Keeping Safe and Well as Covid Restrictions Ease

Staying safe as Covid-19 restrictions lift

As COVID-19 restrictions ease on Monday, our world will return to a more normal state, where large gatherings and events can resume, the 1 metre rule will be removed (except in hospitals and passport control), people can travel more freely and face masks will not longer be required by law.

Here are some simple tips to help you keep safe whilst returning to your ‘new normal’:

Wash your hands

Washing your hands regularly for at least 20 seconds will kill any bacterial that you’ve touched whilst out and about.

Attach a bottle of hand sanitiser to your keyring or handbag.

Having the facility to easily hand sanitise after touching a door handle or pin machine will help to minimise risk for transferring bacteria.

Keep to a distance you feel comfortable with.

The rules may change, but it’s important that you do what feels comfortable.

Face coverings

It’s still recommended that people wear a face mask in crowded public places and on public transport. If you’d feel more comfortable wearing a face covering when popping to the shops or out and about, do what feels comfortable.

A time to live

After months spent indoors, this is a big change in mindset for us all. It’s natural to feel unmotivated or anxious about going out or socialising again, no matter how much you’ve missed your friends and families. 

There’s no right or wrong way to deal with this situation, just go at your own pace. Although it may seem daunting, there are things you can do to help along the way:

• Go at your own pace
• Celebrate your successes
• Explore different techniques to help manage any concerns or anxieties
• Reach out to friends and family to talk about how you feel
• If you’re heading back to work, talk to your organisation about your concerns and see if any adjustments could be made to make you feel more comfortable.

We know the last 18 months have been very difficult and here at Age UK Northumberland, we’ve put in place a range of support services to help people reset after COVID-19, so if you’re feeling a bit confused by the changes in restrictions, you’re worried that you’ve become a little unsteady on your feet or you’ve lost your confidence in socialising and making friends, get in touch and we’d be glad to help.

Call us on 01670 784 800 or go to our website https://www.ageuk.org.uk/northumberland/our-services/support-during-covid/