As the world grinds to a halt and people sit physically separated in their homes, it is now, more than ever, that we must think about ‘togetherness’.

What does it mean to be together with someone and how can we continue to support each other whilst prioritising the health of all involved?

We recently sent out a special edition newsletter focusing on ways to stay involved with the charity as well as the situation outside of the UK. Click here to read it.

Following the World Health Organisation’s advice about COVID-19 (which you can access here), we have made the difficult decision to suspend all of our upcoming events for the time being. We are working hard to move some events online however some projects, such as Aid Together, will unfortunately be unable to run in the current situation. Thankfully we had already dispatched sufficient aid to be able to keep our Minsk warehouse stocked for the time being, and we continue to provide emergency aid to those who need it.

We are mindful of the fact that different countries have issued varying instructions and advice and therefore recommend that everyone, no matter their location, relies on the World Health Organisation’s website for the most up to date information. The Together Plan recommends that all staff, supporters and members follow the lockdown rules imposed in the UK, regardless of where they are in the world. This way we can ensure that we are following best hygiene practice, no matter what we are doing or where we are.

Here are 3 simple rules that we should try to follow in order to help ourselves and others stay safe:

  1. Do not leave your home unless necessary.
    • This could include leaving to support someone else who is “vulnerable”, buying necessary groceries, exercising, and working (if it is not possible to work from home).
  2. Stay a minimum of 2 metres away from people who do not live with you.
    • You can do little things, like crossing the street to avoid close contact with people, and not staying in enclosed spaces like public transport with other people.
  3. If you do leave your house, you should attempt to cover your mouth and nose with a mask and wear gloves.
    • Be sure to either throw these away safely or disinfect them with rubbing alcohol after use.
    • Many surfaces can hold viruses and you should not touch your face until you have returned home and washed your hands.

We recognise that not everyone will suffer from the virus in the same way, and some may experience worse symptoms than they would have otherwise expected. By following these rules and reducing social contact, we can help to protect each other and ourselves.

We are #AloneButTogether.