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Coming out of lockdown: staying safe and managing anxiety

Updated 16 July 2021

Are y'all unsure about the changes to rules on masks, social distancing, piece of work and socialising? We share tips for staying safe as we prepare for lockdown restrictions to end beyond the U.k..

What'southward on this page

Should I notwithstanding wear a face mask?

When might masks still be required?

Should I yet socially altitude?

Are at that place actress steps I tin take if I am in the shielding group (clinically extremely vulnerable)?
How do I tell others I want to continue social distancing?

Returning to piece of work
Going out to pubs and restaurants
Going shopping
I'thousand feeling anxious almost restrictions ending, what should I exercise?
It feels like a long time since I had my vaccine - am I still protected?
How to deal with social anxiety afterwards lockdown

As Covid-xix restrictions begin to lift, many of us are looking forward to returning to activities that we've missed over the terminal year. But for many people, this tin cause feet or stress. We know that it can experience more difficult because your take a chance of catching the virus is afflicted not just by what you do, but what people effectually you do. And although hospitalisation rates are improving, cheers to the vaccine, nosotros know you may have concerns over rising cases or new variants.

Nosotros're here for you with information and support around coronavirus

Our fortnightly Heart Matters newsletter includes the latest updates about coronavirus when y'all accept a center condition, as well every bit back up for good for you eating, staying active and your emotional wellbeing.

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Should I still wear a confront mask?

Each nation has specific rules in place effectually face up masks, and different arrangements around when and where they volition no longer be required by law.

Confront masks have played an important office in reducing the spread of coronavirus. Every bit they become voluntary in unlike parts of the UK, it will be upwards to each of us to consider the risks and benefits of wearing them, for united states and those around u.s..

Choosing to wear a face up roofing, especially in enclosed or crowded spaces, will continue to limit the spread of coronavirus. Face up masks are particularly useful at reducing the spread of the virus from people who don't have coronavirus symptoms and don't realise they may exist infected. They are near effective at protecting those around yous, but wearing i may help protect you every bit well.

We know that for some people, deciding whether to continue wearing face up masks will be a difficult decision to make – but information technology might be helpful to call up that face masks don't demand to be all or nothing. There are some situations where you lot may experience more comfortable wearing a mask for your safety, and for the safety of those around you. These might include times when:

you are indoors or in a crowded place
you lot are using public transport
you are in an surface area where Covid-19 cases are rising
you are particularly vulnerable, for case, because of your age or health, or you are spending fourth dimension with someone who is.

If the person you are with would experience more comfortable if you're all wearing masks, information technology may be considerate to go on with that. For instance, if they've just put a mask on, yous could do the same. You could also ask the person you're meeting in advance if they would feel more than comfortable if you both vesture them.

In time, you lot may feel more comfortable well-nigh non wearing a mask equally cases of Covid-19 autumn and things start to return to normal.

Notice out the current rules around face masks in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, or Wales

When might masks still be required?

While the legal requirement to wear a face mask is catastrophe in some parts of the UK, some healthcare settings, businesses, and travel operators will withal need you to article of clothing a face covering to access their services.

Yous may still be required to wear a face covering when you're at the GP, in a infirmary, or other healthcare setting. Face masks volition also be required on public transport in London, as well as on some airlines.

Do I still need to socially distance?

As with face coverings, each nation in the UK has specific rules in place around social distancing, and different arrangements around when and where it will no longer be required past constabulary.

Many of the issues to consider nearly social distancing are similar to the issues around face coverings. For example, yous may feel differently depending on your ain level of risk from the virus, and your attitude to risk by and large. And as with face coverings, the actions of other people will too make a departure, non merely what you lot do yourself.

If y'all don't feel comfy without social distancing, you might prefer to travel on public send at less crowded times, and to avoid shops and other enclosed spaces at their busiest times. If it isn't possible to socially altitude, wearing a face up covering and frequent hand washing can still aid to reduce the risk of catching or spreading Covid-19. Y'all may wish to be particularly careful in areas where infection levels are loftier.

Are there extra steps I can take if I am in the shielding group (clinically extremely vulnerable)?

Every bit someone who is clinically extremely vulnerable, it's important that y'all continue existence careful when meeting people you don't live with. At that place are actress steps y'all can have to reduce your risk of communicable or passing on the virus when you are meeting with others. For example, yous might consider:

meeting outdoors rather than inside
choosing a place that is well ventilated and opening up the windows or doors if you lot do meet inside
regularly washing your hands and avoiding touching your face
considering whether yous or those you are meeting with are fully vaccinated – you might choose to wait until 14 days after your 2d dose to exist in close contact with others
request those you are meeting with to take a lateral catamenia examination earlier seeing you
continuing social distancing if it feels right for you.

How do I tell others I want to continue social distancing?

If yous would feel more than comfy practicing social distancing for now, information technology might help to explain this to colleagues, friends or family before you meet them.

You don't need to give a reason, although y'all may choose to tell them that while you're really looking forrard to seeing them, you'd prefer to socially altitude because you have a heart condition that puts you at more than risk from Covid-nineteen, or that yous're worried about catching the virus because you accept a friend or family member who is vulnerable. Or you lot could say that you're worried near long Covid – especially as nosotros know that in some cases, people who weren't fifty-fifty seriously ill from having Covid-xix take gone on to develop long Covid.

If y'all are meeting a family member or someone close to you, information technology might help to consider whether you are comfy greeting them with a hug. Letting the person know in advance can help to avoid confusion, or aid yous avoid a state of affairs y'all're non comfortable with.

Ultimately, you don't need to experience nether pressure to do anything yous don't feel comfortable with. Being open with other people nearly how y'all feel, while being aware that other people may feel differently, tin be helpful.

Returning to work

Guidance to work from home where possible is due to exist relaxed across some parts of the UK.

You may be looking frontward to returning to your workplace, or you may feel unsure almost what'due south all-time to do, specially if y'all have been working from home for the majority of the pandemic.

Employers have a legal responsibleness to brand sure employees are protected from any health or safety risks while at work. Many employers will accept measures in place to restrict the spread of Covid-19. For example, some employers may asking staff to undertake regular Covid-19 tests .You might discover it helpful to speak with your employer about what measures they will have in place before you render to work, so you know what to await.

Tin you lot accommodate to go dorsum to your workplace one or two days a week at first, to allow you to get used to information technology? If your business organisation is near getting public transport, possibly you could travel exterior of peak times? Or you may be able to wheel, walk or drive. Acquit in listen that other people will also exist going back to work gradually and in many cases working from dwelling house more, and then public transport may not be as decorated as it used to be.

Although we do know that having both doses of the vaccine provides the greatest protection, the regime guidance doesn't suggest that yous need to wait until you lot are fully vaccinated to return to piece of work.

Get more information about coronavirus and going to piece of work

Dorsum to acme ^

Going out to pubs and restaurants

The restrictions that accept been in place in pubs and restaurants, such equally social distancing and limits on numbers, are expected to lift soon beyond some parts of the UK.

If yous want to socialise simply you're concerned about the chance from the virus, here are some unproblematic ways to reduce your take chances of catching the virus while visiting pubs or restaurants:

Get at a quieter fourth dimension, for example a weekday rather than a weekend evening
Sit down exterior rather than within
Sit facing away from people you lot don't live with, if possible
Employ hand sanitiser when you arrive, and too launder your hands earlier and after eating
Utilise contactless payment rather than cash.

If you lot don't feel ready yet to meet family unit or friends in a pub or restaurant, give yourself some fourth dimension to get used to the idea of going out again to socialise. Y'all could always try going out for a tranquillity meal with one shut friend or family member, rather than with a group.

Going shopping

If you're heading to the shops later on rules on confront coverings and social distancing have been relaxed, you may have concerns about how to reduce your risk of communicable coronavirus. These tips could assistance to reduce your take chances of catching Covid-19:

Choose times of twenty-four hours when information technology won't be then decorated, like early in the morning time or later in the evening
Choose shops that are quieter, or accept more space for shoppers to socially altitude
Take hand sanitiser with you and use it regularly
Do i big store instead of lots of pocket-size ones
Use contactless payment instead of cash

Need to ask a question?

If y'all take a centre or circulatory condition, or you lot intendance for someone who does, and would like to speak to a nurse about the Covid-xix coronavirus, you lot can phone call our Heart Helpline on 0300 330 3300, or email [electronic mail protected].

More information

I'yard feeling broken-hearted almost restrictions catastrophe, what should I practice?

We know that this is a worrying fourth dimension for many people. Restrictions easing can feel like a dramatic change to your way of life, and may cause you to feel anxious or stressed. Many people have been worried about the virus for a long time, and so information technology's hard to switch off that feeling overnight. Because your own take chances is affected past other people's actions, not just your own, you may not feel in command and nosotros know that can make things feel harder.

Try to give yourself time to adjust to the changing reality, and be realistic most the fact that it may not experience easy at first, and that you're not lone in feeling this style. Don't feel you lot have to blitz into making big changes. Talking to the people around you about how you experience can be helpful, both for moral support and for applied reasons, if you want them to adjust their behaviour when they're with you.

If you are worried about your mental wellness, feeling low in mood, anxious or depressed, or unable to cope, it'due south important that you go the right support.

Talk to your family or friends - It can help to open up up about what you're going through. While this may feel hard at first, once your loves ones know what'southward worrying you, they'll exist better able to back up you. Read more information from Mind most opening up to your family and friends.
Speak to your GP - Your GP is in that location to support yous with your mental wellness. They tin can assistance empathize what you're going through, recommend the right treatment, and refer you on to other services if needed. If you're nervous about speaking to them, read more information near talking to your GP about your mental health.
Call the Anxiety UK helpline to speak to someone - 08444 775774 (open 9.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday)
Call the Mind Infoline on 0300 123 3393 or email Mind
Visit the NHS mental health information hub

Information technology feels like a long fourth dimension since I had my vaccine – am I yet protected?

We don't know for certain how long the vaccine'due south protection volition terminal, which is i reason why a booster campaign is being planned for those about at risk.

Most people in the Uk have had their second dose since tardily February 2021, and in many cases not until spring or summer 2021. Based on what we know then far, it seems likely that almost people will yet take some level of protection from the vaccine.

Nosotros know that the antibodies are likely to last at least several months, but will refuse over time.i I report, published in the periodical Immunity, of 5,882 people who had recovered from Covid-19 infection, found that antibodies were still present in their blood v to seven months after their illness. We don't know how the antibodies produced to the vaccine might behave differently, but the vaccine does seem to produce a strong immune response. A clinical trial of the Moderna vaccine found that participants had high levels of antibodies 6 months after their second dose.

If you're over seventy or clinically extremely vulnerable, you will be among the people prioritised for the booster dose, which is likely to be given from September.

Although we can't know all the answers to how long vaccine immunity lasts (because the vaccine hasn't been around long enough), cases and hospitalisation rates from Covid-19 are beingness monitored and published frequently.

How to deal with social anxiety after lockdown

Recollect that you don't take to do anything you don't feel comfortable to. If you are trying to begin socialising once again, it may be helpful to ease back gradually and beginning small. Information technology can be helpful to recollect about what you practice and don't want to do socially, and to set some goals for yourself. It probably isn't helpful to avoid social situations completely, but if y'all want to say no to some things that you don't call back you'll enjoy, or don't feel prepare for, that's okay.

Some things may be different in futurity – like whether people shake hands or hug each other. Information technology may exist useful to think that there will be other people feeling every bit unsure as you are. Trying to focus on putting the other person at ease tin can be a skilful way of managing your own social anxiety, as well every bit being helpful to them.

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Source: https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/news/coronavirus-and-your-health/coming-out-of-lockdown-anxiety