People who are shielding because they are most at-risk of covid-19 have been told to remain “very cautious” when leaving their homes to exercise or meet friends and family, which is now allowed for the first time since March.

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said shielders should try to only go outside at times of day and to areas that are “a bit quieter”.

Advice tailored to people’s individual conditions, so that people can make “informed choices” about the risks they want to take, has been promised over the summer.

In Scotland the ‘stay at home’ measure has been dropped in favour of ‘Stay Safe, Protect Others, Save Lives’

Chief medical officers from each of the four UK nations have meanwhile backed a recommendation to downgrade the coronavirus threat level from four to three today.

This means the virus is still in circulation but transmission is no longer “high or rising exponentially”.

However local outbreaks are “likely to occur”, the four advisors said in a joint statement.

New advice for different categories of people shielding has now been issued for a range of conditions such as respiratory illnesses, rare diseases and diabetes.

In all instances the advice is to continue with existing medication and to keep hospital appointments.

More detail on the Scottish Government’s commitment to bring in tailored guidance is set out in the letters.

The government says it is working towards updated clinical advice for different conditions, and “what this means for your risk from coronavirus”.

Information about local infection levels is pledged so that people shielding can make their own decisions, and the documents state the Scottish Government will support shielders to “put [their] choices into practice”.

For now advice continues to be for the 160,000 people on the shielding list as a whole.

Permitted activities now include going outdoors for a walk, wheel or cycle, as well as non-contact exercise such as golf.

Meeting with people from other households in groups of less than eight in a garden or park is allowed, though social distancing should be maintained.

Nicola Sturgeon said: “Don't go inside someone else’s house, or allow someone from another household to go inside yours – even to use the toilet.

“And when you do go outdoors, see if you can choose times of the day or areas that are a bit quieter.”

Earlier this week the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland published a series of recommendations for the next steps on shielding.

The charity, which represents thousands of third sector groups across the country, called for “tailored advice” to be available in accessible formats and different languages, rather than “blanket communications to the whole population”. 

 

Sign up to our bulletin sent twice a week so you don’t miss out on the latest health and social care news.