Coronavirus – Covid -19 Latest
We understand that many people with CRPS and their families may be concerned at the Coronavirus pandemic described by the World Health Organisation as ‘a global public health emergency’.
Wednesday 18th March
Given the fast moving pace of government announcements regarding Coronavirus, we would like to make the following statement:
It is completely understandable that people affected by CRPS, whether they have the disease themselves or are a close family member of someone with the condition, are very concerned at the escalating pace of the impact of COVID-19 in the UK and the daily announcements coming from No. 10.
What is Coronavirus?
Coronaviruses are a common group of viruses known to infect both animals and humans. At the end of 2019 a new strain of coronavirus was identified as causing a cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan City, China. This has been referred to by various names including novel coronavirus, Wuhan coronavirus and SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2). It causes a respiratory illness known as COVID-19 that most frequently consists of mild symptoms of cough, fever and shortness of breath. In a minority of cases, COVID-19 can lead to serious problems like pneumonia or even death.
Key websites where you can get ‘official’ information
Please refer to the following organisations’ guidance for further information on the outbreak and how to protect yourself. Please note that the advice about what to do may vary between the devolved nations.
- NHS 111 has an online coronavirus service that can tell you if you need medical help and advise you what to do: https://111.nhs.uk/service/covid-19 (available in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales)
- England: Public Health England has a blog on the virus which they are updating very regularly: https://publichealthmatters.blog.gov.uk/2020/01/23/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-what-you-need-to-know/
- Scotland: Health Protection Scotland are updating their website with the latest news daily: https://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/a-to-z-of-topics/covid-19
- Wales: Public Health Wales are updating their website with the latest news daily: https://phw.nhs.wales/topics/latest-information-on-novel-coronavirus-covid-19/
- Northern Ireland: Public Health Agency are updating their website with the latest news daily: https://www.publichealth.hscni.net/
Other links:
- https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public
- https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
- https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-social-distancing-and-for-vulnerable-people/guidance-on-social-distancing-for-everyone-in-the-uk-and-protecting-older-people-and-vulnerable-adults
https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus-and-your-wellbeing
Are people with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome at greater risk?
From the evidence so far, there is no increased risk of catching coronavirus for people with CRPS unless you have any of the following underlying health conditions listed below (ie anyone instructed to get a flu jab as an adult each year on medical grounds):
· chronic (long-term) respiratory diseases, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema or bronchitis
· chronic heart disease, such as heart failure
· chronic liver disease, such as hepatitis
· chronic neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), a learning disability or cerebral palsy
· diabetes
· problems with your spleen – for example, sickle cell disease or if you have had your spleen removed
· a weakened immune system as the result of conditions such as HIV and AIDS, or medicines such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy
· being seriously overweight (a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or above)
· those who are pregnant
Note: there are some clinical conditions which put people at even higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19. If you are in this category, next week the NHS in England will directly contact you with advice the more stringent measures you should take in order to keep yourself and others safe. For now, you should rigorously follow the social distancing advice in full, outlined below.
People falling into this group are those who may be at particular risk due to complex health problems such as:
· people who have received an organ transplant and remain on ongoing immunosuppression medication
· people with cancer who are undergoing active chemotherapy or radiotherapy
· people with cancers of the blood or bone marrow such as leukaemia who are at any stage of treatment
· people with severe chest conditions such as cystic fibrosis or severe asthma (requiring hospital admissions or courses of steroid tablets)
· people with severe diseases of body systems, such as severe kidney disease (dialysis)
“What can I do to keep myself safe?”
We recommend following the current government and Public Health England advice and taking precautions such as regular handwashing, covering your mouth and nose with a tissue, not your hand, when coughing and sneezing, and avoiding close contact with people who are unwell. In addition, we would suggest the extra precaution of avoiding crowded places such as public transport or large gatherings where possible and avoiding unnecessary travel or potential contact with infected individuals. Observe all the current “preventative” measures including good hydration, adequate sleep and especially hand hygiene. There is no evidence that wearing a mask reduces the risk of transmission to unaffected individuals.
If despite these measures, you should develop symptoms of infection, please follow the advice given in the section below:
“What do I do if I feel unwell?”
If you feel unwell or notice any of these symptoms:
- a high temperature – you feel hot to touch on your chest or back
- a new, continuous cough – this means you’ve started coughing repeatedly
- shortness of breath
You should stay at home for at least 7 days.
If you live with other people, they should stay at home for at least 14 days, to avoid spreading the infection outside the home.
After 14 days, anyone you live with who does not have symptoms can return to their normal routine.
But, if anyone in your home gets symptoms, they should stay at home for 7 days from the day their symptoms start. Even if it means they’re at home for longer than 14 days.
You should only use the NHS 111 service if:
- you feel you cannot cope with your symptoms at home
- your condition gets worse
- your symptoms do not get better after 7 days
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/self-isolation-advice/
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance
Further information on what to do can be found here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
Travel
In the event that you have to travel, either here or abroad, keep up to date with the latest advice from your travel company, your travel insurance provider and the Government and Foreign Office: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-advice-novel-coronavirus
Contacting CRPS UK
As you might imagine, our mailing service is receiving a huge amount of emails at the moment; to ensure that you get the information you need from us quickly, please follow the guidelines and links above.
Wednesday 18th March – It is important to recognise that the situation is changing all the time and we will regularly update this guidance as new information becomes available