Coronavirus
(COVID-19)
To Protect Each Other - HANDS FACE SPACE
The Government legal restrictions in England which have protected us from COVID have have been lifted.
Please refer to the Government COVID website for changes in other regions.
Personal and collective responsibility have replaced Government restrictions.
Government guidance can be found at Coronavirus: how to stay safe and help prevent the spread
and COVID-19 RESPONSE: LIVING WITH COVID-19
There are still restrictions and different guidance in place for staff, patients and residents in health and social care settings COVID-19: management of staff and exposed patients or residents in health and social care settings
From 21st February:
The guidance for staff and students in most education and childcare settings to undertake twice weekly asymptomatic testing was removed.
From 24th February:
The legal requirement to self-isolate following a positive test has been removed.
Those who test positive are strongly advised to stay at home and avoid contact with other people only returning to their normal routine after cessation of symptoms with no symptoms for 2 days or after 5 days with 2 consecutive days negative tests.Fully vaccinated, and those under 18 who are close contacts of people who have tested positive are no longer required to test negative daily for 7 days in order to continue their daily routine, and those who are not fully vaccinated are no longer legally required to self-isolate.
Self-isolation support payments and national funding for practical support ends. People who were instructed to self-isolate before this date will still be able to claim support payments until 6th April.
The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations have been revoked. Local authorities will continue to manage local outbreaks of COVID-19 as they do with other infectious diseases, including contact tracing and providing context-specific advice where they assess this to be necessary.
Routine contact tracing will end. Contacts will no longer be required to self-isolate or advised to take daily tests.
Workers will not be legally obliged to tell their employers when they are required to self-isolate.
From 24th March:
COVID-19 provisions within Statutory Sick Pay and Employment and Support Allowance regulations will end. People with COVID-19 may still be eligible, subject to the normal conditions of entitlement.
From 1st April:
The Government will no longer provide free universal symptomatic and asymptomatic testing for the general public in England.
Limited free symptomatic testing available for a small number of at-risk groups, and will remain available to social care staff.
The current government guidance on domestic voluntary COVID-status certification will be removed as will the recommendation that certain venues use the NHS COVID Pass. The NHS COVID Pass will remain available within the NHS App for a limited period, to support the use of certification in other parts of the UK. The NHS App will continue to allow individuals access to their vaccination status for international travel, as well as their recovery status for travel to those overseas destinations that recognise it.
COVID specific guidance to the public and to businesses will be consolidated with general public health advice. The health and safety requirement for every employer to explicitly consider COVID-19 in their risk assessments will be removed.
Continue to wash hands regularly for 20 seconds with soap and water.
Use hand sanitiser where soap and water are not available.
Where possible wash hands before and after each activity.
Avoid touching surfaces unnecessarily.
Think about wearing a face covering in enclosed spaces or in crowded areas.
Wearing a mask primarily protects others.
Wash or sanitise hands before and after handling face covering.
Avoid touching your face or face covering.
Wash or replace face coverings regularly.
Think about your interactions with others.
Think about meeting outdoors, increasing ventilation indoors, minimising the number proximity and duration of social contacts, avoiding crowded places.
Show consideration to others.
Some may have greater anxiety or be struggling with the situation.
Support one another.
Before you leave home ask yourself
" Do I have any Coronavirus symptoms ? "
a high temperature
a new, continuous cough
a loss of, or change to, your sense of smell or taste
If you do, please stay at home and get a test or get medical advice.
" Do I have any Coronavirus symptoms ? "
a high temperature
a new, continuous cough
a loss of, or change to, your sense of smell or taste
If you do, please stay at home and get a test or get medical advice.
For further information see links below.
Please be aware that you may not have severe or indeed any of these symptoms but may still have Coronavirus, and that new variants mean the vaccine may not give full protection.
Protect others- Hands Face Space
As a caring church we are aware of the concerns of our congregation, community, country and world at large regarding the current coronavirus outbreak. We wish to support those in need of reassurance and our prayers (see our Prayer Page). Please use the telephone number or email at the foot of the page if you need to contact us.
Please note although some church services and group activities have restarted they will be operating in line with Methodist Church and Government guidance during the coronavirus outbreak to reduce the risk of infection. Also not all services and activities that happened before the pandemic have restarted just yet. You can catch up on services on our Previous Services & Sermons page. You can also join in worship from home via a number of other websites including Wesley's Chapel and Westminster Central Hall or use the Methodist Church resources found on our Home Worship page. Worship material from Temple can be found on the This Week's Service and Prayer pages. You can also keep in touch with our friends at Taunton URC and St John's.
Below are some links which give information regarding guidance to churches from the Methodist Church, information from the UK government, NHS/Public Health England, local government, and charities.
The Methodist Church regularly issues guidance and resources such as attending church, welcoming people, worship & communion, pastoral concerns, and events such as weddings and funerals.
The Methodist Church Coronavirus Guidance and Resources
The UK government provides up to date information on how to stay safe, testing, employment, schools, housing, travel, care and support, and vaccination.
UK government Coronavirus (COVID-19) webpage (main webpage)
Test and trace what to do if you think you have symptoms
Coronavirus: how to stay safe and help prevent the spread
Get Coronavirus Support as a Clinically Extremely Vulnerable Person
COVID-19 Vaccination Programme
NHS advice on reducing the risk of contracting coronavirus
NHS advice and information on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
NHS advice and information about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination
Useful websites
Somerset West & Taunton Council Local Advice & Information including how to get support
Somerset County Council Local Advice & Information including how to get support