Government has issued new guidance on social distancing for everyone in the UK and protecting older people and vulnerable people. Social distancing should be practiced by everyone, whether or not exposed to coronavirus COVID-19, in order to reduce the transmission of the virus.

The broad set of measures includes:

• Staying away from mass gatherings
• Keeping a distance of 6 feet or 2 meters – about one body length away from other people
• Avoid touching other people, and that includes handshakes
• Staying at home and isolating if you feel sick

Social distancing slows down the spread of coronavirus COVID-19, which keeps our resources available to those in need. GOV.uk are “advising those who are at increased risk of severe illness from coronavirus (COVID-19) to be particularly stringent in following social distancing measures”.

The advice is likely to be in place for an extended period of time. This means every person needs to:

• Avoid non-essential travel
• Avoid the use of public transport
• Where possible, work from home
• Avoid gatherings with friends and family, you can keep in touch using video calling technology or social media
• If you need to contact your GP or other essential services, use online or telephone services

If you need assistance with the delivery of food and medicines try asking family, friends and neighbours to support you. Public sector, charities and many more local initiatives are all trying to help those advised to stay at home.

Don’t forget to look after your mental well-being. During these unprecedented times it is possible to fall into unhealthy patterns of behaviour. You may feel bored and frustrated, miss being outside, and our well-being blog may be of help to you.

These are unprecedented times and conditions in our history and such a challenging period for everybody, impacting on the health of many, businesses we rely upon, the global economy, and the way we live our daily lives.

If you want to read more about social distancing, we suggest reading the Guidance on social distancing for everyone in the UK recommended by GOV.uk.