HELP & INFORMATION
Covid-19
Below you will find information on help & advice available during Covid-19
The European Lung Foundation (ELF) have a page on their website “Your Questions Answered by a Respiratory Expert – https://www.europeanlung.org/en/qa-covid-19
Information relating to the coronavirus and useful information from the British Lung Foundation https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/coronavirus
As it is now compulsory to wear a mask on public transport we appreciate that some have difficulty breathing whilst wearing one. You can download a card to carry with you if you need to travel by clicking on the link below:
Face Covering Exemption Card
The British Lung Foundation have added an article to their website re masks. They advise trying to wear one at home for sort times and hopefully you will get used to it. You will be required to wear one when attending hospital appointments.
There are posters available to download at https://chronicallyawesome.org.uk/posters-for-those-who-are-self-isolating-as-a-preventative-measure/ these are very useful if you are self-isolating. Just scroll down on the home page and you will see the link. You can download different wording, whatever applies to you.
Looking after ourselves
Many of us need people to enter our homes to help with maintenance or repairs. This document has been drawn up by a patient as guidance so we can be as safe as possible.
Exercise
Pulmonary Rehab whilst shielding at home as classes at hospital have been cancelled https://www.blf.org.uk/exercise-video
Healthy eating
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/.
Various celebrity chefs are doing shows from their homes on use of store cupboard ingredients to make healthy meals - Jamie Oliver, James Martin, Jack Munroe etc. (One cardiologist on Twitter said we shouldn't be eating refined carbohydrates, as obesity and Type 2 diabetes are predisposing factors for poor outcomes from COVID-19. So nobody should be stockpiling pasta! Apparently changing our eating habits helps just within a matter of a few weeks! https://twitter.com/RobertLustigMD/status/1250928930103554049?s=20
Shopping
Local volunteer food box schemes. Some community groups are putting flyers through letterboxes. Contacting local councils may be another way to locate these schemes and register with them. Also registering for help at https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus-extremely-vulnerable Some supermarkets have food boxes (Morrisons, M&S and Aldi). It's also worth checking independent suppliers for items such as fish boxes, meat boxes or organic fruit and vegetable boxes. Some restaurants and pubs are also supplying food boxes during their period of closure.
Looking after our mental health & wellbeing - (a) Limiting exposure to news and social media to reduce anxiety. (b) Keeping some routine/structure to the day. (c) Staying connected with family and friends via Zoom, Skype, Houseparty, Whatsapp, Messenger video chats etc. (d) Online book clubs, choirs, quiz groups etc. (e) Virtual tours of tourist attractions e.g
https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/history-and-stories/stonehenge360/
https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/congrega%C3%A7%C3%A3o-do-sant%C3%ADssimo-redentor
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/about/behind-the-scenes/streetview/treks/pyramids-of-giza/
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/about/behind-the-scenes/streetview/treks/taj-mahal/ https://www.google.com/maps/about/behind-the-scenes/streetview/treks/petra/#streetview https://artsandculture.google.com/story/colosseum/WQLi5E4TA1p9IQ
Getting fresh air and sunlight to boost Vitamin D, by sitting in the garden, on a balcony or just opening a window but maintain a 2 metre distance from others. (e) Doing some exercise as this will also improve mood and help with sleeping.
Advance Decision (Living Will)
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/end-of-life-care/advance-decision-to-refuse-treatment/
Advance care planning https://compassionindying.org.uk/making-decisions-and-planning-your-care/planning-ahead/advance-care-planning/starting-acp/
Do not attempt resuscitation (DNAR) forms.https://compassionindying.org.uk/making-decisions-and-planning-your-care/planning-ahead/dnar-forms/issuing-dnar-forms/
Pfizer Inc
We are now an advocacy partner with Pfizer. We received an invite to a WebEx meeting about Covid-19. They are working on 3 approaches
They received approval for 4 different vaccines for clinical trials in Germany.
They have identified antiviral compounds. Clinical trials for those will start soon.
An over-enthusiastic immune response (cytokine storm) results in a severe form of COVID-19. So they are working on immunomodulatory drugs for those cases.
Their website for updates is: https://www.pfizer.com/health/coronavirus