Behaviours can still protect the most vulnerable

Hywel Dda University Health Board is reminding people that protective measures to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 are still in place in health and care settings to protect vulnerable people and staff. 

There have been changes this week to the legal requirements for the public to self-isolate and wear a face covering in certain venues, as well as to testing for COVID-19. 

However, the Health Board is stressing the continued importance of the behaviours known to reduce transmission of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases, and the different requirements in place in health and social care settings. 

Executive Director of Therapies and Health Science for Hywel Dda UHB Alison Shakeshaft explained: “Isolating if we have symptoms of COVID-19, or other infectious diseases, is one of the most important things we can do to prevent the onward spread and break the chain of transmission. We urge anyone in our locality who has the classic symptoms, or who suspects they may have COVID-19 to isolate and take an LFD test. If positive, we urge people to continue with the same isolation guidance that has been in place – this will help you to rest and recover, and protect others from risk of transmission. This will also help your NHS.”  

If you have COVID-19 symptoms you can still book an LFD test in Wales for free, until 24 June, by visiting www.gov.uk (opens in new tab) and searching ‘order rapid lateral flow kit’. If you, or someone you care for is not online you can telephone 119 between the hours of 7am and 11pm (people with hearing or speech difficulties can call 18001 119).  

Public health advice is to continue to isolate if you receive a positive result, either for 10 days, or following two consecutive negative LFD results from days 5 and 6. 

Health and care staff will still be encouraged to use LFD tests regularly and will be able to access PCR tests directly from the health board to confirm COVID-19 if they are symptomatic. This is a measure to protect them and the vulnerable people in their care.  

The testing sites that were open to the public, are now closed following changes by the Government. 

Some patients will also be required to have a test before certain treatments, or whilst in hospital. They will be given direct communication as to how they can access these tests. 

There are also still requirements in health and care settings for wearing a surgical mask or face covering and keeping a physical distance.  

Hospital visiting is currently on a limited basis and with prior agreement in Hywel Dda UHB hospitals. This is to protect patients and service users. 

Executive Director of Nursing, Quality and Patient Experience Mandy Rayani said: “We thank people and their families and carers for their understanding and adherence to strict hospital visiting rules that we have had to impose during the pandemic. We are keeping the situation monitored but currently cases in our communities and hospitals are significant and we are not in a position to further relax visiting at this stage.” 

If you wish to visit a loved one in hospital, and there is a clear purpose, you must pre-arrange this with the ward sister or charge nurse. More detail is available by visiting https://hduhb.nhs.wales and searching ‘hospital visiting’.