The NHS in Wiltshire 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. Please use this link to see information supplied by the NHS https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
Stay at home if you have coronavirus symptoms
Stay at home if you have either:
- a high temperature – you feel hot to touch on your chest or back
- a new, continuous cough – this means you’ve started coughing repeatedly
Please follow the above instructions and self isolate at home.
How long to stay at home
- if you have symptoms, stay at home for 7 days
- if you live with other people, they should stay at home for 14 days from the day the first person got symptoms
If you live with someone who is 70 or over, has a long-term condition, is pregnant or has a weakened immune system, try to find somewhere else for them to stay for 14 days.
If you have to stay at home together, try to keep away from each other as much as possible.
Travellers who have returned to the UK no longer have to isolate if you don’t have symptoms.
You will not be routinely tested if you suspect you have the symptoms.
NHS 111 do not need to know if patients are self-isolating for 7 or 14 days, however, if your symptoms do not improve after 7 days, worsen or if you cannot cope with the symptoms at home, use this link https://111.nhs.uk/covid-19 for further steps, you will be advised to fill in a triaging tool which will let you know whether to call 111 for further advice.
Do not go to a GP surgery, community pharmacy or hospital. Stay indoors and avoid close contact with other people.
Further information is available on nhs.uk.
Like the common cold, coronavirus infection usually occurs through close contact with a person with novel coronavirus via cough and sneezes or hand contact. A person can also be infected by touching contaminated surfaces if they do not wash their hands.
Guidance is asking anyone with the symptoms described as above self isolate. This means that suspected cases are kept in isolation. Any equipment in health care buuldings that come into contact with suspected cases are thoroughly cleaned as appropriate. Specific guidance has also been shared with NHS staff to help safeguard them and others. Patients can be reassured that their safety is a top priority.