Author Archive: southashfordcf

If you are under 70 with no underlying health conditions, you can still be active outside as long as you stay at least two metres (around three paces or six feet) away from other people.

You can walk the dog, go for a run or go for a bike ride – provided you keep your distance.

If you are over 70 and self-isolating, or you are pregnant or have an underlying health condition, but feel well, you can go outside with the same advice of keeping your distance from others.

If you are self-isolating with symptoms, or someone in your household has symptoms, you should not leave your home – but that doesn’t mean you should stop moving. It’s really important to use movement and activity as a way of breaking up your routine, if you feel well enough. Cook, play active games, dance or go into the garden if you’ve got one.

You can find information and guidance for healthy lifestyle choices, and a selection of free apps to download at One You .

If you are unwell – use your energy to get better and don’t try to be active. If you can get out of bed, then do so, but don’t try to do too much.

Finally, if you are feeling better after having had the virus, return to your normal routine gradually. We don’t yet know what the long term effects are but as far as we know, there is no reason why you can’t gently return to normal activity.

Remember, if you go out, you cannot use public gym equipment available in parks and you must not be in groups of more than two people, unless you are with people in your household.

Want to exercise at home?

You can. There are plenty of free resources available for exercising at home:

• 10-minute workout videos from One You
• Get moving around the house advice from Undefeatable
• This Girl Can home workout ideas
• NHS home workout videos

There are also a huge number of celebrities, musicians, physical trainers and others live-streaming dance parties, workouts and chats while socially distancing – check the social media profiles of your favourites to join in or search on YouTube.

The Body Coach (Joe Wicks) does a daily 30-minute workout for children every morning at 9am on his YouTube channel.

Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust
https://www.kentcht.nhs.uk/2020/03/25/looking-after-your-mental-health-and-wellbeing/

Naturally, you may be feeling worried or anxious due to the unprecedented challenges we are facing.

You may find your mood and feelings are affected and you may feel low, worried or have problems sleeping. You might miss being outside with other people if you are social distancing or self-isolating.

At times like these, it can be easy to fall into unhealthy patterns of behaviour which, in turn, can make you feel worse.

There are simple things you can do that may help, to stay mentally and physically active during this time such as:

• Look for ideas of exercises you can do at home on the NHS website.
• Spend time doing things you enjoy when you have time – this might include reading, cooking, other indoor hobbies or listening to or watching favourite radio or TV programmes.
• Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, drink enough water, regularly exercise and try to avoid smoking, alcohol and drugs.
• Keep your windows open to let in fresh air, get some natural sunlight if you can or get outside into the garden. You can also go for a walk outdoors if you stay more than two metres away from others.

Further information on looking after your mental health during this time is available below:

• Click here to read the advice from Every Mind Matters.
• Advice from Action For Happiness. You can download the “Coping Calendar” from Action for Happiness for more tips and advice.
• Read the advice from Mind Charity.

• Advice from Every Mind Matters – top 10 tips if you have anxiety.
• Calm is offering free online tools and resources for if you are feeling anxious.
• If you need someone to talk to because you are struggling with your mental health, Aspirations are providing a telephone service. You can find out more information and how to contact them by clicking here.
• Elefriends is a supportive, online community where you can be yourself. You can access this by clicking here.
• Keep in contact with your neighbours and your community online via social media channels and joining community forums online. You can also do this through the huge variety of Facebook groups available or Nextdoor, which is an online community. You can access Nextdoor by clicking here.

If you are feeling worried about what impact self-isolation and social distancing may have on your life, there is a Coronavirus financial help and rights guide available by Martin Lewis. This includes advice about sick pay, mortgages, rental help, energy top-ups, cancelled events and more from Martin Lewis at moneysavingexpert.com.

Live Well Kent is a local online and telephone support service offering guidance and advice about mental and physical health.

Mental health advice for young people

• Moodspark offers advice for ten to 16 year olds. You can access this by clicking here.
• Chathealth confidential texting service for your people aged 11 to 19 will be running as normal. Young people are able to text the School Health Team with any concerns or health issues on 07520 618850. This number is monitored Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust
https://www.kentcht.nhs.uk/2020/03/25/looking-after-your-mental-health-and-wellbeing/

Due to the coronavirus outbreak, schools, colleges and childcare providers will be closed to the majority of pupils until further notice. This applies to both state-funded and independent schools.

The reason for closing schools is that the fewer children making the journey to school, and the fewer children in educational settings, the lower the risk that the virus can spread and infect vulnerable individuals in wider society.

Children of critical workers and vulnerable children

Schools and other educational establishments, remain safe places for children. Schools, colleges, nurseries, childminders and other registered childcare settings have therefore been asked to remain open for children of critical workers and vulnerable children where they can.

Childcare providers, schools and colleges are also encouraged to continue to look after critical workers’ children and vulnerable children throughout the Easter holidays.

The Department for Education (DfE) has published a document telling educational establishments which children should continue to be cared for.

Children of critical workers and vulnerable children whose school is unable to stay open.

The DfE are expecting the majority of settings to stay open for the children of critical workers and vulnerable children so they can continue to attend their usual provider, but acknowledge this will be impossible for some – such as small rural schools.

Where a setting is unable to stay open, the DfE will work with the local educational authority, regional school commissioners and neighbouring providers to find an alternative setting for their pupils.

Where the alternative setting is not nearby the Local Education Authority (Kent County Council) will provide transport arrangements to support them.

If your child’s school or childcare setting is closed to you and you need help finding provision at this time please contact:

For nursery and childcare settings:

Email – kentcfis@theeducationpeople.org
Telephone – 03000 41 23 23

For school settings:

Email – emergencyschoolplaces@kent.gov.uk
Telephone – 03000 41 21 21

Department for Education
https://www.gov.uk/…/closure-of-educational-settings-information-for-parents-and-carers

Many schools will be setting some work for children at home, but this may be limited leaving children with time to fill.

We list below some sources of learning activities that can be used at home.

	Hungry Little Minds	Simple, fun activities for kids, from newborn to five
	Kent Children’s University Spring Challenge	Don’t be put off by ‘university’ in the name. These activities are fun for children of all abilities. KCU’s runs three challenges every year. For spring this year activities have been “designed to support your family with social distancing and self-isolation”.
	KCU/CU/TEP Home learning resources	Kent Children’s University has been working with other Children’s University managers across the UK, as well as services within The Education People, to create a sizeable resource of home learning activities, Challenge materials and ideas to support children aged 4+ keep creative, entertained, active and busy during these unpredictable times.
	BBC Bitesize	Daily content that supports you as schools close across the UK, to help you with your education and wellbeing
	The Great Indoors	Keep your kids learning new skills and having fun (and avoid hearing ‘I’m bored’ from the Scouts
	Try this at home	Explore nature at home, in your garden or local outdoor space with the Natural History Museum
	Science Museum	Learning resources that can be used at home from the Science Museum Group

Reducing the social interaction between people will help reduce the transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Everyone should be trying to follow these measures as much as is practicable.

The measures everybody should take are:

1. Avoid contact with someone who is displaying symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19). These symptoms include high temperature and/or new and continuous cough
2. Avoid non-essential use of public transport, varying your travel times to avoid rush hour, when possible
3. Work from home, where possible. Your employer should support you to do this. Please refer to employer guidance for more information
4. Avoid large gatherings, and gatherings in smaller public spaces such as pubs, cinemas, restaurants, theatres, bars, clubs
5. Avoid gatherings with friends and family. Keep in touch using remote technology such as phone, internet, and social media
6. When in public places keep at least two metres from people who are not members of your household.
7. Use telephone or online services to contact your GP or other essential services

Everybody is strongly advised to follow the above measures as much as you can and to significantly limit your face-to-face interaction with friends and family if possible, but particularly particularly if you:

• are over 70
• have an underlying health condition
• are pregnant

This advice is likely to be in place for some weeks.

Public Health England
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-social-distancing-and-for-vulnerable-people/guidance-on-social-distancing-for-everyone-in-the-uk-and-protecting-older-people-and-vulnerable-adults