels
- Cover coughs and sneezes and bin tissues quickly
- Air the house and open windows when you can, coronavirus doesn’t spread as quickly in well-ventilated spaces
- Limit close contact with others at home as much as possible.
Know the symptoms and get tested
If you have coronavirus symptoms, you should book a test by calling 119 or visiting Gov.UK. The symptoms are:
- A high temperature
- A new, continuous cough
- A loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
Be prepared in case you need to self-isolate
You might not get much notice that you need to self-isolate, especially if you’re contacted by NHS Test and Trace or the Covid-19 app. As soon as you know you need to self-isolate you must stay at home. Don’t be tempted to nip out to the shops to stock up on food and essentials for the next two weeks.
It’s a good idea to plan ahead and make sure you already have essential items at home. It might be a few days before you can get supplies, from friends, family or local support services. Think about having:
Some long-life food supplies, such as tinned food, long-life milk, frozen meals
A stock of day-to-day essentials like soap and toothpaste
Essential medicines and medical supplies that you rely on or might need if you start to feel unwell. Most pharmacies can deliver medication, so please don’t request more than you need – just make sure you have enough to get you through a few days of needing to stay home
Contact details for friends, family and local support services who can help you with supplies while you’re self-isolating
It might also be helpful to think about how you will keep yourself entertained for two weeks and stay comfortable if you’re feeling unwell.
Testing for Covid-19 for Essential Workers
Use this service to apply for a coronavirus (COVID-19) test if you have symptoms and you:
- are an essential worker
- live with an essential worker
There’s a different way to ask for a test if you’re not an essential worker or do not live with one (on the NHS website).
Coronavirus symptoms are:
- a high temperature
- a new, continuous cough
- a loss of or change to your sense of smell or taste
This test can tell you if you have coronavirus at the time the swab sample is taken. The test to tell if you’ve ever had coronavirus (‘antibody test’) is not available yet.
When to apply for a test
Apply within the first 3 days of having symptoms. The test is best taken within 5 days of symptoms starting.
Testing for Covid-19 for Non-Essential Workers
If you have symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19), you can ask for a test to check if you have the virus. This is called an antigen test.
Information:
If you need medical advice about your symptoms:
England: NHS 111 online coronavirus service
Who can ask for a test
You can ask for a test:
- for yourself, if you have coronavirus symptoms now (a high temperature, a new, continuous cough, or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste)
- for someone you live with, if they have coronavirus symptoms
This service is for people in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The tests are not suitable for children under 5 years old.
If you're asking for a test for someone else and the person is aged 13 or over, check they're happy for you to ask for a test for them.
Important
Please help the NHS and only ask for a test if you or someone you live with has symptoms now.
When to ask for a test
You need to have the test in the first 5 days of having symptoms.
It's best to ask for the test in the first 3 days, as it may take a day or two to arrange.
What the test involves
The test usually involves taking a swab of the inside of your nose and the back of your throat, using a long cotton bud.
You can do the swab yourself or someone can do it for you.
Support for Victims of Domestic & Sexual Abuse during Covid-19
For advice, help & support out of hours or for specific needs:
- National Domestic Abuse Helpline Freephone 24hr 02394 216 816. Online support: www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/Contact-us
- Rape Crisis National Helpline 0808 802 9999 12.00 -14.30 and 19.00 – 21.30 every day. Online support: www.rapecrisis.org.uk/get-help/want-to-talk
- LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline 0800 999 5428
- Men’s Advice Line for male victims of domestic abuse: 0808 801 0327 or www.mensadviceline.org.uk
- The Mix, free remote counselling and help for under 25’s: 0808 808 4994
- Rights of Women legal advice lines: www.rightsofwomen.org.uk/get-advice/advice-lines
- For domestic abuse perpetrators and those supporting them Respect Phone line provides a confidential helpline, email and webchat service: 0808 8024040 or www.respectphoneline.org.uk
- Childline - call 0800 1111 or access online: https://www.childline.org.uk
Useful Resources
| Name | |
|---|---|
| OMG DA during covid.docx.pdf | Download |
Statement from the Solent NHS Trust Public Nursing Team (26th May 2020)
Portsmouth School Nursing Service continues to provide non-emergency health related advice and support, e.g. sleep, bed wetting, healthy weight, soiling, emotional health and well-being, additional and long term health conditions.
If you would like to discuss any aspect of your child’s health or development then please contact us by
Telephone - 03001236629 or Text us on 07491163276
