Face covering advice

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Patients are required to wear a clean face covering whilst in the surgery.

• It is our expectation that patients arrive for a planned appointment with a clean suitable face covering.
• Wash your hands or use hand sanitiser before putting it on and after taking it off.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth at all times and store used face coverings in a plastic bag until you have an opportunity to wash them.
• Do not touch the front of the face covering, or the part of the face covering that has been in contact with your mouth and nose.
• Once removed, make sure you clean any surfaces the face covering has touched.
• Face coverings do not replace social distancing. If you have symptoms of COVID-19 (cough, and/or high temperature, and/or loss of, or change in, your normal sense of smell or taste – anosmia), you and your household must isolate at home: wearing a face covering does not change this.
• Face coverings should not be used by children under the age of 3 or those who may find it difficult to manage them correctly.

Wearing a fabric face covering
• A cloth face covering should cover your mouth and nose while allowing you to breathe comfortably.
• You should wash a face covering regularly. It can go in with other laundry, using your normal detergent.
• When wearing a face covering, take care to tuck away any loose ends.

Purchasing a face covering
• Many retailers are now selling face coverings.
• Please do not buy medical grade masks, these are for health care professionals only.

Making your own face covering
The Department for Health have published guidance on how to make your own face covering. Please see the link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-wear-and-make-a-cloth-face-covering/how-to-wear-and-make-a-cloth-face-covering