Stay home for SEVEN days if you have a cough or mild fever, Britons are told
- The UK Government announced earlier today that it has moved into the second phase of its action plan
- Anyone with a new cough or fever should stay in isolation – even if they have not travelled abroad recently
- It comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson held an emergency Cobra meeting to discuss the pandemic
- Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?
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People are being urged to stay at home for an entire week if they have a cough or fever as part of the response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The UK Government announced it has moved to the second phase of its action plan following the Prime Minister’s emergency Cobra meeting earlier today.
Boris Johnson declared that anyone who has picked up a new cough or fever should stay at home in isolation for at least seven days – even if they have not travelled abroad recently.
Boris Johnson declared that anyone who has picked up a new cough or fever should stay at home in isolation for at least seven days – even if they have not travelled abroad recently
The official guidance now states: ‘If you have symptoms of coronavirus infection (COVID-19), however mild, stay at home and do not leave your house for seven days from when your symptoms started.’
The most common symptoms of COVID-19 is a high temperature and a new continuous cough.
The Government issued a how-to guide for people forced to quarantine this afternoon which included sleeping alone, not shaking your dirty laundry and avoiding going for walks.
Those exhibiting only mild symptoms can still spread the virus as it is most infectious during the first few days.
The best way to protect yourself from contracting the virus in the first place is to avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean and washing your hands for at least 20 seconds on a regular basis.
But Britons who feel unwell have been warned not to contact NHS 111 unless their condition deteriorates as no one will be tested for coronavirus until they are hospitalised.
Professor Whitty, England’s Chief Medical Officer, said: ‘It is no longer necessary for us to identify every case and we will move from having testing mainly done in homes and outpatients and walk-in centres, to a situation where people who are remaining at home do not need testing.
‘We will pivot all the testing capacity to identify those in hospitals who have symptoms so we can pick them up early, make sure we treat them well and ensure they don’t pass on the virus to other people in hospitals.
‘So there will be a change in hospital and other testing systems.’
He added that from now on people would be tested ‘irrespective of their travel history’ if they are showing severe symptoms.
The new measures have so far divided professional opinion.
Dr Alexander Edwards, from the University of Reading, said: ‘This looks like a sound strategy from the health authorities in the UK.’
But Professor Graham Cooke, from Imperial College London, instead indicated that this could be an over-reach and many people with colds will end up staying off work.
He said: ‘The decision on implementing delay measures is a delicate balance of benefits and harms.
Mr Johnson warned the public to expect an announcement in the coming weeks that entire households could be also asked to stay in isolation for seven days (stock image)
‘We are still in a time of year when fever and cough is more likely to be due to other, more benign, viruses.
‘For example, [colds and flu] continue to circulate. Introducing self-isolation measures without a proven diagnosis at this time is more likely to cause unnecessary inconvenience (and possibly harm) than it is to help in controlling the spread of SARS-CoV-2.’
The official guidance also added that anyone with symptoms should stay at least two metres away from those who they live with.
Mr Johnson warned the public to expect an announcement in the coming days or weeks that entire households could soon also be asked to stay in isolation for a period of seven days.