Coronavirus (COVID-19) latest information

Welsh Government:

• Coronavirus (COVID-19) information
• Current restrictions: frequently asked questions
• Latest announcements

Swansea Bay University Health Board:

• Coronavirus/COVID-19 information
• COVID vaccine in Swansea and Neath Port Talbot

Public Health Wales:

• Coronavirus (COVID-19) information
• Coronavirus data dashboard (mobile view)
• Coronavirus data dashboard (desktop view)

Other useful links:

• NHS 111 Wales online symptom checker

Self-isolation support scheme - you could get a £500 payment to help with loss of earnings if you’ve been told to self-isolate for a period and cannot work from home.

• FAQs: self isolation support scheme

Universal Credit is a payment to help with your living costs. To be eligible you must be on a low income; out of work; self-employed; ill or self isolating. You can check if you're eligible for Universal Credit on www.gov.uk/universal-credit.

Statutory Sick Pay - People who are in employment and are unable to work because of coronavirus, and are eligible, can receive Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) from day one of their illness. You can find information about SSP, including eligibility and how to claim on www.gov.uk/statutory-sick-pay.

Statutory Sick Pay Enhancement Scheme - Social care staff working in Wales will receive enhanced sick pay entitlements to support them financially during the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic, effective from 1st November 2020.

Only care workers whose employers do not provide full pay for sick leave are eligible for this payment. This includes care workers employed by registered care homes and domiciliary support services, Personal Assistants paid via direct payments agency staff and staff working for agency contractors, providing core daily care services.

We will get in touch with their employers directly.

Working Tax Credit – if you are receiving this benefit your entitlement can continue for the first 28 weeks of sickness whilst you are employed, unless you make a claim for Universal Credit.

People that are ill or self-isolating may be able to apply for Employment Support Allowance (ESA). For more information go to: www.gov.uk/employment-support-allowance.

Financial or debt advice - services offering free impartial money and debt advice

Citizens Advice provides free confidential, independent advice on lots of problems. This includes benefits, debt, money or legal issues. Go to www.citizensadvice.org.uk/wales/ or call Advicelink: 03444 77 20 20; Textphone: 1801 0800 144 8884

The Money Advice Service provides free and impartial advice to help you plan and manage your finances. Go to www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk or call 0800 138 7777; Typetalk 18001 0800 915 4622

Dewis Cymru helps you find money and debt advice services where you live. For more information go to www.dewis.wales

The Welfare Rights team at your local council deals with all aspects of helping people claim the benefits they are entitled to. Neath Port Talbot residents can email welfarerights@npt.gov.uk or call 01639 685225.

NPT Safe&Well

NPT Safe & Well is a scheme that can help to connect you with a local volunteer, community group or local service to access support with:

• Food shopping
• Collecting prescription medication
• Running daily errands
• Or arranging for someone to check you are ok

We are here to offer a helping hand to those who don't have any friends or family to call on for support.

NPT Buy Local

Our shops and businesses are at the heart of our our towns, communities and high streets. They make them unique and diverse. They now need our support in order to survive this crisis and thrive. We’ve set up NPTBuyLocal to encourage people to buy local and help improve the local economy.

Many are now offering delivery services so you can still shop local even if you can’t get out and about.

If you have symptoms of coronavirus take a Lateral Flow Test (LFT) at home. You can order these free online or call 119.

Remember to report all LFT results. Reporting your results is easy. Go to https://www.gov.uk/report-covid19-result or call 119.

Remember you’ve only completed the test once you’ve reported your result.

In this video, Jamie Roberts explains how to take a self-test.

PCR testing for the public has stopped. People eligible for COVID-19 treatments only are able to order PCR tests to be done at home. More information here.

FREE bus services from Neath and Port Talbot town centres to the Bay Mass Vaccination Centre (MVC) off Fabian Way are now running.

Buses run between 10am and 6pm, seven days a week.

Port Talbot service (BFH2): Leaves Bay 7 at Port Talbot Bus Station on the hour, stopping at Bay 5 of the Interchange at Port Talbot Parkway railway station.

Neath Service (BFH1): Leaves on the hour from Bay 5 at Neath Bus Station next to Victoria Gardens.

Return services leave the MVC at half past the hour.

All free bus services stop near to the entrance of the MVC. There is a short walk across a flat car park to the centre’s front door.

The services are operated by Briggs Coaches.

You may need to prove that you are fully vaccinated or have tested negative to attend some events or venues.

• Welsh Government - Get your NHS COVID Pass

Covid has not gone away and we need your help to collect local intelligence to reduce the transmission in Neath Port Talbot.

The information you provide helps us to contact people exposed to the virus and give them the correct advice and guidance around self-isolation.

This reduces the further risk of transmission and, more importantly, reduces the risk of harm to those who are most vulnerable.

If we call you, we will call from 02921 961133 or 01639 686932. Please do pick up the phone so that we can undertake a Contact Trace with you.

Alternatively, we may send you a text message and will ask you to complete an e-form.

To access the e-form you will be sent a secure one-time code via text message from NHSWALESTTP. This will include a link to complete the e-form.

Completing the form

IMPORTANT: You must complete the e-form by 22:00hrs on the day that you receive the link. The link will stop working after 22:00hrs.

The form should take you around 10 minutes to complete. If you are unable to complete the e-form by 22:00hrs, you will receive a phone call from a contract tracer to confirm your details.

1. Open the link in your text message.
2. Please confirm your Date of Birth and Telephone Number.
3. Please check that all pre-populated information within this form is correct.
4. Please ensure you record your Occupation or Key Worker Status – this is incredibly important in identifying any Covid Clusters.
5. Please ensure you indicate any Covid Symptoms.
6. Please ensure you confirm the date your Symptoms started.
7. The form will ask you who you have been in close contact with in the 10 days prior to and following on-set of symptoms (or the date of your Covid test, if no symptoms). Close contacts may include;
   • Your Household Contacts, and
   • Your Work/School/Social Contacts
8. Please ensure you confirm any places you have visited within the past 48 hours before your first Covid Symptom or, if no symptoms, your Covid test date.

If you are having trouble accessing or filling out the form then please call 01639-686932, where one of our Tracing Team can help you.

If you feel unwell, please seek medical advice from your GP or ring 111.

For more information, please visit: https://gov.wales/contact-tracing-completing-your-online-e-form

Self-Isolation Period

Once your symptoms have been entered into the form, the computer will generate your Self-Isolation Date and we would ask that you adhere to this date.