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<p>To support those who have been identified as clinically extremely vulnerable to
the COVID-19 virus, we are working with local authorities, the food industry, local
resilience and emergency partners, and voluntary groups to ensure these individuals
have both support and access to essential items such as groceries and medicines through
deliveries and priority supermarket delivery slots, if they do not have alternative
means of accessing these.</p><p>We are sharing data with local authorities on deliveries,
including on planned deliveries in their area; where individuals have unmet basic
care needs; or where individuals require assistance lifting food into their homes.
Guidance has been issued to local authorities, most recently on 24 April.</p><p>The
Government is also supporting local authorities to identify and support vulnerable
people who fall outside the shielding programme. We have enabled local authorities
to use NHS volunteers who registered with the GoodSam app. The system is also now
open for self-referrals. The Government and local authorities are also working with
supermarkets so they can offer priority delivery slots to non-shielded vulnerable
people.</p><p>In addition, we have provided over £3.2 billion for local councils to
manage the immediate impacts of coronavirus.</p>
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