Coronavirus: Food and medicine deliveries in Northern Ireland

If you are elderly or vulnerable and self-isolating because of the coronavirus outbreak, then getting food and medicine to your door is crucial.

It can be difficult to know where to turn to when supermarket delivery slots are full or if you don't have a support network to call on.

But help is available.

Here's everything you need to know, and who to contact, if you need to get food or supplies delivered.

Yes, there is. It's operated by the Department of Communities - you can call freephone on 0808 802 0020, between 09:00 BST and 17:00, seven days a week.

You can also email [email protected] or text ACTION to 81025 to get in touch.

Yes, they do - in England, elderly and vulnerable people get priority for slots with major supermarkets, such as Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda.

However, the Department of Communities have said the online system used in England cannot be replicated here at the moment, as it is more complex.

It's the same in Wales and Scotland - only England currently has a set-up for priority grocery deliveries.

The department has said it will provide food parcels to those most in need, with 10,000 set to go out to those who have been told to shield themselves indoors by GPs and those in critical need of food.

If you believe you are eligible for a food parcel then the main thing to do is to call the helpline number - 0808 802 0020.

Quite possibly. When we talk about online grocery delivery, we're generally talking about the major supermarkets such as Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda.

However operators of local stores, such as Spar, Centra and SuperValu, have told us they are now running delivery services and have plenty of slots available for deliveries.

As to finding out if your local shop will deliver, there are some resources.

A useful tool is on the Consumer Council website - it's an interactive map that allows shoppers to see which businesses near you are delivering.

But, if in doubt, you can call your local shop and ask.

Since the beginning of the outbreak, we have been told of many, many instances of businesses starting up delivery services to get groceries and supplies to those who need it - so it may be a store close to you is now running that service.

Some councils have their own resources, helplines and teams that you can use if you are struggling to get what you need.

Age NI offers an advice and advocacy service which provides older people with information, advice and support - you can contact them on 0808 808 7575, email [email protected] or visit its website.

Mid & East Antrim Agewell Partnership covers the Ballymena, Larne and Carrickfergus areas and is offering a good neighbour scheme to help vulnerable people in the community by volunteering to drop off supplies at their door. You can contact them on 028 2565 8604 or email [email protected].

Forward South Partnership offers a telephone helpline for anyone in South Belfast in need of support such as food parcels and prescription collections. It can be called on 07394569155, between 09:00 and 17:00, Monday to Friday.

Holywood Connects has launched for people in that area, offering a directory of organisations and groups that can support them with grocery deliveries, prescription pick-ups and counselling.

Community NI has a searchable database of organisations offering deliveries of food, groceries and prescriptions across Northern Ireland, which can be accessed here on its website.

Remember - the Covid-19 community helpline is being used to coordinate services across different council areas. You can access services in your area by calling it.

It can be reached on 0808 802 0020, emailed at [email protected] or by texting ACTION to 81025.

This is a freephone helpline to assist those in vulnerable groups to access information, advice and guidance in relation to Covid-19 and is open from 9:00 to 17:00, seven days a week.