Advice and support for residents
Last updated: 12 April at 09:23
On this page you'll find links to information and support for COVID-19.
If you have certain health conditions, you might be at higher risk from COVID-19, and you were advised to shield until 31 March.
Now that shielding has ended; as well as following the restrictions in place, you should:
- Contact your GP if you haven't been offered your first COVID vaccine dose
- Minimise the number of social interactions you have
- Go outside for exercise or fresh air if you can
Get help if you're extremely vulnerable
If you need help getting food or medicine, you can register for support at GOV.UK. This will also allow you to ask for priority access to supermarket deliveries.
If you can't find the support service you need, complete our help form and we'll try and signpost you to the right place.
Read more guidance on protecting extremely vulnerable people from COVID-19
If you are struggling as a result of COVID-19, for example with food, medicine or money, there are organisations that can help.
The main symptoms of COVID-19 are:
- a new continuous cough
- a high temperature
- a loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia)
If you have any of these symptoms, you must self-isolate at home for 10 days, and get a COVID test.
Stay as far away from other members of your household as possible, especially if they are at higher risk. Avoid using shared spaces such as kitchens and other living areas if you can.
Testing positive
If your test is positive, you must stay at home for the 10-day isolation period.
If you have no symptoms but test positive, you should self-isolate for 10 days from the day the test was taken. If you then develop symptoms, you must restart the 10 days from the day your symptoms started.
Testing negative
If your test is negative, you can stop self-isolating as long as you are well.
If you live in the same household as someone with COVID-19
You should stay at home for 14 days. The 14-day period starts from the day the first person in your house developed symptoms or, if they do not have symptoms, from the day their test was taken.
You only need to take a test if you develop symptoms.
NHS COVID-19 app
The NHS COVID-19 app is the fastest way to see if you're at risk from coronavirus.
Bin collections
Please help keep our waste collection crew safe by:
- putting contaminated waste, such as used tissues and disposable cleaning cloths, straight into disposable rubbish bags
- placing these rubbish bags into another bag and tying it securely
- keeping it aside for at least 72 hours before putting it into your usual external household waste bin (not recycling)
COVID-19 testing for people who don’t have symptoms is available in the Canterbury district. You must live in Kent to be able to get a test.
The testing is being run by the Department of Health and Social Care with the help of Kent County Council (KCC).
The NHS is leading on the COVID-19 vaccination programme. You will be contacted by them when the vaccine is available for you.
A support bubble is a close support network between a household with only one adult in the home (known as a single-adult household) and one other household of any size.
You can have close contact with that household as if they were members of your own household. Once you make a support bubble, you should not change who is in your bubble.
You can make a support bubble if:
- you live by yourself
- are a single parent living with children who were under 18 on 12 June 2020
Children of parents who are separated can continue to move between households.
You should continue to minimise travel where possible. This means you should:
- avoid making unnecessary trips
- combine trips when you can
If you need to travel, you should:
- walk or cycle if you can
- avoid car sharing with anyone from outside your household or your support bubble
- regularly wash or sanitise your hands
- try and avoid busy times or routes
- wear a face covering on public transport, unless you're exempt
- stay 2 metres apart from people you don't live with, or 1 metre with extra precautions (such as face coverings or increasing ventilation indoors)
You can stay overnight in a campsite, caravan, boat, second home, or other self-contained accommodation. This should only be with your household or support bubble.
You can only leave the country for certain reasons, such as for work.
You may be eligible for a £500 support payment if you're on a low income and have been told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace.
Find information about changes to council tenant services and how to get support with your tenancy during COVID-19 restrictions.
If you need financial help, there's lots of support available including:
- help if you've lost your job
- advice on finding work
- what to do if you can't work because of COVID-19
Find out about the financial support available
Finanical advice if you're shielding
If you're shielding and worried about paying your energy bills you may be able to get extra support. You should contact your gas and electricity suppliers and ask to join the Priority Services Register. Support varies by supplier but they may be able to:
- pause debt repayments
- stop disconnections
- send prepayment top ups if you can't leave the house
If you're shielding and have other financial worries you can contact the Canterbury Citizens Advice Bureau on 01227 452762