Coronavirus (COVID-19): what you need to do
Stay at home
• Only go outside for food, health reasons or work (where this absolutely cannot be done from home)
• Stay 2 metres (6ft) away from other people
• Wash your hands as soon as you get home
Anyone can spread the virus
Full guidance on staying at home and away from others
The single most important action we can all take, in fighting coronavirus, is to stay at home in order to protect the NHS and save lives.
Details
When we reduce our day-to-day contact with other people, we will reduce the spread of the infection. That is why the government is now (23rd March 2020) introducing three new measures.
- Requiring people to stay at home, except for very limited purposes
- Closing non-essential shops and community spaces
- Stopping all gatherings of more than two people in public
Every citizen must comply with these new measures. The relevant authorities, including the police, will be given the powers to enforce them – including through fines and dispersing gatherings.
These measures are effective immediately. The Government will look again at these measures in three weeks, and relax them if
the evidence shows this is possible.
Symptoms and what to do
Do not leave your home if you have coronavirus symptoms
Do not leave your home if you have either:
• a high temperature – this means 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)
To protect others, do not go to places like a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital. Stay at home.
Use the 111 online coronavirus service to find out what to do.
Advice for people at high risk
Who’s at high risk from coronavirus
Coronavirus can make anyone seriously ill, but there are some people who are at a higher risk.
For example, you may be at high risk from coronavirus if you:
• have had an organ transplant
• are having certain types of cancer treatment
• have blood or bone marrow cancer, such as leukaemia
• have a severe lung condition, such as cystic fibrosis or severe asthma
• have a condition that makes you much more likely to get infections
• are taking medicine that weakens your immune system
• are pregnant and have a serious heart condition
If you’re at high risk of getting seriously ill from coronavirus, there are extra things you should do to avoid catching it. These include:
• not leaving your home – you should not go out to do shopping, pick up medicine or exercise
• stay at least 2 metres (3 steps) away from other people in your home as much as possible
Ask friends, family or neighbours to pick up shopping and medicines for you. They should leave them outside your door.
Self-isolation helps stop coronavirus spreading
Do not leave your home if you have symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) or live with someone who does. This is called self-isolation.
If you are self-isolating, you must:
• not leave your home for any reason, other than to exercise once a day – but stay at least 2 metres (3 steps) away from other people
• not go out to buy food or collect medicine – order them by phone or online, or ask someone else to drop them off at your home
• not have visitors, such as friends and family, in your home
You can use your garden, if you have one.
STAY AT HOME!
