Resources for Staying at Home During the COVID-19 Outbreak

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Staying at home will help stop the COVID-19 outbreak. If you are a U.S. citizen who is staying at home in the United Kingdom, here are some resources that may be of assistance.

To keep up with events as they happen, enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).

This page was last updated on April 16, 2020 at 16:00 BST.

 

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If You Feel Sick

If you believe you have symptoms of COVID-19, there are a number of resources:

The UK National Health Service (NHS) has posted an informative guide and self-test at: https://111.nhs.uk/covid-19/
We also recommend you consult the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for specific information about the disease, as well as another symptom-checker.

Here is where to get help:

  • If you are not in need of emergency medical attention, first use the 111 Online Coronavirus service to find out what to do next.
  • Follow the advice from the online tool.
  • Only call the NHS 111 number if you cannot get help online.
  • If you are directed to call 999, the operator will ask where you are and for your phone number in case you get cut off.
  • An ambulance crew might arrive wearing protective clothing so that the virus is not spread.
  • Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital as an alternative to calling an ambulance.
  • If you have a genuine medical emergency, dial 999 and ask for an ambulance.

Health Care in the United Kingdom

If you need to see a doctor whilst you are in the UK, regardless of your residency status, you can receive treatment in an NHS facility. However, visitors to the United Kingdom do not qualify for free treatment under the National Health Service.

In the United Kingdom, the ER is called Accident and Emergency, or commonly referred to as A&E. Any care beyond emergency treatment received at an NHS facility will likely incur a fee. As such, all travelers should have sufficient medical insurance to cover the cost of all medical treatment received while in the United Kingdom. To find out more about the UK National Health Service visit www.nhs.uk
The U.S. Embassy London website has additional medical information.

The U.S. Government assumes no responsibility for payment of medical expenses for private individuals. In addition, the U.S. Medicare Program does not provide coverage for hospital or medical costs outside of the United States.

Mental Health

Your wellbeing is more than physical. Depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues may arise as the confinement period continues. These resources may be of help:

If you want to help others while you are in the UK, the NHS has established a volunteer responder program. Read more on the NHS England website. Note: Recruitment to this scheme was temporarily paused on 29 March 2020 to process the initial 750,000 applications. Further information will follow.

The listing and links above are provided as a point of reference and are not intended to be exhaustive.  The inclusion of a specific company or organization does not constitute a recommendation, and the Department of State assumes no responsibility or liability for the professional ability,  reputation, or quality of services provided by the companies or organizations whose names appear on such lists.

Emergency sign at hospital entrance
  • Emergency Services, dial 999
  • Nonemergency Services, dial 101

Staying at home will help stop the COVID-19 outbreak. If you are a U.S. citizen who is staying at home in the United Kingdom, here are some resources that may be of assistance.

Self-quarantine and social distancing help reduce the spread of COVID-19, but for many dealing with domestic violence, staying home may put people at risk. External factors such as financial strain and stress compound the issue, and when the community is encouraged to remain in their homes an abuser may take advantage of an already harmful situation. If you are experiencing domestic abuse, call the National Domestic Abuse Helpline at 0808 2000 247.

For victims of domestic violence and abuse during COVID-19:

To keep up with events as they happen, enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program.

Support for Children and Young People:

Support for the Homeless

Protect Your Mental Health

Emotional support

  • Samaritans– Support for anyone experiencing suicide thoughts (24hr helpline, 365 days), Tel: 116 123 free from any phone
  • Hub of Hope – Put in postcode to find out about local support and services in your area

There are also many resources available for online counseling in the United States. Here are a few:

Other Services

If you are looking for counseling, legal advice, or to help someone back home, here are some more resources:

The listing and links above are provided as a point of reference and are not intended to be exhaustive.  The inclusion of a specific company or organization does not constitute a recommendation, and the Department of State assumes no responsibility or liability for the professional ability,  reputation, or quality of services provided by the companies or organizations whose names appear on such lists.

British Isles with flag colors overlaid

During this time, your movements outside your house are restricted. A stay-at-home order was put into effect throughout the United Kingdom on March. All non-essential public services in the United Kingdom remain closed.  

Stay at home. You should only leave the house for very limited purposes:

  • shopping for basic necessities, for example food and medicine, which must be as infrequent as possible
  • one form of exercise a day, for example a run, walk (this includes walking a pet), or cycle– alone or with members of your household
  • any medical need, including to donate blood, avoid or escape risk of injury or harm, or to provide care or to help a vulnerable person
  • travelling for work purposes, but only where you cannot work from home
  • you should not be meeting friends unless you live in the same household
  • you should not be visiting family members who do not live in your home

If you leave your home or gather in public for any reason other than those specified, the police may:

  • instruct you to go home, leave an area or disperse
  • instruct you to take steps to stop your children breaking these rules
  • take you home – or arrest you – if you do not follow their instructions or where they deem it necessary
  • issue a fine (fixed penalty notice) of £60, which will be lowered to £30 if paid within 14 days.
  • issue a fine (fixed penalty notice) of £120 for second time offenders, doubling on each further repeat offence

Individuals who do not pay their fine could be taken to court, with magistrates able to impose unlimited fines.

Daily information on the COVID-19 outbreak in the United Kingdom is available at the U.S. Embassy London dedicated webpage.

The text of the recent UK government regulation is available at Legislation.Gov.UK:

The listing and links above are provided as a point of reference and are not intended to be exhaustive.  The inclusion of a specific company or organization does not constitute a recommendation, and the Department of State assumes no responsibility or liability for the professional ability,  reputation, or quality of services provided by the companies or organizations whose names appear on such lists.

If you are feeling like you want to connect with other U.S. citizens, there are a number of resources still going strong at this time.

Associations for Americans are listed below:

By Region

Political

For Military Veterans

For U.S. military veterans and their families, The American Legion, London, The Not Forgotten, TAPS, Chelsea Pensioners, and the Royal British Legion offer a variety of support services.

The listing and links above are provided as a point of reference and are not intended to be exhaustive.  The inclusion of a specific company or organization does not constitute a recommendation, and the Department of State assumes no responsibility or liability for the professional ability,  reputation, or quality of services provided by the companies or organizations whose names appear on such lists.

Being confined at home without the freedom to shop at any time can be a source of stress and anxiety. The following resources are available to ensure you have food and other necessities for daily life, even when in confinement.

Waitrose & Partners, M&S, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Aldi, and Iceland are local grocery chains mostly open from approximately 08:00 – 20:00, with the first hour of the day reserved for the elderly, vulnerable, NHS staff, and social carers.

Most also offer delivery or pick-up services as well. Abel and Cole offers fresh organic produce boxes for delivery. Good60Sixty’s website focuses on deliveries by local independent shops and artisan producers from Borough Market. The New Covent Garden Market also has a variety of food boxes available for delivery by Premier Food Service Provider. Please check websites for updates on hours and options.

Uber Eats, Just Eat, and Deliveroo are available for online food delivery. The delivery person will put your food at a safe distance from the door. Payment is made online. Check out The Nudge’s online site listing restaurants that deliver but aren’t listed on food apps. CULTUREWhisper has a round-up of top cafés, restaurants, and bars delivering to your door.

The listing and links above are provided as a point of reference and are not intended to be exhaustive.  The inclusion of a specific company or organization does not constitute a recommendation, and the Department of State assumes no responsibility or liability for the professional ability,  reputation, or quality of services provided by the companies or organizations whose names appear on such lists.

With a good Internet connection, families can access websites that offer learning tools for all levels.

  • YouTube channels such as Smarter Every Day and Lab 360 offer educational videos and science experiments!
  • Other digital educational resources are offering a few weeks of free access to programs that typically have a monthly fee (Scholastic,BrainPop and Kahoot).
  • Study.com is offering a discount on its materials.

General resources for children’s education at all levels:

A list of public resources and private companies currently offering free educational online resources in the U.K. and the U.S.: www.tes.com

Websites supporting British curriculum:

  • BBC Teach offers resources to support children follow the British curriculum and other links
  • The Institute of Education, a leader in children’s online education, includes resources on coronavirus, primary and secondary curriculum assistance
  • TES offers worksheets for primary and secondary curriculum resources.
  • The Royal Shakespeare Company provides resources for parents and teachers to encourage children to learn more about Shakespeare

Websites supporting the American curriculum:

Supporting Students with Exceptional Needs

Online learning for children with special needs often involves additional considerations. Here are some resources for parents.

  • Looking for an educational app or website? Common Sense Media provides information and reviews on the best special education applications and websites based on recommendations by educators.
  • The Center on Online Learning and Students with Disabilities has a wealth of research on online learning for students with disabilities. This is not a turn-key resource for parents seeking online lessons, but studies, guidance, and policies.
  • Not specifically for children with special needs, PBS Kids offers many online education resources. If you can’t get in because access is blocked outside the United States, there are PBS Kids videos on YouTube.

The listing and links above are provided as a point of reference and are not intended to be exhaustive.  The inclusion of a specific company or organization does not constitute a recommendation, and the Department of State assumes no responsibility or liability for the professional ability,  reputation, or quality of services provided by the companies or organizations whose names appear on such lists.

Combatting boredom is important. Many platforms (from traditional to Instagram to Youtube) are offering a wide variety of suggestions for you and your family:

Read!

JSTOR,  a digital library that normally requires a subscription, is putting 6,000 of its e-books and more than 150 journals online for free.

Scribd, an online library, containing e-books, audiobooks, and magazine articles, is making its content accessible for free for 30 days.

Project Muse is making its academic content temporarily available. This includes the Music Library Association, which has articles on music history; the National Bureau of Asian Research; and the University of California Press.

At Home with Penguin, featuring live-streamed video conversations from the homes of some of the world’s best-loved authors.

British Library has a vast digital collection to explore.

Project Gutenburg, Open Library, ManyBooks, and LibriVox are other services available by subscription or with a free account.

Google Books, Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books and Audible are offering a selection of free e-books if you have an account. No membership is required, however, some require a credit card to open an account. Search for “free books”. The selection is restricted – no current best-sellers.

Professional Sports – Complimentary offerings will provide access to full length and condensed replays of all games from the 2019-20 season, as well as an expansive archive of classic games and content. Check terms and conditions.

Virtual Concerts and Talks – We can’t visit it right now, but we can appreciate culture online.

Virtual Theatre –

Virtual Museum Tours – Now’s the time to appreciate many of the museums of the world online.

Learn to Cook – In person classes are a no-go for now, but many schools are offering online classes

Learn to Play the Guitar, Bass or even the Ukeule

Fender is offering three months of free lessons to the first 1 million who sign up for Fender Play. There’s no cost. No catch. Just music!

There’s even a Virtual Pub Quiz!

Also, look to your internet/television providers for movie rentals.

The listing and links above are provided as a point of reference and are not intended to be exhaustive.  The inclusion of a specific company or organization does not constitute a recommendation, and the Department of State assumes no responsibility or liability for the professional ability,  reputation, or quality of services provided by the companies or organizations whose names appear on such lists.

The single most important action we can all take, in fighting coronavirus, is to stay at home in order to protect the NHS and save lives.  When we reduce our day-to-day contact with other people, we will reduce the spread of the infection.  You are, however, allowed one form of exercise a day, for example a run, walk, or cycle – alone or with members of your household.

However, there are still resources available for staying fit indoors:

Yoga:

  • Core Power Yoga is streaming classes for free on its YouTube channel at 2pm and 7pm.
  • LV Yoga Fareham is offering free yoga classes, which are being live-streamed on its Facebook page.
  • Fly LDN is running Instagram Live yoga classes on a daily basis, at 8am, 12:30pm and 6pm.

Body Weight Training, HIIT, and Cardio:

  • 305 Fitness is offering free dance fitness classes on its YouTube channel, at 4pm and 6pm 10pm.
  • Fitness instructor Don Saladino, whose clients include Ryan Renolds, is offering a free 4 week body weight program .
  • Barry’s UK is bringing its intense workouts to Instagram Live, the list of classes is available on the club’s Instagram page.
  • Boxing studio Rumble is offering a wide variety of free online classes via Instagram Live.

Kids:

Dance:

The listing and links above are provided as a point of reference and are not intended to be exhaustive.  The inclusion of a specific company or organization does not constitute a recommendation, and the Department of State assumes no responsibility or liability for the professional ability,  reputation, or quality of services provided by the companies or organizations whose names appear on such lists.

Across England and Wales, most veterinarians remain open with reduced services and hours. The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, the UK’s regulator for veterinary practitioners, has advised that practices may remain open under current government guidance, but only for the provision of essential services. Some vets continue to provide retail services for pet food and other supplies.

Many clinics now require customers to consult by telephone before bringing in their four-legged loved ones. As the situation continues to change, it is best to reach out to your local veterinary clinic directly before visiting.

Pet-owners are allowed to take dogs for a walk as a form of exercise, provided they keep a safe distance from others. If your household has more than one dog, or your dog requires more than one walk per day, adults in your household must take turns to ensure they are in compliance with the government’s guideline of one outdoor exercise daily per person.

You should also have a plan for your pet if you get sick and are unable to provide care. Have extra food, litter for cats, and other necessary supplies on hand and be ready to make the handover if necessary.

What does your pet need immediate care?

If any of the below apply to your pet, you should contact your nearest veterinarian clinic:

  • Breathing difficulties
  • Collapse
  • Eye problems
  • Ingestion of poisonous or other harmful substances
  • Loss of thirst & appetite
  • Male cats struggling to pass urine
  • Open wound injuries
  • Rabbits not eating
  • Seizures
  • Swallowing hazards
  • Swollen abdomen or retching (especially large dogs)
  • Struggling to give birth
  • Trauma (e.g. car accidents)
  • Vomiting or diarrhea (especially if your pet appears quiet or depressed or if it is going on for a long time – more than 24 hours)

The listing and links above are provided as a point of reference and are not intended to be exhaustive.  The inclusion of a specific company or organization does not constitute a recommendation, and the Department of State assumes no responsibility or liability for the professional ability,  reputation, or quality of services provided by the companies or organizations whose names appear on such lists.

 

 

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This is the official website of the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in The United Kingdom. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.

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