Covid-19 Precautions: Why we are still cautious about making home visits

Researchers are only now burrowing down into the statistics to find out how Covid-19 affects different patients. New studies in Spain and the United States of America have added weight to what many people already suspected. Underlying health conditions such as asbestos related diseases do seem to increase the risks from catching Covid-19.

How things have moved on since Covid-19 began

Treatments for Covid-19 have improved since the studies began. The vaccines offer some protection against getting seriously ill. Unfortunately, the Delta variant is more infectious than the earlier strains and the UK still has a lot of new infections every week.

Our policy on home visits

In normal circumstances we like to visit our service users in their home. However, for the time being we feel it is important that we continue to protect people with asbestos related diseases by talking to them over the telephone or on the internet. Where this isn’t possible we will make home visits.

What you can expect

Often we do this just to collect your signature on important documents.  We hope you will understand if we don’t come indoors, encourage you to use your own pen to sign the documents and keep as far away from you as possible.

When it is essential to come into your home, for instance because a service user is hard of hearing or has a poor telephone connection, we will need to take these precautions.

  • A lateral flow test before we visit
  • Meeting outdoors if possible, on a patio for example, or in a well ventilated room
  • Keeping 2m distance from the service user and their family
  • We may wear a mask, but not if you need to lip read or cannot make out what we are saying

The mesothelioma support group

We will review the future of face-to-face support group meetings for people with mesothelioma in the New Year. For the time being they will continue to be held on-line.

You can find out more about the studies here.

Photo by Graham Ruttan on Unsplash

Posted in