The coronavirus is still spreading rapidly across the country and we still need to take precautions to protect our most vulnerable from the potentially deadly virus.
The NHS recently published a document detailing
an extensive list of guidelines for protecting the most vulnerable from
contracting the coronavirus.
More than 1.5 people in the UK have received a
warning to start shielding themselves to stay safe from the virus.
The elderly are among the 1.5 million. If you
are elderly yourself or you have older people in your family, read on:
Who are the most Vulnerable?
The most vulnerable people are the ones who are
already living with underlying health conditions that predispose them to more
severe symptoms should they contract the coronavirus.
Older people often experience deteriorating
health conditions and they are more vulnerable to developing chronic
illnesses.
The people who have the highest risk of dying or
contracting more severe symptoms are already well identified, thanks to the
chief medical officer:
- Lung cancer patients, people who are in chemotherapy or
radiotherapy
- People who are living with bone marrow or blood cancer
- People in immunotherapy or undergoing treatments that
may suppress the immune system
- People who are undergoing cystic fibrosis, COPD, severe
asthma, and other severe respiratory conditions
- People who have metabolic conditions or who are under
immunosuppressive treatments
- Pregnant women who have heart disease
How Shielding Works
Shielding the most vulnerable people should keep
them away from any face-to-face interaction with other people for not less than
12 weeks. They must never at any point come into contact with people who are
experiencing known symptoms of coronavirus.
When you are shielding yourself, you don’t leave
your house and you stay out of social gatherings and avoid going out to
shop.
The same rules have to apply to anyone who lives
with the person under shielding. This means that family members and everyone
else in the household will obey the rules for 12 weeks.
Besides, you have to limit visits by outsiders
to the home, whether they are showing symptoms of Covid-19. Remember that the
majority of healthy people who have been exposed to the coronavirus only
exhibit mild symptoms.
This means that many people who have the virus
don't know it.
If you end up with a temperature higher than
37.8 °C or prolonged cough, consult our exhaustive Covid-19 guide for the
elderly, their carers, and their families.
Protecting yourself from Covid-19
Remember that even when an elderly person is actively
shielding, they still need to go by standard measures for controlling the
spread of Covid-19.
A carer should make sure that the elderly person
always does the following:
- Handwashing with soap for 20 seconds or more. They have
to repeat this before they eat, after they sneeze, after they cough, and
after they blow their noses.
- Using a tissue or elbow to cover their mouths when they
sneeze. They must not use their hands for this.
- Keeping their hands away from their face and not
touching their nose, mouth, and eyes.
How Carers for the Elderly aid in Shielding
- When you hire a carer for a senior or someone who is
otherwise vulnerable, you increase their quality of life and improve their
chances of staying stronger and healthier in this pandemic.
Carers are on call 24 hours and they come equipped with training
on the NHS and WHO hygiene standards.
- Caregivers for the elderly will take extra measures to
protect seniors from the virus. They disinfect high touch surfaces
routinely, wear personal protective equipment, and adequately educate the
elder and provide much-needed companionship to boost psychosocial
wellness, which is a necessity to cope with the separation necessitated by
social distancing.
- Caregivers remain in contact with vulnerable people
24/7. They stay at home to ensure that they do not contract the virus
elsewhere. You can support them as a family member by supplying groceries
and delivering prescribed drugs from the pharmacy.
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