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 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.

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 10 days from the onset of symptoms or date of positive test if asymptomatic, as per existing advice. In addition, it is now recommended that anyone living in the same household as a symptomatic person or a person with confirmed COVID-19 should self-isolate for 10 days.

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

Further, people are advised to take physical distancing measures to help reduce the transmission of COVID-19. People at extremely high risk of severe illness from COVID-19 should rigorously follow physical distancing and hygiene measures. Further advice on these measures are available on NHS Inform.

Please note that this is an evolving situation and the most up to date guidanceshould 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.