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Updates and advice

Stay at home

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.  You should only leave the house for very limited reasons: 

  • Shopping for basic necessities, for example food and medicine, as infrequently as possible.
  • One form of exercise a day, for example a run, walk, or cycle - alone or with members of your household. 
  • Any medical need, including to donate blood, avoid risk of harm, provide care or help a vulnerable person. 
  • Travelling for work purposes, but only where you cannot work from home. 

There are exceptions - and when doing these activities, you should minimise time spent outside of the home and ensure you are two metres apart from anyone outside of your household.  

Critical workers, and parents of vulnerable children, may leave the house to take their children to and from school or their childcare provider.  Children can be moved between homes if their parents live separately. 

More information about staying at home

  • Go to gov.uk to download Staying at home and away from others (social distancing) guidelines. 
  • Go to gov.uk to download Staying at home guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection. 

The Cabinet Office has published a set of FAQs which include answers to questions such as "can I drive to green spaces?" and "can I go to the park?"

  • Go to gov.uk to download Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: what you can and can't do. 

Help stop the infection spreading and support each other 

  • Wash your hands with soap and water often - do this for at least 20 seconds:
    • Palm to palm
    • The backs of hands
    • In between the fingers
    • The back of the fingers
    • The thumbs
    • The tips of the fingers
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze. 
  • Put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards 
  • Don't touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean. 
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and objects in your home, such as door handles and taps. 
  • Shop responsibly, follow advice in stores, and only buy what you need for yourself and your family, and those you're supporting 

Symptoms

Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a new illness that can affect your lungs and airways. It is caused by a virus called coronavirus.  You may have coronavirus if you have either of the following symptoms, however mild:

  • a high temperature.
  • a new, continuous cough. 

Anyone that has these symptoms must stay at home until the symptoms have ended, and in all cases for at least seven days.  Everyone else in the household must stay at home for at least 14 days after the first person's symptoms appear, even if they themselves do not have symptoms.  If anyone else develops symptoms during that time, that individual must stay home for an additional seven days from when they developed symptom.  Once seven days have passed and provided symptoms have ended, they no longer need to isolate.

Where to get help if you need it

Do not go to a GP, pharmacy of hospital.  

  • Use NHS.111.uk online services.  Only call 111 if you are not able to get online, you have been instructed to call, or your symptoms worsen. 
  • Call 999 if you have a serious or life-threatening emergency, and tell the call adviser if you have coronavirus symptoms. 

Advice for those who are 70 and over or have an underlying health condition

People who are 70 and over, or those who have an underlying health condition, are likely to be more seriously affected.  It is even more important that you protect yourself now by following the advice above.  

If you are at very high risk due to a serious underlying health condition, you should have already received a letter from the NHS containing specific guidance about what to do.  

If you need shopping or medication, ask family, friends or neighbours to drop these at your door, or if possible.  If you don't have a support network to help you with shopping or delivery of medication, check if you can get help from Bury Community Hubs.  

GP consultations should be done over the phone or online, to minimise risk to you and other patients.  GP practices may post non-urgent health checks or routine appointments. 

Advice for pregnant women

If you are pregnant, there is helpful information and advice about pregnancy and coronavirus at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists website. 

Advice for everyone and reported cases

Going to work

  • You may travel for work purposes, but only where you cannot work from home.
  • Employers and employees should discuss their working arrangements, and employers should take every possible step to facilitate their employees working from home.
  • Certain jobs require people to travel to their place of work. If you cannot work from home then you can still travel to work, provided neither you nor any of your household have coronavirus symptoms. This is consistent with advice from the Chief Medical Officer.

Latest guidance from the government

Guidance on supporting children and young people's mental health and wellbeing

Advice for parents and carers on looking after the mental health and wellbeing of children or young people during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

Go to gov.uk for advice on support children and young people's mental health and wellbeing

How to help safely

Across the UK people are playing their part and providing essential support to their friends and family who are in isolation.

Go to gov.uk for guidance on how to help safely

Guidance on social distancing for everyone and for vulnerable people

This guidance is for everyone. It advises on social distancing measures we should all be taking to reduce social interaction between people in order to reduce the transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19). It is intended for use in situations where people are living in their own homes, with or without additional support from friends, family and carers.

Residential care, supported living and home care guidance

Guidance for providers of residential care, supported living, and home care. This sets out how to maintain delivery of care in the event of an outbreak or widespread transmission of coronavirus and what to do if care workers or individuals  being cared for have coronavirus symptoms.

Guidance on care of the deceased

This guidance is intended to ensure members of the funeral, pathology and other related professions can keep themselves safe and prevent the risk of infection when they are in contact with the deceased. 

The guidance also guides and advises mourners on how to safely organise and attend funerals and associated mourning rituals. 

Non-healthcare settings

This guidance covers the cleaning of environments in the community.  It can be applied to any non-healthcare setting such as workplaces, offices, waiting rooms, hotel rooms and student accommodation. 

Educational settings

The Department for Education has set up a helpline offering guidance for anyone with education-related questions about coronavirus.  The helpline is open from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.

Employees, employers and businesses

This guidance will assist employers and businesses in providing advice to their staff.

Hostel or day centres for people rough sleeping

This guidance will assist staff and employers in addressing coronavirus in a hostel or day centre environment. This guidance may be updated in line with the changing situation. 

Mass gatherings

This advice is intended for people or organisations attending or arranging mass gatherings.  In line with social distance guidance it is advised that large gatherings should not take place.

Staff in the transport sector

Guidance on COVID-19, including general precautions for staff and guidance on the assessment and management of arrivals into the UK.

Useful links - where you can find out more

nhs.uk

gov.uk