Coronavirus - support if you're on the shielding list
Protection levels in Scotland
There are 5 protection levels across different areas of Scotland. There are different restrictions and advice for each level. You can find out what level your local area is in at gov.scot.
Area changes starting Boxing Day at 1 minute past midnight
From 26 December 2020 (Boxing Day) all of mainland Scotland will move to Level 4 for 3 weeks.
Island communities will go into level 3 with strict restrictions on who can travel to and from them. This includes:
- Orkney
- Shetland
- the Western Isles
- other island communities
You must follow the same guidelines as everyone else in your protection level. But there is also extra advice for those on the shielding list (PDF). You can decide to follow this advice as well as the general guidelines for your level. Your GP or healthcare provider may also give you specific, personalised advice, because of a certain health condition or treatment.
You can still go out for exercise and essential shopping or medicines.
Updated guidance about festive household bubbles
We have changed the advice about household bubbles. Meeting others indoors can now only take place on Christmas Day in Scotland. Read our updated page on festive household bubbles if you're on the shielding list.
Advice for people on the shielding list in Level 4
The Chief Medical Officer is writing to everyone on the shielding list during week beginning 21 December to set out our advice.
We're not asking people on the shielding list to go back into full shielding. We're also not advising people to stop going outside, which we know is good for mental and physical health.
Find the guidance for Protection Level 4 at gov.scot. This includes extra advice for people at higher risk from coronavirus.
You can also get this Level 4 guidance by calling the free National Assistance Helpline on 0800 111 4000 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).
If you need more support
If you have difficulties accessing food or groceries, you should contact your Local Authority or call the National Assistance Helpline on 0800 111 4000.
Working in Level 4
You should continue to work from home if you can.
If you cannot work from home, most workplaces can be made safe, even if you are at the highest risk. It is your employer's responsibility to make your workplace and duties safe for you.
If that cannot be done, for any reason, or if you cannot safely travel to work, the letter you will receive from the Chief Medical Officer acts as a fit note for as long as your area remains in Level 4.
This letter is called a shielding notification and can be shown to your employer without the need for a GP fit note.
Check your coronavirus risk at work
If you're worried about going to work, you should speak to your employer about your concerns. We've given guidance to employers in Scotland about keeping their employees safe. This includes what they need to do for those who are at higher risk from COVID-19.
We've published information to help you check your coronavirus risk at work. It should not replace advice from a healthcare provider. It can be a starting point for you and your employer to discuss what your risk might be. It also suggests steps you can both take to keep you safe.
Shielding survey
We are running a survey to help us understand more about the best ways to support people on the shielding list. You do not need to take part, but if you do choose to, your answers will be anonymous. Take part in the shielding survey here.
Use the Covid-age tool to assess your risk
The ALAMA Covid-age tool shows how certain health conditions can affect your risk from coronavirus, especially at work.
If you're in Levels 0-3 and not able to go to work
The risks to you and the kind of job you do might mean it's hard for you to work from your usual workplace. It's up to your employer and you to decide what's best if you're not able to go to work.
In some situations, employers may be able to offer you leave. This could be beyond the annual leave you're able to take as normal, known as your statutory leave entitlement.
If you're in Level 4 and can't go to work
If you're in a Level 4 area, the Chief Medical Officer will send you a letter which is similar to a fit note. It will last for as long as your area is under Level 4 restrictions. If it's not possible to make your workplace safe, you can use this letter as evidence that you cannot go to work.
If you get this letter, it does not automatically mean you should stay off work. You should first discuss making your workplace safer with your employer, so you can keep working.
Priority access to supermarket online delivery slots
If you, your child or someone you care for is on the shielding list, you can sign up for priority access to supermarket online delivery slots.
Once you register you will get priority access to see online delivery slots. It may take a few weeks for you to get registered for the service. We cannot guarantee you'll always get your preferred slot, particularly during busy periods.
Sign up for priority online delivery slots
If you have not registered for priority access to online supermarket delivery slots, you can sign up now. Supermarkets offering this service are:
- Asda
- Tesco
- Morrisons
- Sainsbury's
- Iceland
- Waitrose
If you sign up for the service, the Scottish Government will pass your details to these supermarkets on a monthly basis.
Other ways to get food and essentials
In every protection level, you can visit shops and supermarkets yourself. They have put in protective measures to help keep you and others safe. If you do visit supermarkets and shops, you must wear a face covering and follow physical distancing advice.
If you can't wear a face covering because of health conditions, disabilities or other special circumstances, you can ask for a Face Covering Exemption card.
Find more information about getting food and essentials at gov.scot [add link to gov.scot]. This includes information about:
Check COVID-19 infection rates in your neighbourhood
Find information about infection levels in your neighbourhood on the Public Health Scotland dashboard.
You can use the dashboard to:
- see where COVID-19 cases in Scotland are growing or reducing over time
- find out more about the number of cases in your local area by filtering the dashboard's data
- find out hospitalisation and intensive care statistics
The Scottish Government also publishes a 'modelling the epidemic' report each week. The first page of these reports contains a summary of the key points. This includes current estimates of the R number in Scotland and the growth rate of infections.
Advice about specific health conditions
Find advice about coronavirus and specific health conditions at gov.scot.
Mental health support
We recognise that the current situation is stressful. If you are feeling low, anxious, depressed, overwhelmed or lonely, there's lots of help and advice available. Visit gov.scot for mental health advice and resources.
Remember FACTS to stay safe
To stay safe, it's important to always remember:
- Face coverings in enclosed spaces
- Avoid crowded places
- Clean your hands and surfaces regularly
- Two metre social distancing
- Self-isolate and book a test if you develop coronavirus symptoms
You can check NHS Inform or call 111 to find out more about coronavirus symptoms and to book a test.
Support you'll carry on getting
Even though we're not asking you to shield right now we'll keep supporting people on the list.
You'll:
- stay on the list of shielding people, so we can contact you and update you if our advice changes – you can request to be removed from the list by asking your GP or hospital clinician
- have online access to up-to-date health guidance about your specific condition
- get updates by text from our text messaging service – this includes alerts if there is an increased risk in your area
- have access to guidance around protecting yourself in daily life – this includes guidance on returning to work or school
- be able to contact the National Assistance Helpline on 0800 111 4000 if you need help from your local council. Phone: 0800 111 4000 (Monday-Friday, office hours). Text: 0800 111 4114 (Monday-Friday, office hours)
Text message service
You should sign up to our text message service if you can. This means you'll get updates sent straight to your mobile about local outbreaks or new restrictions affecting your area.
We'll also occasionally send other information we think you'll find useful.
To sign up you need to send your Community Health Index (CHI) number to 0786 006 4525.
You can find your CHI number on the letters we've sent you.
Crisis grants
If you're facing a gap in your usual income, you may be able to apply for a crisis grant from the Scottish Welfare Fund.
Getting around safely
You should take special care when trying to get to your destination.
Public transport
If you live in an area in protection level 3 or 4, avoid public transport unless it is absolutely necessary. Please walk, wheel and cycle when you can to save space on public transport for those who need it.
If you have to travel by public transport, be very careful about 2-metre distancing, wearing a face covering and cleaning your hands often.
Cars and taxis
In every protection level, you should only car share with members of your own or extended household. If you have no other option, you should follow the Transport Scotland guidance on car sharing and take extra care.
If you're using a taxi you and the driver must wear a face covering. Find out who does not need to wear a face covering.
Tourism
If you have booked a holiday abroad during this period then you can still go. However, you should only travel and stay with people from your own or extended household group, and avoid non-essential unplanned visits.
Going to school
Children on the shielding list who live in an area in Level 4 should not generally go to school. But you should consult your child's secondary care (hospital) clinical team, who may suggest an individual risk assessment could be undertaken with the school, college or nursery. It may be possible to make arrangements that would let your child keep attending.
If you are a parent of a child on the shielding list in Level 4, we will send you a letter you can use as evidence that they can not go to school.
If you are the parent or guardian of a child on the shielding list who lives in Level 3, you may wish to discuss with their healthcare provider whether they should go to school.
All other children on the shielding list can go to school as usual, unless they have been advised not to by a healthcare provider. This includes children living in areas in Levels 0, 1, or 2.
We now know that children are at much lower risk of severe illness from coronavirus than adults. They are also less likely to pass on the virus to other people.
If you're worried about this, you can speak to your child's school or check Parent Club for advice.
Meeting others
Different protection levels have different rules about how many people you can meet indoors and outdoors. Find the guidance for your area's protection level on gov.scot.
Wearing face coverings
Even if you're wearing a face covering, you should try to maintain 2-metre distancing as much as you can.
You must wear a face covering when going inside cafes and restaurants and on public transport. Unless you have a health condition or disability that makes wearing one hard for you. You do not need proof of this.
Other people who do not need to wear a face covering include:
- children under 5
- people taking certain types of medication
- people who are communicating with someone who lip reads
If outdoors, our advice is to maintain 2-metre distancing as much as you can. This is the best way to stay safe. If you do this, you do not need to wear a face covering outside.
If you think you may not be able to maintain physical distancing while outside, you may want to wear a face covering.
By face coverings, we do not mean the wearing of a surgical or other medical grade mask. It's a facial covering of your mouth and nose. This can be made of cloth or other textiles. For example a scarf, through which you can breathe.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is important for keeping your bones and muscles healthy. Sunlight is our main source of vitamin D. In Scotland, we only get enough of the right kind of sunlight for our bodies to make vitamin D between April and September. From October to March, we rely on dietary sources of vitamin D. Since vitamin D is found only in a small number of foods, it can be difficult to get enough from food alone.
We recommend that everyone should consider taking a daily supplement of vitamin D. The dose should be 10 microgram (10µg). Especially during autumn and winter when we're unable to make vitamin D from sunlight.
For most people taking a 10-microgram supplement of vitamin D daily is safe. But there are some who should seek advice first due to certain health conditions or medication. This is because taking too much vitamin D can cause calcium to build up in your body and this can weaken your bones and damage your heart and kidneys. You should seek advice from your clinician, specialist nurse, pharmacist, midwife or health visitor if you:
- have known hypercalcaemia (high levels of calcium in the blood - this can be associated with high levels of parathyroid hormone, kidney stones, certain cancers, and chronic kidney disease)
- have sarcoidosis (an inflammatory condition which can affect various parts of the body including the lungs and glands)
- take digoxin
- take calcium or other vitamin supplements already
Find out more about vitamin D supplements on gov.scot.
You can also find a leaflet about vitamin D on the Public Health Scotland website. The leaflet is available in English, Arabic, Polish, Traditional Chinese and Urdu. You can also ask for it in other formats such as large print, braille and audio versions.
