If you live in Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster, Ealing, Hounslow, Brent, Hillingdon or Harrow and have diabetes or you are at risk of type 2 register your interest in the Know Diabetes service today.
We’re here to help.
- To avoid catching or spreading coronavirus
- Boost your health and wellbeing: weight loss; better sleep; coming off medication; mental wellbeing
- Managing your diabetes: Type 1; Type 2
- Sick day rules
- Coronavirus and pregnancy
- Coronavirus and children living with type 1 diabetes
- Practical advice to help you right now
- Latest Government guidance: Vulnerable groups; masks; restrictions; social bubbles; travel
- Vaccination programme in North West London
- NHS Advice Helpline & FAQs
- Advice for Healthcare professionals
1. To avoid catching or spreading Coronavirus:
Do:
- Wash your hands with soap and water frequently – wash for at least 20 seconds.
- Always wash your hands when you get home or into work
- Use hand sanitiser alcohol-based gels if soap and water is not available
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze
- Put used tissues in the bin straight away and wash your hands
- Maintain social distancing according to government guidelines on what you can and can’t do
- Read more about staying safe outside your home on GOV.UK.
- cover face- wear a face covering over your nose and mouth in enclosed spaces
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean
2. Boost your health and wellbeing
Stay well
If you have type 2 diabetes or if you are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes (sometimes called pre-diabetes and also known as non-diabetic hyperglycaemia); then there are actions you can take right now to start reducing your risk.
- Weight loss – Read more about a healthy approach to weight loss including low carbohydrate meals.
- Weight Loss Programmes – There are a number of programmes available in North West London to support to lose weight if you are looking to get healthier and improve your blood readings.
- Remission of type 2 diabetes - Read more about how you can put your type 2 diabetes into remission. For some inspiration have a look at some of our remission videos below:
Get inspired with our videos
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- REWIND Programme – To optimize your diabetes control please read about our REWIND programme offered to people living in North West London.
- Healthy Eating during COVID-19 – Have a look at our page to get some useful tips for healthy eating.
- Sleep better – Read about how to get a good night’s sleep.
- Move More – Millions are working out from home or using active transport to get around. Visit our moving more pages to get inspired and boost your immune system.
- Stop Smoking - If you haven't stopped smoking, now is a good time to do it. Most stop smoking support teams are still providing a remote service.
Stay positive
It is natural to feel anxious during these times. Everyone gets anxious at times, but managing diabetes may increase anxiety. Find out about the ways to deal with anxiety that work, and often quickly.
Videos to help you - Diabetes 10 Point Training
The information in the videos below was created by our Partners in Diabetes (people living with diabetes), bringing their lived experience of what matters to you.
Remember you are not alone and there’s so much we can do to make things easier.
10 points people with diabetes need to know
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Domestic abuse: get help during the coronavirus outbreak
Find out how to get help if you or someone you know is a victim of domestic abuse. Call Refuge’s National Domestic Abuse Helpline for free and confidential advice, 24 hours a day on 0808 2000 247. Visit the helpline website to access further information, a contact form and the live chat service. If you are in immediate danger, call 999 and ask for the police. The UK Government also has some information on how to get help if you are experiencing domestic abuse through the current COVID crisis.
If English is not your first language you may find our translated guidance on how to get help useful. Women’s Aid also have guidance documents on domestic abuse and coronavirus available in a number of languages for victims, family and friends, and community members of those affected.
3. Managing your diabetes
- Ensure you have enough glucose and ketone testing equipment.
- Be aware of your sick day rules provided by your diabetes educator team.
- Make sure you have a good stock of insulin pens, needles and any other medications you are prescribed.
- Stay hydrated – have plenty of unsweetened drinks and eat little and often.
- If you are an insulin pump user you should have insulin pens and pen needles as a backup and a good supply of insulin pump consumables.
- Make sure your diabetes technical device (insulin pump /continuous glucose monitor/Freestyle Libre device is in good working order and if you have any concerns phone the company who supplies your device directly to troubleshoot and arrange a replacement if necessary.
- Ensure you have enough glucose testing equipment and ketone testing strips if appropriate (if you have had diabetes for a long time, or have had ketones in the past).
- Ketones are uncommon in type 2 but remain a risk if glucose is high for a significant time &/or during illness. If you take a tablet called SGLT2 and you become unwell you may need to check your glucose and ketones (canagliflozin, dapagliflozin or any tablet ending with “gliflozin”)
- Make sure you have a good stock of your medications, orals tablets &/or injectable therapies:
- Stay hydrated – have plenty of unsweetened drinks and eat little and often
4. Sick day rules
Be aware of your sick day rules provided by your diabetes educator team. More information for type 1 and type 2 diabetes is available here:
5. Coronavirus and pregnancy
- Being pregnant and having diabetes does not mean you are at greater risk of getting the virus.
- However, if you do get the virus, you could be at greater risk of developing complications so it's important you stay at home as much as possible.
- Research has shown the importance of social distancing from 28 weeks of pregnancy.
- The RCOG has more information about pregnancy and coronavirus.
6. Coronavirus and children living with type 1 diabetes
If you have a child with type 1 diabetes, please see the guidelines for children living with type 1 diabetes which can be found on the JDRFUK website.
7. Practical advice to help you right now
- If you are feeling anxious or experiencing diabetes distress please visit our mental health hub pages. We also like this article on how to protect your mental health by the BBC.
- BBC good food has 59 recipes on eating well on a budget. Olio app is an award-winning app their moto is share more, waste less.
- The Hypo Program will help show you how to reduce your hypo risk, track your hypos, and better understand the causes of hypos, you can find more information here.
- If you or someone you know has diabetes and has to go to a hospital, take our Diabetes 10 point training for people with diabetes in hospital leaflet with you, you can download it here.
- Staying well and active is good for our immune system. If you are in isolation or can't attend your regular planned activity classes, we have a page with some tips on staying active at home.
- Worried about money? The Money Saving Expert website has some sound advice and a regular update page from mortgage breaks and business advice to benefit rights.
- Getting some sleep can also be beneficial to the immune system, this practical sleep guide might be of help. We also have our sleep better hub pages here.
8. Latest Government guidance
Lockdown restrictions
The government has announced a 4-week pause at Step 3 so Step 3 restrictions remain in place. It is expected that England will move to Step 4 on 19 July, though the data will be reviewed after 2 weeks in case the risks have reduced.
Under the current 'Step 3' rules, you can in England:
Meeting outdoors:
You should continue to minimise the number of people you meet within a short period of time to limit the risk of spreading coronavirus (COVID-19). Most restrictions on meeting people outdoors have been lifted, but gatherings must not exceed 30 people unless covered by a legal exemption, such as:
- for the purposes of work or volunteering
- to provide care or assistance for disabled or vulnerable people
Meeting indoors:
It is safer to meet people outdoors. This is because COVID-19 spreads much more easily indoors. However, you can meet up indoors with friends and family you do not live with, either:
- In a group of up to 6 from any number of households (children of all ages count towards the limit of 6)
- In a group of any size from up to two households (each household can include an existing support bubble, if eligible)
You should still:
- Work from home if you can and minimise travel
- If you have symptoms get a test and stay at home
For more details:
https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
For more information about what you can and cannot do:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-coronavirus-restrictions-what-you-can-and-cannot-do
Find out what the rules are in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Coming out of Lockdown
The government has announced a 4-week pause at Step 3 so Step 3 restrictions remain in place. It is expected that England will move to Step 4 on 19 July, though the data will be reviewed after 2 weeks in case the risks have reduced.
The government has published the ‘COVID-19 Response - Spring 2021’ setting out the roadmap out of the current lockdown for England as cases are falling across the country. This will be done in 4 stages but is dependent on 4 conditions which must be met at each stage before proceeding to the next one. Each stage will be a minimum of five weeks apart:
- The coronavirus vaccine programme continues to go to plan
- Vaccines are sufficiently reducing the number of people dying or needing hospital treatment
- Infection rates do not risk a surge in hospital admissions
- New coronavirus variants do not fundamentally change the risk of lifting restrictions
Stage one (from 29 March):
- People will be allowed to meet outside, either with one other household or within the "rule of six", including in private gardens
- The stay at home rule will end, but the government will urge people to stay local as much as possible
- Outdoor sports facilities will reopen, including golf courses and tennis and basketball courts, and formally organised outdoor sports can restart
Stage two (from 12 April):
- All shops allowed to open, along with close-contact services, including hairdressers and beauty salons (including in people's homes)
- Restaurants and pubs allowed to serve food and alcohol to customers sitting outdoors
- Gyms and spas can reopen, as can zoos, theme parks, libraries and community centres
- Members of the same household can take a holiday in the UK in self-contained accommodation
Stage three (from 17 May):
- People can meet in groups of up to 30 outdoors
- Six people or two households can meet indoors
- Pubs, restaurants and other hospitality venues can seat customers indoors
- Up to 30 people can attend weddings or other life events, like christenings
- Remaining outdoor entertainment, such as outdoor theatres and cinemas can open
- Indoor entertainment such as museums, theatres, cinemas and children's play areas can open
- Performances and large events can restart, but with limits on audience numbers
- Hotels, hostels and B&Bs can reopen
- International leisure travel may resume
- Adult indoor group sports and exercise classes can restart
Stage four (date TBC):
- All legal limits on social contact will be removed
- No legal limits on the number of people who can attend weddings, funerals and other life events
- Nightclubs will be allowed to reopen
For further information on the route out of lockdown, please see the UK Government website.
The new COVID-19 variant (known as Delta) spreads more easily than the other variants that were previously most common. To help stop the spread, you should:
- Get both doses of the vaccine when you are offered it and encourage others to do so as well
- Participate in surge testing in your local area, whether you are vaccinated or not
- Self-isolate immediately if you have any symptoms of COVID-19 (a high temperature, new, continuous cough or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste) or if you’ve tested positive for COVID-19
For more information about the Delta variant, areas it is spreading fastest in and what else you can do to keep safe, see the UK Government website.
Specific guidance for those who are vulnerable:
If you are clinically extremely vulnerable, you are no longer advised to shield. However, you should continue to follow the guidance for people who are clinically extremely vulnerable and are advised to continue taking extra precautions to protect yourself, such as limiting close contacts, shopping or travelling at quieter times of the day, keeping rooms ventilated and washing your hands regularly.
Although the advice to shield has ended, clinically extremely vulnerable people must continue to follow the rules that are in place for everyone.
Travelling within England
You should continue to minimise the amount you travel where possible. This means you should avoid making unnecessary trips and combine trips where possible.
If you need to travel:
- Walk or cycle where possible
- Plan ahead and avoid busy times and routes on public transport
- Regularly wash or sanitise your hands
- Wear a face covering on public transport, unless you’re exempt
- Make sure the space is well ventilated. Open windows or take other actions to let in plenty of fresh air
- You must not share a private vehicle in groups larger than 6 people (except when everyone present is from no more than 2 households), unless your journey is made for an exempt reason.
There is additional guidance on safer travel, including on the safe use of public transport.
For further information regarding travelling please see the UK Government website.
Use this service to book a coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination. If you've already booked a vaccination appointment through a GP or local NHS service, you do not need to book again using this service.
For more information on who can get the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine see the NHS website.
If you're recovering from COVID-19 you may still be coming to terms with the impact the virus has had on both your body and mind. Get tips for improving your wellbeing to support your recovery. A dedicated website has been created to help people recovery from Covid19, you can access this website here.
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COVID-19 vaccination guidance from local GPs, including messages in English, Gujarati, Arabic, Farsi, Punjabi, Sinhalese, Bengali, Polish, Slokav, Urdu and Pashto, as well as in British Sign Language (BSL) The NHS will get in touch when it's your turn to be vaccinated.
To stay up to date with the latest information on the vaccination programme in NWL visit North West London Clinical Commissioning Group website here.
NHS Advice Helpline FAQs and materials
NHS Diabetes Advice is provided by NHS England and NHS Improvement in response to disruption to normal services due to the COVID-19 pandemic and response.
The service is for adults living with diabetes who use insulin to manage their condition and require immediate advice from a team of clinical advisors.
Advice for Healthcare Professionals
Guidance for Health professionals – Clinical guide for the management of people with diabetes during the coronavirus pandemic
Guidance for Primary Care, Secondary Care, Community Health, Social Care and Ambulance services
People with diabetes are at elevated risk of acquiring the more severe disease
Keep up to date with advice from Diabetes UK which you can find here.
All diabetes consultations to be done virtually by HCPs to minimise the risk of exposure unless otherwise indicated
If people haven't stopped smoking, advise that now is a good time to do so
Guidance for healthcare professionals on coronavirus (COVID-19) infection in pregnancy, published by the RCOG.
For further Healthcare Professional COVID-19 guidance, please visit our Healthcare Professionals section here.
