Important information for Wales

NHS Covid-19 information hub

Welsh Government information hub

Everyone in Wales must follow the current alert level 0 guidance:

• You are encouraged to work from home if possible. Click here for more information.
• There are no limits on the number of people you can meet indoors or outdoors.
• You can exercise indoors and outdoors in accordance with the guidance here.
• All retail and hospitality is open.
• Schools and colleges are open.

Financial support:

• The Nest scheme offers free impartial advice to people struggling to cope with their energy bills, and can provide a package of home energy efficiency improvements to those who are eligible.
• You can also apply for Universal Credit or the Welsh Government’s Discretionary Assistance Fund payment.

Physical and mental wellbeing:

• Information about looking after your wellbeing can be found at the Public Health Wales website.
• The Welsh Parliament has pulled together information, links to support and resources about coronavirus and mental health.
• Looking Out for Each Other scheme provides practical guidance about how everyday tasks can be done safely, without physical contact to minimise the risk of contracting Covid-19. It also shares information about how to stay mentally and physically active.

Other support: 

• If you are looking for support from the charity sector in Wales, there is further information about each of the local authorities and where to seek advice here.
• An online hub includes a ‘helping hand’ card, which can be downloaded and put through the letterboxes of neighbours to offer help to those who are isolating.
• This guidance provides advice on issues relating to moral, ethical, cultural and faith considerations and provide a source of advice to health services to inform equitable and just management of issues arising from the health care emergency response to Covid-19.

Updated guidance for those who are extremely clinically vulnerable can be found here.

Clinically extremely vulnerable people should now follow the same advice as the rest of the Welsh population and can:

• Go to work if you cannot work from home, as long as measures have been taken to minimise Covid-19 at the workplace.
• Children can return to school.

Covid-19 booster vaccine

The booster dose can be offered any time at least three months after your second dose.

You are eligible if you:

• live in a residential care home for older adults
• are a frontline health or social care worker
• aged 18 and over (currently age 40 and over are being offered)
• are an adult aged 16 to 49 years with underlying health
  conditions that put you at higher risk of severe coronavirus
• are an adult carer (aged 16 or over)
• a household contact (aged 16 or over) of immunosuppressed individuals

A booster dose is different from a third primary dose for people with a severely weakened immune system.

Third Covid-19 vaccination dose

The JCVI has advised that people aged 12 and over who were severely immunosuppressed at the time of their first or second dose should be offered a third vaccine dose. This is separate from any booster programme.

Read more about the difference between the booster vaccine and third vaccine here.

Young adults and children

• Young adults over the age of 12 with specific underlying health conditions that put them at risk of serious illness from Covid-19 will be offered a vaccination.
• Children and young adults over the age of 12 years who live in a household with someone who is immunosuppressed can also ask for a vaccine.
• All children aged 12-15 will now be offered two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine.

Adults aged 16 and over

• Everyone aged 16 years and over has been invited to receive the Covid-19 vaccine.
• 16 and 17 year olds are now being offered a second dose at least 12 weeks after their first.

You must work from home if you can. People who are not able to work from home, but are able to work safely in their workplaces, can do so, provided their workplace remains open.

Clinically vulnerable people that are advised not to work may be eligible for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP). Members of your household who are not clinically extremely vulnerable should continue to attend work if they are unable to work from home.

For specific advice on any issues and also on your employment rights by visiting the Acas website or calling the Acas helpline, 0300 123 1100.

If you feel that you have been treated unfairly by your employer, or somebody who gives you a service, then the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS) offers a free advice service which you can access by calling 0808 800 0082, by text phone on 0808 800 0084 or by visiting their website here.

Welsh Government has produced guidance for employers and employees about how to remain safe in the workplace. Detailed guidance is available here.

A Covid-19 workforce risk assessment tool is available to check if you are at higher risk of more serious symptoms if you come into contact with Covid-19. The tool helps you to consider your personal risk factors for COVID-19 and suggests how to stay safe.

The Welsh Government launched the £500 payment scheme last month to support people who have been asked to self-isolate by the Test, Trace Protect service. They have now expanded the Self-Isolation Support Scheme to include parents and carers of children who have been asked to self-isolate.

Mencap have pulled together resources and advice for carers who may be affected by Covid-19. Find questions and answers here about how Covid-19 might affect direct payments in Wales, including employees and workers self-isolating, and furloughing staff here.

The Welsh government has released guidance for those who provide unpaid care for family and friends and it can be found here. The Welsh Government has also produced guidance for unpaid carers on access and use of PPE.

A parenting and family advice charity has been awarded funding to extend its helpline service to Welsh speakers. The charity Family Lives currently provides emotional support, information, advice and guidance on any aspect of parenting and family life across England and Wales.

WCVA has collated a range of Covid-19 specific resources and information for voluntary organisations in Wales.