Sector clinical guidance on infection control measures in England after 19 July

The General Optical Council (GOC) welcomes the guidance for registrants practising in England that has been issued today by the following optical sector organisations:

• The College of Optometrists
• Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO)
• Association of Optometrists (AOP)
• Federation of Ophthalmic and Dispensing Opticians (FODO)

This confirms that we remain in the amber (recovery) phase of the College of Optometrists pandemic framework and outlines the infection control measures that optical businesses, optometrists, dispensing opticians and optical students in England should follow after the lifting of lockdown restrictions on 19 July, including guidance on social distancing and face masks/coverings.

The GOC fully supports its registrants in following this guidance pending any further direct instructions from Public Health England or NHS England.

The lifting of lockdown measures in other nations of the UK is still to be determined and registrants in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland should continue to follow the advice of devolved government and NHS bodies in terms of infection control measures.

Further information

Our own COVID-19 statements, including our statement on infection control, can be found on the Coronavirus latest information page.