The NHS and Public Health England (PHE) are extremely well prepared for outbreaks of new infectious diseases. The NHS has put in place measures to ensure the safety of all patients and NHS staff while also ensuring services are available to the public as normal.
Stay at home if you have either:
- a high temperature – you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
- a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital
If any of the other member of the household become unwell during the 14 days self-isolate, they must then self-isolate for a further 7 days.
Use the 111 online coronavirus service to find out what to do
Read the NHS advice about staying home including how long to isolate for.
Use the NHS 111 online coronavirus service if:
- you feel you cannot cope with your symptoms at home
- your condition gets worse
- your symptoms do not get better after 7 days
Only call 111 if you cannot get help online.
The NHS will contact you from Monday 23 March 2020 if you are at particularly high risk of getting seriously ill with coronavirus. You’ll be given specific advice about what to do.
Do not contact your GP or healthcare team at this stage – wait to be contacted.
For further information on high risk groups, how to avoid catching and spreading coronavirus and pregnancy advice go to nhs.uk/coronavirus.
