Coronavirus, or COVID-19, is a virus that remains a serious threat across the Black Country & West Birmingham.
While lockdown restrictions are beginning to ease, it is vital that we all stay vigilant, stay at home as much as possible, and continue to follow the national Hands, Face, Space guidance.
If you have any of the symptoms of coronavirus:
- a high temperature
- a new, continuous cough
- a loss of, or change to, your sense of smell or taste
Get a test and stay at home.
Up to date guidance on coronavirus and your health can be found on the national NHS website, or you can find information below.
For the latest rules and guidance on what to do during the pandemic, including current restrictions and public health advice, visit gov.uk/coronavirus
If you have any of the main symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19), get a test as soon as possible. Stay at home until you get the result.
The main symptoms of coronavirus are:
- 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)
- a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you've noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal
Most people with coronavirus have at least one of these symptoms.
What to do if you have symptoms:
- Get a test to check if you have coronavirus as soon as possible.
- You and anyone you live with should stay at home and not have visitors until you get your test result – only leave your home to have a test.
Anyone in your support bubble should also stay at home if you have been in close contact with them since your symptoms started or during the 48 hours before they started.
Self-isolation is when you do not leave your home because you have or might have coronavirus (COVID-19).
This helps stop the virus spreading to other people.
Self-isolation is different to:
- social distancing – general advice for everyone to avoid close contact with other people
- shielding – advice for people at high risk from coronavirus.
It's a legal requirement to self-isolate if you test positive or are told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace. You could be fined if you do not self-isolate.
Full guidance on self isolating, including financial support available, can be found here.
You must get a test if you experience any of the symptoms of coronavirus, while for some people it is adviasble to get a rapid lateral flow test if you do not have symptoms.
- Get a test if you have symptoms of coronavirus on GOV.UK
- Find out if you can get rapid lateral flow tests if you do not have symptoms on GOV.UK
Information to help you understand your test result and why testing is important is available here.
Advice for people at higher risk from coronavirus, including older people, people with health conditions and pregnant women:
- Who is at high risk from coronavirus (clinically extremely vulnerable)
- Advice for people at high risk from coronavirus (shielding)
- Free vitamin D supplements for people at high risk from coronavirus
- Get a shielding note
- Check a shielding note
- Pregnancy and coronavirus
- Other conditions and coronavirus.