In this time when the UK is rife with disease you may well ask this question. By now you will have possibly been asked to stay at the client you are currently with and not move to another client. Indeed, you may also not be able to travel back to your own country. This is a particularly worrying time for live-in carers who are used to travelling back and forth to different clients.

Staying with the client you are currently with makes a great deal of sense. In fact, you may not be able to travel much anymore, in order to restrict the spread of germs. You may be asked to distance yourself socially in order to keep yourself and your client safe.

You will no doubt be hearing the following phrases, namely to self-monitor, self-isolate, isolate and social distancing. There may be some confusion so here is an explanation about these phrases.

Self-monitoring

This is when you have no actual symptoms of Covid-19, AND you have a history of possible exposure to the virus.

You may be classed as ‘being exposed’ because you have recently travelled to the UK by plane or you have recently travelled by train (within the last 14 days).

To self-monitor you must increase your personal space between yourself and any other person. You must also monitor yourself for one or more of the symptoms for the next 14 days.

You should self-monitor if:

• You may have been exposed to a person with Covid-19
• You are in close contact with an older person or a medically vulnerable adult
• You have been advised to do this by a Health Official

Self-isolation

This is also when you have no actual symptoms of Covid-19 AND you have had possible exposure to the virus through travel and close contact to someone who has been diagnosed with the virus.

To self-isolate yourself means that you stay at home. You must monitor any symptoms you may develop, even if they are mild, for 14 days. You must avoid contact with any other people so that you do not spread the virus in home and community.

You should self-isolate if:

• You have flown and travelled within the last 14 days
• You have been in contact with someone diagnosed with the virus
• A Health Official told you to do so

Isolation

Isolation is when you have symptoms, no matter how mild they are AND if you are waiting for any test results. You should avoid contact with other people to help prevent the spread of the disease, particularly to vulnerable people in the community.

You should isolate if:

• You have been diagnosed with Covid-19
• You are waiting for test results
• You have been advised to do so by a Health Official

Social distancing

This means that you avoid any places where there are other people apart from doing essential shopping, going to the chemist or doctor. You can also travel to work if you cannot work from home.

For live-in carers this means that you need to stay with your client and go out as little as possible. Every time you go out, you place yourself and your vulnerable client at risk.

If you do need to go shopping, you must make sure that there is at least 6’ between you and any other person.

You must never take your client out with you unless they must see the doctor and you cannot make a telephone appointment.

You must never take your client out for a drive along the beach, a walk in the park or to visit the grandchildren. In fact, your client should not ever leave the house right now.

Why is social distancing so vital?

Covid-19 spreads by droplets which are passed from one person to another. When an infected person sneezes or coughs, small droplets which carry the virus, are ejected into the air. Should one of these come into contact with you, it will spread, and you may find yourself infected.

Droplets can be breathed in or contacted when you touch a surface where they have landed. As soon as you touch your face – or your clients face - you risk the chance of passing on the infection.

To sum up

With the ease at which the virus spreads it has become essential that every person play a part in preventing the spread. The less time we spend with other people, the less the risk of spreading the virus.

As a live-in carer you should be playing your own part by having as little contact as possible with any person other than your client.

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