Information for families about coronavirus and pancreatic cancer

You can speak to our specialist nurses on our free Support Line with any questions about pancreatic cancer and coronavirus, and talk through your concerns. The Support Line is available for family and carers as well as people with pancreatic cancer.

If you live with someone with pancreatic cancer

You should still be careful to protect yourselves from coronavirus. For example, carry on washing your hands carefully, and you could still stay 2 metres from people you don’t live with. If you haven’t yet had the coronavirus vaccines, then get this. And you could take regular lateral flow tests – you can get these from pharmacies. Read more about coronavirus and staying safe.

If you or someone you live with gets symptoms of coronavirus

If you or someone else in the home get symptoms of coronavirus, try to arrange for the person with pancreatic cancer to stay with friends or family for 14 days. You should also do this if you are contacted by the NHS contact tracing service because you have been in contact with someone who tested positive to coronavirus. If the person with pancreatic cancer can’t stay somewhere else, try to keep 2 metres away from them as much as possible.

If you don’t live with the person with pancreatic cancer

If you are providing care to the person with pancreatic cancer, it is fine for you to visit them, as long as you don’t have symptoms of coronavirus. You can take regular lateral flow tests. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds when you arrive, and often while you are there.

Think carefully about the risk of coronavirus and how you can reduce the risk. For example, you might want to stay 2 metres apart until the person with pancreatic cancer has had a booster dose of the vaccine. Or you might decide to meet outside. If you do meet inside, make sure the room is well ventilated by opening the windows and doors.

Carers UK have lots of information about coronavirus for carers.

Making plans for supporting someone with pancreatic cancer

You may find it helpful to plan ahead with the person with pancreatic cancer, to help you both cope with the coronavirus situation. It may be helpful to talk to family and friends about what’s needed.

The person with pancreatic cancer may rely on the support of family, friends and neighbours – for example, to help with getting shopping and medicines. You could try arranging a rota of who does what to share this out. There may also be local voluntary groups that can provide support – look on the COVID-19 Mutual Aid UK website to see if there’s a group near you.

If you are caring for someone with pancreatic cancer, it’s a good idea to make a plan in case you become unwell. Work out if there’s somebody the person with pancreatic cancer could stay with, or who might be able to care for them. If you need help with care but you’re not sure who to contact, or if you don’t have family or friends who can help, you can contact your local council or GP, who should be able to help.

Note down the following key information, and share it with others:

• the name and address and any other contact details of the person you look after
• who you and the person you care for would like to be contacted in an emergency
• details of any medicine they are taking
• details of any ongoing treatment they need
• contact details for their GP and medical team
• details of any medical appointments they need to keep.

Carers UK also have information for people caring for others.

Updated: 6 June 2022