Staff advice on Coronavirus

Last updated: 17.00 on 4 April 2020

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How to stay informed

Call our information line which provides the latest council service information for local people - 0300 300 0333.

We are working closely with Health Protection Scotland, Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Renfrewshire Leisure to monitor and respond to the national situation.

Colleagues from across the council are working together to manage the impact of Coronavirus on our services. Our role is to deliver essential services and to help residents and staff stay informed, safe and well. We want to reassure residents we are ready to respond to the emerging advice and guidance from Government.

We can all do our bit and you too can play a role in helping to delay the spread of Coronavirus. Please see the latest information below and continue to follow NHS Inform - Coronavirus and Scottish Government advice. You can also sign up and follow the council Twitter channel @RenCouncil for daily updates.

Staff weekly news

We've had a really positive response from local residents and you can read more about what our teams are doing to make a difference across our communities. Download the latest staff weekly news (3 April 2020) [2MB]

If you have symptoms of Coronavirus

If you have the symptoms consistent with coronavirus, namely a new continuous cough and/or a fever/high temperature, however mild, stay at home and self isolate for 7 days from the day your symptoms started. This will help to protect others at work or in your community while you're infectious.

You do not need to call NHS24 or your GP unless your symptoms do not get better or your health condition changes significantly. You must follow the council's absence management policy by calling your line manager and they will inform HR.

If you live with others, all other members of the household should stay at home and self isolate for 14 days. The 14-day period starts from the day illness began in the first person. Detailed stay at home advice can be found at NHS Inform - Stay at Home Advice.

Latest Government advice

You can spread the virus even if you don't have symptoms.

Protect yourself and others by:

staying at home;
only going outside for essential food, health and work reasons;
staying 2 metres (6 feet) away from other people (social distancing);
washing your hands regularly;
washing your hands as soon as you get home.

Read the full guidance on Staying at home and away from others. This advice was issued by the UK Government on 23 March 2020 and will be reviewed in three weeks.

Shielding

Those considered most vulnerable to Coronavirus are advised that they must be shielded for the next 12 weeks at least.

What is 'Shielding'?

Shielding is for people, including children, who are at very high risk of severe illness from Coronavirus (COVID-19). This includes people who've had solid organ transplants, certain cancers, or other conditions like cystic fibrosis and severe asthma.

To reduce the risk of them becoming infected, it asks the person to go into quarantine for the next 12 weeks. This is different advice than for the rest of the population at this time.

Those who receive a letter should not leave their homes at any time - not even for food, medicine or exercise.

What does this mean?

It means all supplies, i.e. food, medicine and key household products such as toiletries, will need to be delivered.

Ideally, this support will be provided by family or friends, or through online shopping or medicine delivered direct from a pharmacy.

If this is not possible, we (the council) and our partners will arrange to get supplies to the person.

If someone in Renfrewshire needs this help, they can call our local assistance number on 0300 300 0230.

What if this applies to you?

You should already be working at home, if possible, if you are in one of the at-risk categories.

If you receive a letter indicating you must be shielded, please let your line manager know as soon as possible.

You must not leave your home at any point for the next 12 weeks.

If you do not have a support network that can provide you with essentials such as food and medicine, and you live in Renfrewshire, please call 0300 300 0230 and we can arrange with our partners to help you. If you aren't a resident here, please contact the local authority where you live who will have a similar system in place. We are available for advice and support as your employer during this time.

The Scottish Government also have a text message service to keep you up to date which you can access by texting 07860 064 525 with your ten-digit CHI number found at the top of the letter you've received. Please sign up even if you don't need support right now.

We know this will be difficult so please ask us for any support you need during this time.

If this affects a family member or someone you having caring responsibilities for, please speak to your line manager and we will work with you to be flexible and provide you with support you need.

Where can I find more information?

For information, you can visit our specific page - Coronavirus - Shielding.

For the latest health advice and guidance from NHS Scotland and the Scottish Government, please visit NHS Inform - Coronavirus.

How are council staff affected?

Our priority will be to protect our vital services and ensure the wellbeing of you as a staff member.

We are facilitating home working wherever possible as we try to mitigate the impact on our essential day to day council services. If you have an issue while working from home, please email ICT.

Please see our Changes to Council services section for a full breakdown of information in relation to how each service has been affected at this time.

We are developing a redeployment strategy which will mean staff who are fit and healthy can volunteer to lend a hand in other service areas which are most in need of additional resources.

Advice for key workers

Good hygiene in the workplace

To avoid the spread of illness, you should follow the below advice if you are still at workplace:

Wash your hands when you arrive for work/at premises, frequently throughout the day and before you leave
Regularly clean and disinfect anything you touch, such as surfaces, telephones, keyboards, door handles, desks and tables;
Wash your hands often with warm water and soap, or hand sanitiser, and ensure that hand washing facilities are available for all staff, contractors, service users and visitors;
All items in shared kitchen areas should be cleaned with warm water and detergent and dried thoroughly;
No food, such as crisps and sandwiches, should be left open for communal sharing unless individually wrapped.

Home visits

If the visit relates to care at home, child protection, community meals, community alarm response or emergency repairs please refer to the bespoke guidance issued by your Heads of Service which will include practical guidance around PPE and protocols.

Any other member of staff who carries out home visits as part of their role should:

Phone ahead to see if everyone in the household is well before visiting as a precautionary measure - if they are not, please speak with your line manager
On arrival at a household, all staff should check/re-check if there is anyone within the household who is unwell or self-isolating
If an individual has symptoms of COVID-19 ask them to move to another part of the house and create a minimum two-meter distance for duration of visit
You should wash hands when you arrive and before you leave with warm water and soap, or hand sanitiser
Encourage residents to follow the Catch it. Bin it. Kill it advice

If you are unsure at any point, please speak to your line manager for guidance.

What can you do to avoid the spread of illness?

Wash your hands often with soap and water; or use an alcohol based hand rub;
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands;
Wherever possible, avoid direct contact with people that have a respiratory illness and avoid using their personal items;
Cover any coughs and sneezes with disposable tissues and dispose of these in the nearest bin immediately after. You should then wash your hands or use an Alcohol Based Hand Rub (ABHR).

I'm a manager and someone has called in unwell, what should I be doing?

As a manager, you should be aware of the usual process required should a member of staff call in unwell.

In exceptional circumstances, which this is, you should follow the agreed council policy and this can be found attached to this page - 'Advice for Managers' Team Brief published on 28 February.

All cases should be reported to 0141 618 7323, 0141 618 4031 or 0141 618 6676.

Renfrewshire Council