Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance and support

Thanks to the excellent vaccine and booster programme, only a few restrictions are in still in place:

• Face coverings are required in shops and on public transport.
• Anyone that has come into contact of a suspected Omicron case is required to self-isolate for 10 days - including those fully vaccinated.

The UK has successfully rolled out over 100 million vaccinations, including first, second, and booster doses. All those over 12 are now eligible for a vaccine, and It's incredibly important that, when you are offered the vaccine, you take it.

Local residents are currently being vaccinated at the Folca site in Folkestone and New Romney Pharmacy in Romney Marsh. Please be assured that there are more than enough vaccinations and appointments are being made available continually.

If you have symptoms, do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital.

• a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
• a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
• loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you've noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal

Use the 111 online coronavirus service to find out what to do.

Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms, regardless of age, is now eligible for testing. You can either go to a testing site, or get a test delivered to your home.

If you have any questions, you can contact the Coronavirus Testing Call Centre on 0300 303 2713 for assistance (open 8am to 8pm).

Follow the link below to apply for a test:

If you are an essential worker, or live with an essential worker, and have coronavirus symptoms, you should apply for a test via the GOV.UK portal.

If you have any questions, you can contact the Coronavirus Testing Call Centre on 0300 303 2713 for assistance (open 8am to 8pm).

Follow the link below to apply for a test:

The Government, in consultation with industry, has produced guidance to help ensure workplaces are as safe as possible.

These 14 guides cover a range of different types of work. Many businesses operate more than one type of workplace, such as an office, factory and fleet of vehicles. You may need to use more than one of these guides as you think through what you need to do to keep people safe.

The Chancellor has set out a package of temporary, timely and targeted measures to support public services, people and businesses through this period of disruption caused by COVID-19. You may be eligible for loans, tax relief and cash grants.

Use the Government's business support finder to see what support is available for you and your business.

If you run a business or are self-employed and are concerned about paying your tax due to coronavirus, you can call HMRC’s helpline on 0800 024 1222.

KCC has a dedicated business support line for coronavirus-related issues, delivered by the Kent & Medway Growth Hub.

Call 03333 602 300

More businesses are operating online due to the coronavirus. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has published guidance for sole traders and SMEs on moving from the physical to the digital.

The UK Government is operating a ‘traffic light’ system to advise of what actions you need to take when travelling abroad from England. This is an evolving system, and you should regularly consult the Foreign Office website prior to departure, and during your holiday.

All people aged 12 years and over must take a PCR or lateral flow test result before they travel to England from abroad. You must take the test in the 2 days before you travel to England. This is a legal requirement.

What you must do when you enter England from abroad depends on whether you’re fully vaccinated under an approved vaccination programme. Some people qualify for fully vaccinated rules for different reasons.

You cannot travel to the UK if you’ve been in a red list country in the previous 10 days unless you:

• are a British or Irish national
• have residence rights in the UK

Children arriving in England from a red list country should not be travelling alone unless they are students in boarding school, higher education or further education (for more details, see ‘Other types of managed quarantine’ and ‘Unaccompanied minors’ below).