COVID-19 - guidance for primary care

Guidance

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Please note the guidance for optometry and optometrists, dental teams and pharmacies are now included within Primary Care guidance. 

Novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is a new strain of coronavirus first identified in Wuhan, China. Clinical presentation may range from mild-to-moderate illness to pneumonia or severe acute respiratory infection. Because of this, patients with COVID-19 could present to primary care either via telephone or in person. 

It has been announced by the UK/Scottish Government that as of 16 March anyone developing symptoms consistent with COVID-19, however mild, should stay at home for 7 days from the onset of symptoms as per existing advice. In addition, it is now recommended that anyone living in the same household as a symptomatic person should self-isolate for 14 days.

Information on COVID-19, including stay at home advice for people who are self-isolating and their households, can be found on NHS Inf​orm. 

Further, people are advised to take social distancing measures to help reduce the transmission of COVID-19. In particular, this is strongly advised for people aged 70 or over, people with underlying medical conditions and pregnant women. Further advice on these measures will be available on NHS Inform​.​

Please note that this is an evolving situation and the most up to date guidance should always be checked on our COVID-19 page​.

Workforce education information and resources

The correct order for donning, doffin​g and disposal of PPE for healthcare workers ​in a primary care setting

​To support colleagues HPS has produced a short videoclip​ showing the correct order for putting on (donning) and the safe order for removal (doffing) and disposal of personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers in a primary care setting.