Frequently Asked Questions

Coronavirus is carried in the air by tiny respiratory droplets that carry the virus.

Larger droplets can land on other people or on surfaces they touch.

Smaller droplets, called aerosols, can stay in the air indoors for at least 5 minutes, and often much longer if there is no fresh air.

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.

Test and Protect is Scotland’s way of putting into practice the test, trace, isolate, support strategy.

It will prevent the spread of coronavirus in the community by:

• identifying cases of coronavirus through testing
• tracing the people who may have become infected by spending time in close contact with them
• supporting those close contacts to self-isolate, so that if they have the disease they are less likely transmit it to others

This will allow us to gradually change the restrictions that help to suppress the virus, and instead to contain it so that society and the economy can avoid a return to lockdown.

Lounges are now re-open. 

Dining rooms are open.

The common rooms are now mostly open, although we are asking people to maintain phyiscal distancing to help reduce the risk of the virus spreading.

If you have been within 2 meters of a person who has tested positive for Covid-19 you will be considered a close contact and will be asked to self-isolate.

Guest rooms are now re-open.

As the pandemic continues, many of our front-line colleagues are being asked to self-isolate by Test and Protect when they have come into contact with COVID-19 positive cases. 

BR24 will still be available to contact and will provide any assistance they are able to.

As a result, BR24 may also be dealing with a higher number of calls than usual.

To help reduce the number of non-urgent calls, we have changed the door opening and closing times to enable health and social care professionals to enter the building to carry out their work.

As a security precaution, please ensure your front door is locked.

As the pandemic continues, many of our front-line colleagues are being asked to self-isolate by Test and Protect when they have come into contact with COVID-19 positive cases. 

BR24 will still be available to contact and will provide any assistance they are able to.

We have contingency plans in place to help us ensure we can provide services should colleagues at your development are ill or need to self isolate.

We thank you for your patience at this difficult time. 

Lifts can be used, but to help maintain physical distancing, they should only be accessed by one household at a time.

Please do not enter the lift if there is another individual inside, wait until this is free before entering.

Colleagues will wear a face-covering in shared spaces such as corridors and office, in line with Scottish Government guidance.

Where colleagues need to be closer than 2m from a customer in order to provide care or support, they will need to wear PPE, which may include a face-mask, gloves, aprons and visors.

This will help to keep you safe, and will also help keep Bield colleagues safe as well. 

Wearing PPE can be uncomfortable and can make some tasks more difficult, so we ask everyone to be a little more patient and kind.

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 are going ahead, although our contractors are adhering to a number of 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.

Please remember to maintain physical distancing from contractors who attend your home, which will keep you and them safe. 

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. 

Please remember to keep 2m away from the contractor, and if you can stay in another room while the repair is carried out. 

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, which can be arranged via your local manager or your Repair Line contact.

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.

We are pleased to confirm that visits to customer homes for safety checks are going ahead with relevant control measures, such as physical distancing, wearing a face-covering, and enhanced hand hygiene. 

Window cleaning and grounds maintenance works have resumed.

We are working with contractors to proceed with as many capital projects as possible, with relevant mitigation measures in place. 

Scheduled works that have not been completed will be carried forward to the 2021/22 programme. 

We thank you all for your patience during these unprecedented times.

After the initial lockdown, we commissioned considerable 'catch-up' work, as well as developing new Safe Systems of Work with our contractors.

As the situation continues, we will assess the financial impact of our new way of working.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.        

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

Yes, restrictions relating to visitors to your homes have been removed.