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 Tuesday 8 December 2020
There's no doubt that this festive season will be like no other, and we will all have to celebrate differently this year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
It may not be the Christmas we had planned or hoped for, but while some families will be getting together, we must all make sure that we continue to make the right choices and do not drop our guard. Please follow the guidelines and take precautions to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe this Christmas.
We've created this email to round-up the various information, advice, guidance and restrictions for the Christmas period to help you enjoy it as as safely as possible.
In this update:
- Christmas bubbles - 23 to 27 December
- Travel period - 23 to 27 December
- Self-isolating at Christmas
- Visiting care homes
- Accessing health services this winter
- Shop local to support Devon's economy
 Christmas bubbles 23 to 27 December
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you can form an exclusive Christmas bubble of people from no more than three households
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you can only be in one Christmas bubble
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you cannot change your Christmas bubble
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you can travel between tiers and UK nations for the purposes of meeting your Christmas bubble
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you can only meet your Christmas bubble in private homes or in your garden, places of worship, or public outdoor spaces
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you can continue to meet people who are not in your Christmas bubble outside your home according to the rules in the tier you are meeting in
- if you form a Christmas bubble, you should not meet socially with friends and family that you do not live with in your home or garden unless they are part of your Christmas bubble.
People can travel to meet those in their bubble from Wednesday 23 December, but they must be home again by Sunday 27 December. Anyone travelling to or from Northern Ireland may travel between Tuesday 22 and Monday 28 December.
Also, just because you are allowed to mix a bit more during these few days, it does not mean that you have to if you don't want to.
Remember, until the Christmas bubble period starts on Wednesday 23 December, and again from Sunday 27 December when it ends, make sure you continue to follow the local tier restriction guidance. Devon is currently in Tier 2, High Alert. This will be reviewed on Wednesday 16 December, and it may or may not change.
 Christmas bubbles for clinically extremely vulnerable
You are still able to form a Christmas bubble if you are clinically extremely vulnerable, but it does involve greater risks for you. You will minimise your risk of infection if you limit social contact with people that you do not live with.
The government has recently written to people considered to be clinically extremely vulnerable, with updated guidance following the new local tier arrangements.
It includes guidance about:
 Christmas travel period 23 to 27 December
If you’re part of a Christmas bubble this year in order to visit family or friends, you’re probably starting to think about your travel plans. Between Wednesday 23 and Sunday 27 December, you can travel between different tiers and other nations of the UK if necessary, to meet with your Christmas bubble. However, you should not travel if you have any coronavirus symptoms or have been told to self-isolate. And if you do have symptoms, please book a test.
The government’s rules say you should not travel to see your bubble before Wednesday 23 December or travel back after Sunday 27 December except in exceptional circumstances (for example, if a member of your Christmas bubble develops coronavirus symptoms and you are required to self-isolate). Anyone travelling to or from Northern Ireland may travel between Tuesday 22 and Monday 28 December.
It’s likely that transport routes will be busier than normal, so please:
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plan ahead, check for disruption before you leave, and avoid the busiest routes, as well as busy times
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avoid making unnecessary stops during your journey
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don’t share a car with people not in your household or Christmas bubble
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where possible, keep your distance from other people when you travel
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wash or sanitise your hands regularly
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wear a face covering on public transport in England unless you’re exempt.
Student Travel Plans
The University has carefully planned and managed the process to enable students to go home for Christmas, and students will be re-tested for COVID-19 when they return to Exeter in the new year.
There will be a staggered return for students depending on what subject they are studying, with those taking practical courses starting back first in the week beginning Monday 11 January. There will then be a phased return with all undergraduate students back for face-to-face teaching on Monday 1 February.
Self-isolating and Christmas
We've been asked this week, what about children who in their last week or so at school are sent home and asked to self-isolate, because someone who they've been in contact with tests positive for coronavirus.
Will they have to self-isolate over the Christmas period?
Yes!
Anyone who contracts the virus, or who is identified as a close contact of a positive case, regardless of when that might happen, will have to self-isolate either for 10 days (if they are confirmed positive), or 14 days, (if they're a contact). Depending when that might happen, self-isolation could run over the Christmas period.
The advice is that people who are asked to self-isolate over the Christmas period stay home and do not meet with people from outside their household. If anyone in the household then tests positive with the virus, the whole household needs to self-isolate.
It will of course have consequences - anyone who is asked to self-isolate over Christmas should stay home and not leave the house for the full duration - but to stop the spread of coronavirus, and potentially to save lives, that's exactly what they should do, to the letter.
"It is really important that we do everything we can to reduce the risk of spreading the virus among our families and friends, especially those who are already vulnerable," said Steve Brown, Director of Public Health Devon (Designate).
Visiting care homes at Christmas
If you have a loved one in a care home, you may be thinking about how you can maintain contact over Christmas.
Check first with the care home before visiting to understand whether visits are permitted, and what mitigations are required for a safe visit.
The government is distributing rapid tests to care homes, to test visitors for coronavirus. The rapid tests do not completely remove the risk of infection, so it's important to adhere to other infection prevention measures, including:
- continue to wear the appropriate personal protective equipment
- observe social distancing in general when in the care home
- maintain good hand hygiene.
You will also need to follow the care home's guidance regarding physical contact with the person you're visiting. Please ask for that guidance before assuming physical contact is ok.
The home may want to ask you some questions about your own health before a visit, so that they can assess and reduce the risk to residents and staff.
It’s vitally important to maintain contact with loved ones, and care homes are doing all they can to enable visits to happen safely.
Accessing your GP and health services this winter
GP practices offer online services 24-7. To book appointments, request sick notes and order repeat prescriptions, download the NHS App. You can also save time and consult with your GP practice online via their website. Alternatively, you can phone them.
If you think you need to go to A&E, call 111 first or click www.111.nhs.uk. Clinicians will advise you on where to go, or what to do next, and can book a time to attend a service – such as a hospital, pharmacy or GP practice – where appropriate.
Many minor illnesses and injuries like coughs, colds, grazes, small cuts or a sore throat can be treated at home or in holiday accommodation. Be prepared for common health problems by keeping a well-stocked medicine cabinet.
Pharmacists advise and treat illnesses like hay fever, diarrhoea, earache, painful cough, sticky eye, teething and rashes. By visiting your pharmacy, you can avoid an unnecessary trip to your GP or A&E and save time. Find your nearest pharmacy online.
If you are an adult and need urgent mental health support, call: Devon and Torbay 0300 555 5000; Plymouth 01752 434 922 (24 hours). For children and young people’s support in Plymouth (including for parents and carers) call 01752 435 122.
 Shop local to support Devon's economy
The impact of the national lockdowns and ongoing restrictions is continuing to be felt by businesses across Devon, particularly in the retail and leisure industry.
High streets across the county reopened last week and are eager to welcome back shoppers in the run up to Christmas, which has traditionally been their busiest time.
Shopping locally and supporting Devon's retailers and traders is really important.
It means your money stays in Devon and boosts the local economy, supporting jobs and livelihoods for thousands of residents.
It's also better for the environment as produce sold in high street butchers, bakers, grocers and local eateries are likely to have travelled less miles and require minimal packaging.
Please remember if you are visiting the high street, to adhere to the national health and safety guidance to help protect yourself and others. This includes:
- wearing a face covering inside any shop or business
- keeping a safe distance from people outside of your household
- washing your hands or using sanitiser frequently
- using cashless payments when possible.
 What about celebrating New Year’s Eve?
Christmas bubbles will no longer apply on New Year's Eve, so you must continue to follow the local tier restrictions on where you can go and who you can meet.
Devon may still be in Tier 2, High Alert, come New Year's Eve, so that means no mixing households indoors and only meeting in groups of six from different households outdoors.
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