ADVICE: Updated Coronavirus Questions Answered by our Diabetes Team
Below are some frequently asked questions from our patient helpline in Leicester that have been answered by the Leicester InPatient Diabetes Team
Question: Should I work from home? If I do, does my family need to self-isolate?
Answer: The The UK Government advice ( March 29th 2020) states that:
The single most important action we can all take, in fighting coronavirus, is to:
Stay at home
Protect the NHS
Save lives.
On working from home they state:
Employers and employees should discuss their working arrangements, and employers should take every possible step to facilitate their employees working from home, including providing suitable IT and equipment to enable remote working.
You may travel for work purposes, but only where you cannot work from home: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/full-guidance-on-staying-at-home-and-away-from-others/full-guidance-on-staying-at-home-and-away-from-others#going-to-work
Look on the UK Government ( March 20th 2020) website to see if you are a ’Key worker’ as advice will differ: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision
Answer to the second part of the question: Does my family need to self-isolate?
If you or your family have symptoms of the coronavirus, you will need to follow the NHS advice:
Do not leave your home if you have symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) or live with someone who does. This is called self-isolation.
See further information on the link below: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/self-isolation-advice/
Symptoms: If you have symptoms of coronavirus (a high temperature or a new, continuous cough), use the 111 coronavirus service.
If you need help or advice not related to coronavirus:
for health information and advice, use the NHS website or your GP surgery website
for urgent medical help, use the NHS 111 online service – only call 111 if you're unable to get help online
for life-threatening emergencies, call 999 for an ambulance
The UK Government site has a list of FAQ on what you can and what you can’t: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do
In addition to the above information, the advice is to Stay at home. NHS advice suggest that:
Everyone must stay at home to help stop the spread of coronavirus. You should only leave the house for very limited purposes:
shopping for basic necessities, for example food and medicine, which must be as infrequent as possible
one form of exercise a day, for example a run, walk, or cycle – alone or with members of your household
any medical need, including to donate blood, avoid or escape risk of injury or harm, or to provide care or to help a vulnerable person
travelling for work purposes, but only where you cannot work from home https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
Question: Should I self-isolate and not go to work because I have diabetes?
Some further detail for this original question: Diabetes UK have provided some very good information around Diabetes and Covid19 https://www.diabetes.org.uk/about_us/news/coronavirus
In the link following Diabetes UK state that people with diabetes must now stay at home except in the following exceptional circumstances:
Basic necessities
Exercise once a day
Any medical need or to care for a vulnerable person
Going to and from work, only if this can’t be done at home i.e. key workers
If an individual is needing to go outside then strict social distancing measures should apply.
Diabetes UK provide further information within the following link in regards to the definition of key workers: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/about_us/news/coronavirus#work
To summarise the link, a Key worker is an individual whose job is vital to public health and safety e.g. NHS Staff, teacher, social workers, food chain workers, postal workers and those working in transport.
The full list is on the government website (GOV.UK).
Diabetes UK also state with relevance to diabetes and key working during the Coronavirus, that a key worker has the right to ask for reasonable adjustments from their employer. GOV.UK provides a clear guide for employees: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/covid-19-guidance-for-employees
Whilst sourcing the above information required to answer your question, further details and questions were also gathered:
Question: Do people with type 1 diabetes need to stay at home, or can we return back to work?
I hope the above information guides you further. The best advice to give, is to remain at home if possible in order to reduce your risk. If you are able to work from home then this should be undertaken where possible. If however, your role requires you to work away from home (i.e. Key worker), you should discuss with your employer about alternative work arrangements and undertake a risk assessment. Please visit GOV.UK for further guidance.
Question: Are people with type one diabetes more susceptible to catch the virus, or are greater risk of severe problems if we contract the virus?
Answer: In regards to this question the simple answer is yes to both.
BeyondType1.org (https://beyondtype1.org/coronavirus-and-type-1-diabetes/) provides useful information but also reassures the reader which is useful at this time with much media causing enhanced anxiety to the present situation (i.e. statistical information). It also advises to take the precautions that are advised by the government.
For people with diabetes, Beyondtype1.org state that people with diabetes get infections at a slightly higher rate than those who do not have diabetes. It can also be harder for people with diabetes who develop an illness to recover particularly due to altered glucose levels. It is important to apply sick day rules during any time of illness and these should be particularly be used if a person with diabetes develops symptoms of COVID19. Therefore the advice is to have Ketone Sticks spare and reeducate yourself on sick day rules. Trend UK have a very useful updated guide on sick day rules for people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and it is free to register: https://trend-uk.org/
So to summarize:
1Stay at home if possible.
If not possible, then maintain social distancing measures at all times and discuss with your employer about alternative work arrangements & undertake a risk assessment.
Reeducate on sick day rules.
I hope the above has provided you with thorough and useful information.