Best place to find information and services that your council provides...
Last reviewed on 7 April
The government has announced its plan for easing COVID-19 restrictions in four stages, with the aim of lifting all lockdown restrictions by 21 June at the earliest.
12 April:
This follows the easing of restrictions in stage one (on 8 and 29 March):
No earlier than 17 May:
No earlier than 21 June:
Four conditions must be met at each stage before proceeding to the next one:
You can read the full roadmap at gov.uk/coronavirus, as well as our frequently asked questions.
If you need help during the pandemic, or can volunteer to help, please contact St Helens Together on 01744 676767.
Shielding advice for people who are clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) came to an end on 1 April. CEV residents are no longer advised to shield but must continue to follow the rules in place for everyone under the current national restrictions. Read the full government guidance.
If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, you should stay at home and begin to self-isolate for 10 days from when your symptoms start. You should arrange a test as soon as possible: ask for a coronavirus test online or call 119.
Symptoms include:
You can opt for a home test kit or to book an appointment at the Haydock Park Racecourse regional testing centre, which is open seven days a week, from 10am to 4pm.
Mobile testing units are used for short periods on varying dates within the borough, which we will publicise in advance.
If your test result is positive, you must self-isolate for a minimum of 10 days. Your household and your support bubble must self-isolate for 10 days. Anyone who develops symptoms in this time must arrange to take a test.
Following a positive test result, you will be contacted by the NHS test and trace service, who will ask you for information about who you have seen in the past 14 days.
If you do not have symptoms, you can walk in to one of our community testing centres for a free, quick test, with results available in as little as 30 minutes, or collect a test kit to take home – subject to availability. Please read these frequently asked questions about symptom-free testing.
The Director of Public Health for St Helens, Sue Forster, writes or records a regular blog featuring coronavirus updates and messages for residents.
Please read our COVID-19 response privacy policy, which explains how we will collect, use and protect personal data specifically with regard to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Face coverings are required by law to be worn in public indoor settings. Here's everything you need to know about face coverings, including how to make your own.
You can download translated versions of the national lockdown guidance on the government website.
Outlining support available for residents identified as clinically extremely vulnerable:
You can also download the government's translations of guidance for clinically extremely vulnerable people.
The BBC has produced the following video content in five South Asian languages – Gujarati, Punjabi, Sylheti, Tamil and Urdu:
Doctors of the World are also providing translated information based on the NHS and the UK government’s advice and health information.