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.
Only call 111 if you cannot get help online
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 possible.
- If you have to stay at home together, try to distance yourselves from each other as much as feasibly possible.
- You do not need to contact NHS111 to tell them you are staying at home
Read the NHS advice about staying at home https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
Urgent advice: Use the NHS 111 online coronavirus service if:
- You feel you cannot cope with your symptoms at home
- Your condition gets worse
- Your symptoms do not get better after 7 days
Sick notes/fit notes
General Practice is under a lot of pressure and needs to prioritise the healthcare of patients who are acutely unwell. Consequently patients should self-certify for the first seven days as normal of they are unfit to work. You do not need to contact your GP.
If you remain unwell and unfit to work over seven days, advice is to visit www.111.nhs.uk and complete an online self-assessment. You may be asked to call 111 for further advice on the next steps regarding your illness/fitness to work. You do not need to contact your GP.
In the light of the COVID-19 crisis, it is likely a vast amount of people will be self-isolating in accordance with advice provided by the Government and Public Health. In these cases, employers are expected to use their discretion around the need for medical evidence for a period of absence where an employee needs to stay at home due to suspected COVID-19.
These instructions are in accordance with the public health advice being issued by the government. Home working should be considered for employees’ in isolation wherever possible
How to get an isolation note
Use this service if you have been told to stay at home because of coronavirus and you need a note for your employer.
This service is only for people who:
- have symptoms of coronavirus and have used the 111 online coronavirus service
- have been told by a healthcare professional they have symptoms of coronavirus
- live with someone who has symptoms of coronavirus
If you are not sure if you need to stay at home, get the latest NHS advice on coronavirus.
If you have to stay at home but feel well enough to work, ask your employer if you can work from home. If you can work from home, you will not need an isolation note.
You can also use this service for someone else.
