Coronavirus latest information from Care for the Carers

Updated 9th February 2021.

With an increase in Coronavirus cases and changes to Government measures, it is a concerning time for anyone looking after someone who couldn’t manage without your help. You may have questions or concerns about the current restrictions or caring during the pandemic. This page gives an overview of the guidance specifically for local carers in East Sussex. 

This page was updated on 9th February 2021. The links below will take you to the latest Council and Government information, which will be updated with any further changes. 

The Government has put in place national lockdown restrictions. You can find further guidance and support on the Government website here

You can read the latest Government guidance for those who provide unpaid care to friends and family here.    

Please note there is no restriction on leaving home to provide care for disabled or vulnerable people. Find out more here.

You can also read our carer coronavirus FAQs and advice here.  

Local Community Support 

The local Community Hubs established to support vulnerable people during the pandemic remain in place across East Sussex. Please see the Council’s community support website page for further information. The contact details for each Hub are as follows:

Eastbourne

Website: Lewes and Eastbourne Councils
Phone: 01323 679722 (option 1)

Hastings

Website: Hastings Borough Council
Phone: 01424 451019

Lewes

Website: Lewes and Eastbourne Councils
Phone: 01273 099956 (option 1)

Rother

Website: Rother District Council
Phone: 01424 787000 (option 4)

Wealden

Website: Wealden District Council
Phone: 01323 443322

Further Coronavirus information

The latest Coronavirus information for East Sussex is available here, including the latest information on restrictions.

Government advice about Coronavirus is available with a range of information. Please check the latest information on the Government website here: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus  which includes links to guidance about:

• Latest lockdown measures and guidance 
• What you can and cannot do
• Self isolating and testing

Emergency planning. It may be useful to think about emergency planning if you haven’t already done so. As a carer you will be concerned about what would happen to the person you care for if you had an accident or were suddenly taken ill. The Carers Card enables you to set up a Carers Respite Emergency Support Service (CRESS) plan as part of your Carer’s Assessment. This includes contact details for up to three people who could provide short-term support in an emergency. You can find out more information and apply for a Carers Card here. We can complete the form with you over the phone and with your verbal consent.  If you have created an emergency plan, please check it in light of the current coronavirus measures and consider whether you will need to adapt your plan. 

Vaccination information for Sussex rollout. We have produced joint information from Care for the Carers, Carers Support West Sussex, Carers Centre Brighton & Hove and Amaze, providing carers with the latest information about the Covid-19 vaccination rollout in Sussex. Read it here.

NHS information. You can also get the latest information, answers to common questions and updates on the NHS website here. 

There is Public Health England Stay at Home Guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection here.

Free PPE for carers. If you are an unpaid carer who does not live with the person you look after, you can now apply for free personal protective equipment to use in your caring role. Non-resident unpaid carers who wish to access PPE to support their caring role can make a request to East Sussex County Council here and complete the request form. If assistance to complete this is required, please contact us on 01323 738390, or email: info@cftc.org.uk. Public Health England guidance has been updated to advise use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) by non-resident unpaid carers and this advice is not mandatory.

Carers UK have latest updates, information and guidance specifically developed for carers on their website here.  This is being updated in response to carers’ queries about Coronavirus and its impact. 

If English is not your first language, COVID-19 translated information is available here,  and BSL format information available here

Easy read Coronavirus information is available here for people with learning disabilities. 

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