UPDATES: General Coronavirus Advice for People with Diabetes
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Coronavirus (COVID-19) advice for people living with diabetes and their families (Reference: Diabetes UK and Gov UK) - Updated January 5
All the information below applies to the whole of the UK, unless specified. We've noted where there are some differences in guidance and diabetes services across the UK. Use these links to stay up to date in your local area:
If you live in England
If you live in Wales
If you live in Scotland
If you live in Northern Ireland
Shielding updates – advice for clinically extremely vulnerable people
Shielding is a way of protecting 'clinically extremely vulnerable' people who are at a very high risk of severe illness and needing to go to hospital if they catch coronavirus. It meant staying at home almost all of the time, with no face-to-face contact.
Diabetes is not in the clinically extremely vulnerable group (shielding group) – it is in the 'clinically vulnerable group' – so having diabetes doesn’t automatically mean you need to shield. Although there may be some people with diabetes who need to shield based on other conditions or other risk factors, for example those with cystic fibrosis-related diabetes. This means that for most people with diabetes, any lockdown rules where you live are the same for you as they are for people who don’t have diabetes.
Here’s where to find more information depending on where you live:
England
There is a national lockdown in England, which means everyone must stay at home as much as possible. Find out more information regarding these rules on the government website.
If you’re clinically extremely vulnerable and being advised to shield, you'll get a new shielding letter. This means avoiding leaving the house, including working from home. Here’s the government advice on shielding and protecting clinically extremely vulnerable people.
If you're already getting priority supermarket delivery slots, you'll still be able to get these. And there are lots of volunteer groups to support you with food and supplies if you need it, as well as help from local councils.
Scotland
There is a national lockdown in Scotland, called enhanced Level 4 restrictions. This means everyone must stay at home as much as possible. You can find the detailed rules on the government website.
If you're clinically extremely vulnerable and being advised to shield, you'll get a new shielding letter with extra advice on how to stay safe. This includes working from home and not going to the shops. Get all the latest updates about shielding from the Scottish government website.
Wales
All of Wales is currently under Alert Level 4 restrictions. Find out more about these rules on the government website.
Those who are clinically extremely vulnerable will get new letters with advice on how to stay safe, including things like working from home. Here’s the latest Welsh government advice for people who are clinically extremely vulnerable, including where you can get more support with things like food supplies.
Northern Ireland
Government advice for everyone is to stay at home as much as possible.
The advice for people who are clinically extremely vulnerable in Northern Ireland and working, is to stay at home even if you can't work from there. Find more advice on the Northern Ireland government website.
How coronavirus can affect people with diabetes
If you have diabetes – regardless of what type you have – you are no more likely to catch coronavirus than anyone else. And the majority of people who do get coronavirus – whether they have diabetes or not – will have mild symptoms and don’t need to go into hospital.
However everyone with diabetes, including those with type 1, type 2, gestational and other types, is vulnerable to developing a severe illness if they do get coronavirus, but the way it affects you can vary from person to person. In children, the risk of becoming seriously ill with coronavirus is very low.
Being ill can make your blood sugar go all over the place. Your body tries to fight the illness by releasing stored glucose (sugar) into your blood stream to give you energy. But your body can’t produce enough or any insulin to cope with this, so your blood sugars rise.
Your body is working overtime to fight the illness, making it harder to manage your diabetes. This means you’re more at risk of having serious blood sugar highs and lows, potentially leading to DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis) or HHS (hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state).
For most people, coronavirus is a mild illness, but some people develop a more serious form of the virus and sadly could die. Research shows us that there are certain risk factors that make you more at risk, like being from a Black, Asian or minority ethnic group, increased age, a BMI over 30, a history of high HbA1c, or complications such as heart failure or kidney disease. There are some risk factors that you can't change, but others where you can reduce your risk.
How to reduce your risk of getting coronavirus
Hands. Face. Space.
Approximately 1 in 3 people who have coronavirus have no symptoms and could be spreading it without realising it.
Remember - ‘Hands. Face. Space.’
hands – wash your hands regularly and for at least 20 seconds
face – wear a face covering in indoor settings where social distancing may be difficult, and where you will come into contact with people you do not normally meet
space – stay 2 metres apart from people you do not live with where possible, or 1 metre with extra precautions in place (such as wearing face coverings)
In all circumstances, you should follow the guidance on meeting others safely.
If you get coronavirus
If you do get coronavirus, it’s really important that you follow your sick day rules. This will help you to keep your blood sugars in range as much as possible, so you can stay well and fight the virus.
Some people are being treated for coronavirus with a steroid called dexamethasone, which can make your blood sugars go high. Find out more about the steroid dexamethasone and diabetes.
Remember, for urgent medical help, call 999.
How coronavirus can affect children with diabetes
Although children can catch the virus, they normally have very mild symptoms and we are not aware of any children with diabetes who have died from coronavirus. However, as with all people with diabetes, an illness like coronavirus can make it harder to manage your child’s diabetes and they still have a risk of DKA. So it is important that you make sure your child follows social distancing and handwashing recommendations to reduce their risk of catching it.
Get more information about children and school.
How coronavirus can affect pregnant women with diabetes
The same rules apply to you as for everyone with diabetes. If you’re pregnant and have diabetes, then you are not more at risk of getting the virus. However, if you do get the virus, you could be more at risk of developing complications and it could become harder to manage your diabetes. For that reason, it's really important you're extra careful and follow social distancing rules.
You can find all the latest information for pregnant women from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
How coronavirus can affect people in type 2 diabetes remission
Diabetes remission works differently for different people, and we still don't know enough about it. So we don't know for sure how the virus could affect you if you’re in remission. Everyone, including people in diabetes remission, should carefully follow social distancing rules. You can find more general information in our guide to type 2 diabetes remission.
How coronavirus can affect people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups
The risk of death from coronavirus for some ethnic groups is higher than for people of white ethnicity. But it is important to remember that there are lots of factors involved, like age, and overall risk of dying from coronavirus is very low.
In England and Wales, data from the Office of National Statistics shows how people from certain Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) groups are more at risk than people of white ethnicity. Research in Scotland hasn’t shown this increased risk, but the BAME population there is very small. And we don’t have data on this in Northern Ireland at the moment.
Coronavirus deaths in people with diabetes
Data from NHS England in May showed us that, for those who become so unwell with coronavirus that they need to go to hospital, the risk of dying is higher for people living with diabetes than people without the condition. Most deaths have been in the elderly with very few under the age of 40 and none in children.
This study only looked at the number of people who have died in hospital as a result of coronavirus. It doesn’t include information on the many thousands who have recovered at home or who have been successfully discharged from hospital.
Going to work
The government advice is that people should work from home if possible. If you're not able to work from home and still need to go to your workplace, your employer needs to take the right steps to make the workplace safe, to minimise risk to employees.
Some people with diabetes are classed as clinically extremely vulnerable and there are different rules on this depending where you live. This means some people may qualify for a furlough scheme or things like sick pay – take a look at the Diabetes UK website pages for shielding, information based on where you live and about your rights on their diabetes and work page.
If you can’t work from home and have diabetes
Your employer must make sure your workplace is safe – this means doing a risk assessment at work.
If you can’t work from home and have a child with diabetes
Similarly to a workplace assessment, your child's school must do a risk assessment at school. Stay up to date on the rules by reading Diabetes UK guide for parents about schools and coronavirus.
Children and school
Everyone, including children with diabetes, can get coronavirus. The rules about social distancing and hand washing apply to children with diabetes too.
Schools should be practicing social distancing for your child when they're back at school. This is to prevent the virus from spreading between children and your home. We know this is easier said than done, and can depend on how old your child is and the size of the school.
You may be worried about the safety of your child returning to school if they have diabetes. Speak to the school and to your child’s diabetes team about your concerns. And read the Diabtetes UK guide for parents on what you should expect from your child's school – including doing a risk assessment and having the right policies in place.
Going to appointments or into hospital
If you have coronavirus symptoms, do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital even if you have an appointment.
If you're already having treatment for something like a foot or eye problem, and you don't have coronavirus symptoms, then your appointments should still carry on. If you're worried about going to your clinic or hospital at this time or want to check whether your appointment is still going ahead, call the number on your appointment letter or speak to your GP.
Most routine appointments like your annual diabetes review have been delayed or postponed. But you should be able to reschedule once things go back to normal. In the meantime, follow your current routine including checking your feet daily, keep to a healthy diet and try to keep active. Eye screening is still going ahead in some circumstances and for some people who are at higher risk of problems, such as pregnant women with diabetes. All eye screening clinics should be using personal protective equipment (PPE).
And remember to get your free flu jab as early as possible. Speak to your GP or go to your local pharmacy. Find out more about the flu jab.
If you spot something new you're concerned about, like a cut or blister on your foot, call your GP and explain your situation. If you can't get through, call 111 for advice. If you have any change in your vision you should contact your local screening service or optometrist.
You may be in a situation where you need medical attention – this may be something related to your diabetes, or it may be something unrelated like an injury or illness. This means you might have to go to the Accident and Emergency (A&E) department of your local hospital and you might have to wait a while before being seen.
During this time, your care in hospital may be a little different to normal, for example you may not see the diabetes team or not have family with you when you go into hospital. For any problem, regardless of the current situation, you should go to hospital as you would've done before – the NHS is still open. Read the Diabetes UK guide to managing your diabetes while in hospital.
Travel
The new guidance from government has placed additional restrictions on travel. These restrictions differ depending on the current level of alert where you live, and so we recommend you check the appropriate guidance before travelling.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office currently advises British nationals against all but essential international travel. Check the UK government site for all the latest updates on where and when you can travel. You could also check the TravelHealthPro website for the latest travel health guidance.
Take a look at our guide to travelling when you have diabetes for lots more information, including travel insurance to cover coronavirus.
Tips for picking up your prescriptions
Pharmacies are working hard to make sure that everyone with diabetes gets the medicines they need. Help them to help you by following these tips:
Follow government advice and don't go to a pharmacy if you or anyone in your household has a temperature or a new and continuous cough, even if mild. Some organisations like Boots pharmacy have an online service and are encouraging customers to choose for their medicines to be delivered to their homes – you don't have to sign for these now, the delivery driver will leave the package somewhere safe and let you know.
Plan ahead where possible. Our advice is to try and order your next prescription at least 14 days before it is due.
Put your contact details on prescriptions so pharmacies can let you know when your medicines are ready, so you won’t need to be in the pharmacy for as long. Please don’t ring the pharmacy unless it’s urgent.
If you're self-isolating, see if family, friends or neighbours can pick up your medication for you. If you don’t have anyone who can collect your medicine, speak to your community pharmacy for advice about how they can help. There might be community or voluntary groups ready to help in your area.
If you're well and can visit the pharmacy yourself, think about how you can help family, friends and neighbours who are self-isolating by collecting their medicines on their behalf (you may need to take ID with you and will need to know the name and address of the person you are collecting for).
Don't ask for extra medicine. Continue to get medicines as normal and don't stockpile.
Ask your prescriber about electronic repeat dispensing, so you can order your repeat prescriptions online.
Where can I get more support?
Volunteers are here to help
The NHS Volunteer Responders scheme has been set up in England, with an army of volunteers helping with things like shopping and medication, as well as setting up phone chats to help with loneliness. People with diabetes who are isolated at home can now access this service. The number to call is 0808 196 3646 and you can get more information about the service on the NHS Volunteer Responders scheme website.
You could also find out if there's a diabetes local group in your area. Use the Diabetes UK postcode search.
Need to talk?
You might be feeling worried and anxious about coronavirus and how it might affect you or your family and friends. We know this could be a stressful time, so you may need support with how you’re feeling.
Diabetes UK have some helpful information to help you cope with stress and other emotions, or you might like to call their helpline to talk it through with someone. They also have a useful coronavirus thread on their online forum, where members are sharing information and experiences so you might find answers to your questions.
Symptoms of coronavirus
The symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are any of the following:
a new continuous cough
a high temperature
a loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell
If you have COVID-19 symptoms or have received a positive test result
Stay at home and begin to self-isolate for 10 days from when your symptoms start. Arrange to have a test for COVID-19 if you have not already had one. The result of the test will determine how long you must stay at home and self-isolate.
Stay at home while you are waiting for a home test kit or a test site appointment.
A positive test result means you must complete a 10-day isolation period.
If your test is negative, you can stop self-isolating as long as you are well.
If you do not have symptoms but have tested positive for COVID-19, stay at home and self-isolate for 10 days from the day the test was taken. If you develop symptoms after your test, restart your 10-day isolation period from the day the symptoms start.
Stay as far away from other members of your household as possible, especially if they are clinically extremely vulnerable. Avoid using shared spaces such as kitchens and other living areas while others are present and take your meals back to your room to eat.
You could be fined if you do not stay at home and self-isolate following a positive test result for COVID-19 and you are notified by NHS Test and Trace that you need to self-isolate.
If you have diabetes and get coronavirus it is really important that you:
Follow your sick day rules. This will help you to keep your blood sugars in range as much as possible, so you can stay well and fight the virus. It’s not always that simple, take a look at the Diabetes UK new courses in their Learning Zone to help you remember sick day rules and manage blood sugar levels, and their guide on staying home and managing diabetes.
If you feel you cannot cope with your symptoms at home, or your condition gets worse, or your symptoms do not get better after 7 days, then use the NHS 111 online coronavirus service. If you do not have internet access, call NHS 111. For a medical emergency, dial 999