Guidance issued on who, how and when to contact Covid services

That is the message from the States as many services working on the Covid-19 response are experiencing high numbers of calls and emails.

To help ensure professionals are able to work, only contact the relevant service if you absolutely have to.

Anyone who is a genuine contact of a positive case will be contacted by the contact tracing team. Those who think they might be a contact of a positive case should not call Public Health.

Those with Covid-19 related symptoms should call the clinical helpline on 756938 or 756969.

When phone lines are busy, wait and call back again. Do not call or email Public Health directly instead.

The non-clinical helpline is available for people with questions about what can and cannot be done during lockdown. This number 717118 or people can email covid19enquiries@gov.gg.

Anyone in the Ship and Crown pub or Crow's Nest restaurant between 18 and 20 January should email testresults@gov.gg, but do not call, someone will contact you if necessary.

Contacting GPs or the ambulance service, or attending the Emergency Department should be carried out as normal if you need healthcare or treatment for a non-Covid related reason.

Details about financial support for individuals, families, businesses and employees will be released this week. A further announcement will be made tomorrow [26 January].

A spokesperson for the States said: 'We know that people will generally feel concerned, and will feel a need to do something.

'But please do not call or email unless you genuinely need to, and please direct your call or email to the appropriate area as set out above, as this will help our teams work faster to keep the community safe.'