Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Overview

We have learnt so much during the pandemic. We all made changes to the way we work, live and socialise, to protect each other and to keep Wales safe. These changes can be used to not only protect us from future waves of coronavirus, but from other respiratory infections such as flu and norovirus.

If we all keep doing the following protective behaviours, we can continue to keep each other and Wales safe:

get vaccinated
maintain good hand hygiene
stay at home if you’re unwell and limit your contact with others
wear a face covering in crowded indoor or enclosed places, including health and care settings
meet others outdoors
when indoors, increase ventilation and let fresh air in where possible

Further general information is available on the Welsh Government website.

Guidance for people with symptoms of a respiratory infection, including COVID-19.

Testing

Who is eligible for testing and how to get a test.

Lateral Flow Test Service

Free NHS COVID-19 lateral flow tests are available to people who are at high risk of becoming severely ill due to COVID-19 and are eligible for COVID-19 antiviral treatments. Further information about who is eligible for antiviral treatments is available from COVID-19 treatments | GOV.WALES

If you are eligible for the free NHS COVID-19 lateral flow tests, you can now collect them from a community pharmacy.

If you visit a pharmacy to get a supply of lateral flow tests you may be asked about your medical history to confirm you are eligible for the free tests.

This service has replaced the online and telephone ordering services for free rapid lateral flow tests provided by GOV.UK and NHS 119.

If you aren’t eligible the pharmacy will not be able to provide you with any free tests.

Service Information

If you're unsure if you are eligible, speak to your doctor or hospital specialist who can advise you.

You can also Find out more about people at the highest risk who are eligible for COVID-19 treatment on the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) website

If you are eligible for COVID-19 treatments, you should keep rapid lateral flow tests at home you can now collect them from a community pharmacy.

If you visit a pharmacy to get a supply of lateral flow tests you may be asked about your medical history to confirm you are eligible for the free tests. If you have a copy of a letter or email sent to you by the NHS that says you’re eligible for COVID-19 treatment, take this with you. A letter or email is not essential, but it will help the pharmacy to confirm you’re eligible for free tests more easily.

Someone else can collect free tests on your behalf, for example, a friend, relative or carer.

Anyone collecting free tests on your behalf needs to give the pharmacy your details, including your:

full name
address
date of birth
NHS number (if available)
medical condition(s) to confirm your eligibility

They should also bring any copies of letters or emails that have been sent to you by the NHS about COVID-19 treatments if you have them.

Long Covid

Long COVID is a term used to describe signs and symptoms that continue or develop after COVID-19.

It includes both ongoing symptoms of COVID-19 (4 to 12 weeks) and post-COVID-19 syndrome (over 12 weeks).

Signs and symptoms of longer term effects of COVID-19 might include:

fatigue
breathlessness
heart, physical or psychological impacts

Read more information about long COVID on the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) website .

Support available to people with long COVID

To help people recover from COVID-19 we are focussing on providing care and support that:

is as close to home as possible
meets your specific needs

Most people with long COVID are likely to need a rehabilitation approach. Health and care services in the community are ideally placed to provide this.

In some cases, you may need to go to hospital for further investigation. If this is the case, you will be referred by your GP.

Working with NHS Wales we have developed the All Wales Community Pathway. The pathway provides a framework for health boards to develop services to meet the specific needs of their communities.

Support from your local health board

You can find out more about support for long COVID from your local health board:

If you need further advice, you can also contact the 111 online coronavirus service.

Further information about long COVID is also available on the Public Health Wales website and the Health Education and Improvement Wales website.

COVID recovery app

To help you manage your symptoms, you can also download the COVID Recovery App.

The app has been developed to support people who are still feeling a range of cardiac, neurological and psychological issues after having COVID-19.

Your health professional may recommend the app to you as part of your rehabilitation support, but you can also download it directly from the Google Play or Apple app store.

The information on this page has been adapted by NHS Wales from original content supplied by

NHS website nhs.uk