Background
Novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is a new strain of coronavirus first identified in Wuhan, China. Clinical presentation may range from mild-to-moderate illness to pneumonia or severe acute respiratory infection. COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation on 12 March 2020. We now have spread of COVID-19 within communities in the UK.
Extensive measures have been implemented across many countries to slow the spread of COVID-19. In the UK the current recommendations are for everyone to stay at home as much as possible and severely restrict their interactions with others outside the household.
Information for the public and health professionals advising patients
Further information for the public on COVID-19 can be found on NHS Inform. NHS Inform includes a link to enable people to obtain a self-isolation note for employment and statutory sick pay purposes.
Guidance for use in Scotland
HPS continues to update its guidance for health protection teams and healthcare practitioners as the situation evolves, as well as providing guidance for non-healthcare settings including schools, places of detention, and separate guidance for social care settings.
Always check this website to ensure that any guidance you are using is the latest version.
Healthcare settings
- Guidance for Health Protection Teams (HPTs) (last updated 27 March 2020)
- Guidance for primary care (last updated 27 March 2020)
- Guidance for secondary care (last updated 27 March 2020)
- Advice for pharmacies (last updated 24 March)
- Advice for dental teams (currently being updated)
- Advice for opticians and optometrists (last updated 24 March)
- Guidance for sampling and laboratory investigations (last updated 26 March 2020)
- Algorithm summarising sampling and laboratory investigations (last updated 26 March 2020)
- COVID-19 packaging of diagnostic samples for onward transportation (last updated 8 March 2020)
Infection prevention and control in healthcare settings
- COVID-19 - Guidance for infection prevention and control in healthcare settings (last updated 28 March 2020)
- Rapid Review of the literature: Assessing the infection prevention and control measures for the prevention and management of COVID-19 in healthcare settings (last updated 19 March 2020)
This rapid review provides an assessment of the scientific evidence base to determine if the infection prevention and control measures applied in Scotland are suitable for the prevention and management of COVID-19 in healthcare settings. As this is a rapid review, the methodology differs from that of the NIPCM. The evidence will be updated real-time. - Aerosol Generating Procedures (AGPs) (last updated 11 March 2020)
This National Infection Prevention and Control Manual (NIPCM) literature review informs the recommendations for transmission based precautions required for aerosol generating procedures. The methodology for NIPCM reviews is found within the ‘Development Process’ section of the NIPCM.
Other settings
- Guidance for non-healthcare settings (last updated 24 March 2020)
- Information and guidance for social or community care and residential settings (last updated 26 March 2020)
First responders
- Guidance for first responders and others in close contact with symptomatic people with potential COVID-19 (last updated 24 March 2020)
Educational resources
Turas Learn website has a range of NHS Education for Scotland (NES) educational and induction resources for all health and social care staff and volunteers deployed to support clinical services. Requirements are under constant review and additional resources will be added as required.
Travellers
- For the general public, guidance can be found on fitfortravel.
- For health professionals, guidance can be found on TRAVAX.
Where a COVID-19 risk is identified then country pages will contain updated guidance.