Stay alert to stay safe.

We can all help control the virus if we all stay alert. This means you must:

• Stay at home as much as possible
• Work from home if you can
• Limit contact with other people
• Keep your distance if you go out (2 metres apart where possible)
• Wash your hands regularly

Self-isolate if you or anyone in your household has symptoms.

The government has updated its FAQ’s on what you can and cannot do during the Coronavirus outbreak and published staying safe outside your home for guidance on what the new rules will mean in England from Wednesday 13th May. Until then you should follow existing guidance on social distancing. People in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland should follow the specific rules in those parts of the UK.

What can I do from Wednesday 13 May that I couldn’t do before? (England) Please read FAQ’s on what you can and cannot do during the Coronavirus outbreak, and staying safe outside your home for full detail.

There will be a limited number of things you can do from Wednesday that you cannot do now:

• spend time outdoors – for example sitting and enjoying the fresh air, picnicking, or sunbathing
• meet one other person from a different household outdoors - following social distancing guidelines
• exercise outdoors as often as you wish - following social distancing guidelines
  • use outdoor sports courts or facilities, such as a tennis or basketball court, or golf course – with members of your household, or one other person while staying 2 metres apart
• go to a garden centre

At all times, should continue to observe social distancing guidelines when you are outside your home, including ensuring you are 2 metres away from anyone outside your household.

As with before, you cannot:

• visit friends and family in their homes
• exercise in an indoor sports court, gym or leisure centre, or go swimming in a public pool
• use an outdoor gym or playground
• visit a private or ticketed attraction
• gather in a group of more than two (excluding members of your own household), except for a few specific exceptions set out in law (for work, funerals, house moves, supporting the vulnerable, in emergencies and to fulfil legal obligations)

If you are showing coronavirus symptoms, or if you or any of your household are self-isolating, you should stay at home - this is critical to staying safe and saving lives.

I don’t have to stay at home anymore?

You should stay at home as much as possible. The reasons you may leave home include:

• for work, where you cannot work from home
• going to shops that are permitted to be open - to get things like food and medicine
• to exercise or spend time outdoors
• any medical need, including to donate blood, avoid injury or illness, escape risk of harm, or to provide care or to help a vulnerable person

These reasons are exceptions and a fuller list is set out in the regulations. Even when doing these activities, you should be minimising time spent away from the home and ensuring that you are two metres apart from anyone outside of your household.

For more information about coronavirus, and how to reduce the risk of you and others catching it, please take a look at the Gov.UK and NHS websites.

What we are doing and available support

We've been working closely with Telford and Wrekin Council, Public Health England (PHE), NHS England and local health and care partners, to prepare and respond to COVID-19 (coronavirus). You can find the latest joint statements on the coronavirus situation on our Newsroom.

We have also launched new Community Reassurance Teams, and a new dedicated coronavirus helpline to help those who are vulnerable and in need of help.

You can contact the helpline on 0345 678 9028 for any coronavirus-related issues and enquiries, between 8am to 6pm weekdays, and 9am to 1pm on Saturday. Each caller will be asked to explain their need and, if required, this information will be passed onto the appropriate support.

Please note: The helpline is for council services only - for any health-related queries and issues please use the NHS 111 online service.

Find out more about the services and support available, and any changes to our regular services using the categories on this page.

Have we covered everything?

With the current coronavirus situation changing daily, this page is regularly updated to provide the latest relevant local information, and links to official guidance and support.

We want to make sure that this local information is relevant to you, so if you have a question that isn't covered by the following pages please let us know. For any urgent service requests, please contact the helpline on 0345 678 9028.