COVID-19

All of the UK is currently in the Green phase. 

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

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)

Summary of COVID-19 guidance

We have summarised COVID-19 guidance applicable at different stages of the pandemic below.

During both the red and amber phases of the pandemic practices should:

  • Put appropriate infection control, practice modifications, and social distancing procedures in place
  • Ensure there is telephone/video review to determine COVID-19 status and level of eyecare need
  • Provide services remotely where possible and in the patient’s best interests
  • Ask the patient to attend the practice alone where possible and reduce the number of people in the consulting room
  • Ask patients to wear a face covering where possible
  • Conduct a risk assessment
  • Keep up to date with guidance published by UK governments.

Optometrists should:

  • Wear PPE if seeing patients face to face
  • Use alternatives to aerosol generating procedures (microblepharoexfoliation or Alger brush) until the green phase
  • Adapt their routine to reduce close contact with patients and streamline consultations to only do tests that are clinically necessary, rather than ‘blanket testing’ all patients in a category. Annotate the record accordingly
  • Make it clear on the record what adjustments have been made to the routine or decision making
  • Keep up to date with guidance published by UK governments.

What this means:

  • When a government or health service suspends routine primary care due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Services provided

What this means:

  • Ongoing COVID-19 pandemic with restrictions in place, but primary care remains open for routine services. Primary care services continue to enable the prioritisation of emergency/urgent and essential care on a needs and symptoms-led basis.

Services provided

What this means:

  • Social distancing requirements removed. COVID-19 related PPE is no longer required*. Prioritisation of care based on each nation’s regular local protocols.

Services provided

  • Resume all services on an open access basis.
  • Re-introduction of aerosol generating procedures

*UKHSA continues to recommend universal masking in all health care settings as a precaution to prevent the risk of transmission of respiratory infections including SARS-CoV-2. All staff should continue to wear a fluid-resistant face mask in the green phase as instructed by UKHSA. All people/ patients visiting health care settings should continue to be recommended to use a face covering as recommended by each nations health system. 

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Essential reading

COVID-19 FAQs

Read on for the answers to your COVID-19 questions, covering a range of topics from driving and HES referrals to PPE and tonometry.

COVID-19: National news and information

We’ve been working with governments and eye health organisations across the UK to ensure that you have the all the latest news, information and regulations relating to optometry and COVID-19 in your nation.

COVID-19: Member updates archive

Since our first update on 20 March 2020, right at the start of lockdown, we’ve been providing timely, relevant news, information and guidance that you can trust.

More on COVID-19

COVID-19 FAQs

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COVID-19: one year on

Three optometrists – hospital-based, in the community and newly qualified – on how they have fought back against the pandemic over the past 12 months.

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It's your call

Daniel Hardiman-McCartney FCOptom, Clinical Adviser for the College, on the vital importance of professional judgement.

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Eye health issues that are making the news.

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Optometrists are taking part in one of the biggest medical breakthroughs in decades, learning new skills, boosting their confidence and expanding the profession’s scope of practice. Radhika Holmström reports.

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Eyecare provision as lockdown eases across the UK.

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Get the College app

The College of Optometrists’ member app helps support members in providing the best possible patient care.

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Vaccine portal for locums and non-NHS practices

If you are a locum or non-NHS provider practice staff, LOCSU has created a vaccine portal to ensure you are registered locally to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

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WebinarXtra: Delivering eye care in the current lockdown – your questions answered

Podcast: The College hosted a webinar in January 2021 with a panel of representatives from The College, ABDO,AOP, FODO and GOC, answering questions from practitioners on the national lockdown.

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Amber Phase: our letter to employers

Following the national lockdowns announced across the UK, some members have expressed concerns that their employers are not following Amber Phase guidance.

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Live Q&A on delivering eye care during the current lockdown

Sector bodies will come together on 14 January to answer your questions.

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We respond to the GOC's COVID-19 statements consultation

The General Optical Council (GOC) sought views on how they can continue to support registrants and the optical sector throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Consultations COVID-19 Policy

Vaccination update

Many of you have been in touch to ask about the Covid-19 vaccination programme. All UK representative bodies are working together and will keep the sector up to date with developments.

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Answering your questions on the Amber Phase

Watch our video and read our FAQs for more information on eye care provision under the new national restrictions.

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Eye care provision under new national restrictions

Yesterday, the Prime Minister and First Minister for Scotland announced new national restrictions to help tackle the rising number of coronavirus infections and ease pressure on NHS and related health

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More areas in England to move to Tier 4

Today’s announcement will see more areas in England move to Tier 4 lockdown arrangements.

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Amber phase guidance for Tier 4

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COVID-19: Moving into Tier 4

We explain how additional restrictions will affect optometrists working in Tier 4 areas.

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New variant of SARS-CoV-2 virus: Key information

We summarise the current evidence relating to the new variant of SARS-CoV-2 virus for optometrists.

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COVID-19: Additional restrictions in Northern Ireland

We explain how the additional restrictions announced in Northern Ireland will affect optometrists.

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