10 May 2022

COVID-19: Return to Green phase

Infectious diseases Public health

From today, optometrists in the whole of the UK will return to the Green phase as we stand down the Amber phase COVID-19 guidance.

You should now follow our updated Guidance for Professional Practice and your nation’s infection prevention and control guidance for healthcare settings.  

The following infection control measures still apply to you and your practice:  

  • Wear a fluid-resistant mask in practice 
  • Carry out asymptomatic lateral flow device testing, as recommended by your nation’s health system 
  • Have a mechanism to enable people with symptoms of respiratory infection to postpone their eye care unless it is urgent or an emergency

The following COVID specific infection control measures can now be stopped: 

  • COVID-19 specific decontamination protocols 
  • Physical distancing. (Risk assessed distancing still applies in Wales and Northen Ireland.)  
  • COVID-19 modified eye examination, although we continue to encourage a needs-led approach in the Guidance for Professional Practice

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If you have any more queries about any aspect of the guidance, please contact our Clinical Advisers who are here to support you.

Further resources

UKHSA

Nation specific guidance:

National infection prevention and control manual for England

Northern Ireland Regional Infection Prevention and Control Manual

Scottish National Infection Prevention and Control Manual (NIPCM)

National infection presentation and control manual for Wales (in partnership with NHS Scotland)

This article was correct at time of publication. 

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