Coronavirus Guidance (COVID-19)

This page provides links to official guidance and advice about COVID-19. It also explains how to find out what hospices are doing in response to the coronavirus outbreak, and provides a selection of end of life and bereavement care resources.

Find out what you can and can’t do

Click on the links below for government guidance from across the UK:

• England: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do
• Northern Ireland: https://www.publichealth.hscni.net/covid-19-coronavirus
• Scotland: https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/
• Wales
  • English version: https://gov.wales/coronavirus
  • Cymraeg: https://llyw.cymru/coronafeirws

Health care information

For health care advice, including information about symptoms, shielding and advice for infected households, see:

• England: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
• Northern Ireland: https://www.publichealth.hscni.net/covid-19-coronavirus
• Scotland: https://www.nhsinform.scot/coronavirus
• Wales: https://phw.nhs.wales/topics/latest-information-on-novel-coronavirus-covid-19/

Hospice care services

For information about how individual hospices are responding to the pandemic, use our hospice-finder to locate your local hospice and read more on their websites.

From Hospice UK

Since March 2020, Hospice UK has hosted a COVID-19 (Clinical) ECHO Network. The ECHO is a series of virtual meetings for the sector using the ECHO approach, to address concerns and also cascade information regarding the management of COVID-19.

Participants at these meetings have shared a wide range of guidance and useful resources which we have compiled into a document to accompany these sessions. You can download a copy of the latest ‘Resource Companion’ here.

Supporting people at the end of life and into bereavement

Caring for your dying relative at home with COVID-19

Hospice UK Vice President Professor the Baroness Finlay of Llandaff, FRCP FRCGP FMedSci FLSW FHEA Hon Professor of Palliative Medicine, Cardiff University and Bevan Commissioner, has authored guidance to help support people who are caring for someone who is dying at home from COVID-19 infection.

Read the guidance as a webpage > https://www.hospiceuk.org/what-we-offer/clinical-and-care-support/what-to-expect/caring-for-your-dying-relative-at-home-with-covid-19

Download the document here > https://www.hospiceuk.org/docs/default-source/echo/covid-19-echo/covid-19_care-at-home_guide_final.pdf?sfvrsn=4

Other resources on end of life care during COVID-19

Here is a selection of information and advice resources in support of end of life care during the pandemic.

Marie Curie - End of life care during coronavirus: https://www.mariecurie.org.uk/help/support/coronavirus

Marie Curie - Funerals and coronavirus:
https://www.mariecurie.org.uk/help/support/bereaved-family-friends/organising-funeral/funerals-and-coronavirus

Bereavement support resources and services

Cruse Bereavement Care – Coronavirus, bereavement and grief: https://www.cruse.org.uk/get-help/coronavirus-bereavement-and-grief

Marie Curie - Grief during coronavirus: https://www.mariecurie.org.uk/help/support/coronavirus/grief-coronavirus

This page will be regularly updated over the next few months during the Coronavirus outbreak in the UK.