General information

In a few months, the Covid-19 coronavirus has spread all around the world.
Here is our latest guidance for service users and their families during the coronavirus outbreak. As coronavirus misinformation is flooding the internet, we recommend looking to the following sources for reputable, up-to-date general information:-

The government website (www.gov.uk) is the best place to find government services and information. You can browse information related to coronavirus at:-

https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

In addition, the Government have launched a coronavirus information service on WhatsApp.
This is a free, automated ‘chatbot’ service which will allow you to get answers to the most common questions directly from the Government.

To use the service:
 – Download the WhatsApp app
 – Add 07860 064422 in your phone contacts
 – Send the word ‘hi’ in a WhatsApp message to get started.

The service will provide information on coronavirus prevention and symptoms, the latest number of cases in the UK, advice on staying at home, travel advice and myth busting. It is not a WhatsApp group and you will not receive spam messages.

The NHS website also provides advice for everyone on the coronavirus:-

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak may cause you to feel anxious, stressed, worried, sad, helpless, overwhelmed, confused or angry. It’s important to remember it is OK to feel this way and that everyone reacts differently to different events. The NHS has suggested ten tips to help if you are worried about coronavirus:-

https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/coronavirus-covid-19-anxiety-tips/

Autism Spectrum Disorder and Coronavirus

While it’s a stressful time for many people at the moment, there may be particular challenges for individuals who are on the Autism Spectrum and their families. These might include disruptions to routine (both major – school and work closures, for example – as well as ‘smaller’ ones, such as changes to TV scheduling), difficulties in tolerating uncertainty and sensory sensitivities (eg being unable to buy the preferred foods for those people who have restricted diets)

The National Autistic Society has a useful webpage that provides guidance on coronavirus, as well as resources and handy top tips for dealing with its impact:-

https://www.autism.org.uk/services/helplines/coronavirus/resources.aspx

The Society’s top tips for autistic adults include:-

• Step 1: Give yourself time to absorb and process each piece of news; try only check the news at a few set points a day to stop yourself becoming overwhelmed

• Step 2: Create a new schedule for yourself – include time for eating, resting and fun
• Step 3: Let people know how you would like to stay in contact during the lock down and your preferred method of communication

For families, the top tips are:-

• Step 1: Support your autistic family member to understand the changes

• Step 2: Put in structure, support and new routines to manage anxiety
• Step 3: Focus on activities and learning to keep things positive

Here are some other helpful ideas from a Psychiatrist who works in Oxford:-

https://www.priorygroup.com/blog/how-to-help-an-autistic-child-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak

Axia ASD – response to Coronavirus

Keeping our service users and their family, as well as our staff safe during the coronavirus outbreak is our number one priority. In response to the Government limiting all non-essential movement we have taken a number of steps to ensure our services can continue to run safely.

For our visitors to Red Hill House, there is hand sanitizer at the entrance when you enter and leave the building. We have increased the cleaning regime and rooms are deep cleaned on a frequent basis. The layout of the rooms has changed slightly in order to keep distance between everyone. Items that might pose a health risk have been removed. Our clinicians will follow social distancing advice and keep a two-metre distance.

In some circumstances, we may be able to provide our services in different ways – for example, conducting assessments via Skype – and we are also aiming to increase the streaming output to provide outreach services.