Frequently Asked Questions

Transmission of COVID-19 is most likely to happen when there is close contact (within 2 metres or less) with an infected person. It is likely that the risk of infection transmission increases the longer someone has close contact with an infected person. Respiratory secretions, from the coughs and sneezes of an infected person, are most likely to be the main means of infection transmission.

There are two main ways COVID-19 can be spread:

• Directly; from close contact with an infected person (within 2 metres) where respiratory secretions can enter the eyes, mouth, nose or airways. This risk increases the longer someone has close contact with an infected person who has symptoms.
• Indirectly; by touching a surface, object or the hand of an infected person that has been contaminated with respiratory secretions and then touching own mouth, nose, or eyes.

Bield is working within the advice and guidelines issued by Health Protection Scotland and the NHS. 

In particular the team at Bield has been:

• Undertaking additional and frequent cleaning and disinfection of frequently touched surfaces (e.g. hand rails, door handles, light switches, table surfaces).
• Putting up signage in each development to promote hand hygiene, ensuring that everyone has access to hand washing facilities and encouraging use of this.
• As far as possible, limiting the number of visitors to the complexes
• Mobilising our volunteers to assist us to provide additional services to our tenants.
• Implementing our THINK campaign

The common symptoms of COVID-19 are: new, dry cough, high-temperature and loss of sense of taste and smell. If you have any of these symptoms, stay at home and arrange for a COVID-19 test . Visit the NHS Inform website for more information.

Further to our assessment of the Scottish Government Guidance on social distancing, Bield anticipates now that communal lounges will not re-open before Phase 4 of the easing of COVID-19 restrictions. We know this will be frustrating for customers, but we must comply with the Scottish Government guidelines to keep customers and colleagues as safe as possible.

We anticipate that dining rooms will re-open in Phase 3 of the easing of COVID-19 restrictions. This will be subject to a risk assessment and confirmation from Scottish Government.

We anticipate that social events will be able to re-start social events in Phase 4 of the easing of COVID-19 restrictions. This will be subject to a risk assessment and confirmation from Scottish Government.

Please contact the Government’s site for the most recent information.

https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19

We anticipaite that the guest rooms will be re-open in Phase 4 of the easing of COVID-19 restrictions. This will be subject to a risk assessment and confirmation from Scottish Government.

This would be very difficult to do as the times which staff are on-site vary and so there will be significant periods of time when there is no onsite staff presence. Using other methods, such as requesting visitors to sign in and out would also increase the chance of contamination and infection. Therefore we will not try to keep a record of visitors to developments.

As the COVID-19 virus continues to spread, BR24 will still be available to contact and will provide any assistance they are able to. However, we may experience higher levels of absence both at local developments and in our BR24 centre. BR24 may also be dealing with a higher number of calls than usual, so there is likely to be a need to reduce the level of non-urgent calls being received. As a result we will need to reduce the number of door opening requests to developments, therefore we have change the door opening and closing times to enable health and social care professionals to have ease of access to carry out their work. As a security precaution, please ensure your front door is locked.

We still have staff who are Shielding and so there may still be interim arrangements at various developments. However, we will try to provide cover as far as possible.

Lifts should only be accessed by individuals from the same household, due to the small space available. Please do not enter the lift if there is another individual inside, wait until this is free before entering. We understand that this may result in a longer wait, however, will enable you to maintain a safe social distance.

There are circumstances where staff will need to continue to use PPE, this is so they are safeguarded, but importantly our customers are safeguarded as well.

Customers can now use the communal gardens to meet friends and family. However, we ask that you maintain physical distancing and be throughtful to your neighbours so that everyone can get an opportunity to use the shared space.

You should continue with the current procedures that are already in place and report all emergency repairs to your local manager during office hours and to BR24 out of office hours. If you live in an amenity or general needs house phone Bield direct as usual, using your usual contact number.

Urgent repairs have resumed with relevant controls. Please report repairs to your local manager during office hours and to BR24 out of office hours. If you live in an amenity or general needs house phone Bield direct as usual, using your usual contact number.

Non-urgent Routine Repairs have resumed both externally, and internally with relevant control measures. Please report repairs to your local manager during office hours and to BR24 out of office hours. If you live in an amenity or general needs house phone Bield direct as usual, using your usual contact number. Non-urgent Routine Repairs have resumed both externally, and internally with relevant control measures. Please report repairs to your local manager during office hours and to BR24 out of office hours. If you live in an amenity or general needs house phone Bield direct as usual, using your usual contact number. As there is, understandably, a backlog of repairs to be addressed following the lockdown period, the expected timescale of 20 days, for non-urgent routine repairs, may not be met, in some cases, during July and August.

Removal companies are now able to operate, and removals can take place with relevant controls, including regular hand-washing, physical distancing where possible. However, please do not come into a development if you have any symptoms of Covid-19.

You can talk to your Property Officer over the phone, (this can be arranged via your local manager or your Repair Line contact) and if possible, we would welcome photographs of the issue to help us diagnose the problem. We can also now arrange a visit with relevant controls, such as physical distancing.

When taking a repair request, we will check whether anyone in your household is self-isolating or demonstrating COVID 19 symptoms such as coughing or high temperature. Contractors will continue to ensure their operatives use appropriate precautionary personal protective equipment and follow all government safety guidelines.

Visits to customer homes for safety checks resumed in Phase 2, with control measures including pysical distancing.

Window cleaning and grounds maintenance works have resumed.

We anticipate that some ofthese works may resume in Phase 3 and 4 of the lifting of lockdown restrictions, following thorough risk assessments being carried out. Some of these works will transfer into the 2021/22 programme of works.

We anticipate that these works will resume in Phase 3 and 4 of the lifting of lockdown restrictions. 

We have had to commission catch up work as well as working out how to deliver services differently. We are not sure what the financial impact of this will be. We will look at these costs towards the end of the financial year and make a fair and honest assessment of the costs then.        

Telephone: 0131 273 4000

E-mail: hello@bield.co.uk

Bield Response 24 (24/7 help line): 0141 950 1025

Usual number for Repair Line

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bieldhousingandcare/

Twitter: @BieldScotland

In Phase 2 of lifting of lockdown procedures, you can meet up to two different households to the maximum of eight people out of doors. From Phase 3 and 4 of lifting of lockdown restrictions, it is anticipated that people will be to have visitorsin their home.

Although lockdown measures are being eased, we are asking customers and visitors to continue to follow government guideline, so that the number of visitors to developments is limited as much as possible. Please consider visiting your friends and family in their gardens to help protect your neighbours.

In Phase 2, single-person households can join with one other household to form an 'extended' household. The extended household can visit each other's homes without physical distancing measures.