COVID-19

You and all household members should remain at home. Do not go to work, school, or public areas, and do not use public transport or taxis.

If possible, you should not go out even to buy food or other essentials, other than exercise, and in that case at a safe distance from others. The 14-day period starts from the day the first person in your house became ill.

If you require help with buying groceries, other shopping or picking up medication, or walking a dog, you will need to ask friends or relatives. Alternatively, you can order medication by phone or online. You can also order your shopping online. MAKE SURE YOU TELL ANYONE WHO IS DELIVERING SOMETHING TO YOUR HOME TO LEAVE THE ITEMS OUTSIDE FOR COLLECTION. THE PERSON SHOULD NOT COME INTO YOUR HOME.

Keep following this advice to the best of your ability, however, we are aware that not all these measures will be possible.

What we have seen so far is that children with coronavirus appear to be less severely affected. It is nevertheless important to do your best to follow this guidance.

Minimize as much as possible the time any vulnerable family members spend in shared spaces such as kitchens, bathrooms and sitting areas, and keep shared spaces well ventilated.

Aim to keep 3-4 STEPS away from vulnerable people you live with and encourage them to sleep in a different bed where possible. If they can, they should use a separate bathroom from the rest of the household. Make sure they use separate towels from the other people in your house, both for drying themselves after bathing or showering and for hand-hygiene purposes.

If you do share a toilet and bathroom with a vulnerable person, it is important that you clean them every time you use them (for example, wiping surfaces you have come into contact with). Another tip is to consider drawing up a schedule for bathing, with the vulnerable person using the facilities first.

If you share a kitchen with a vulnerable person, avoid using it while they are present. If they can, they should take their meals back to their room to eat. If you have one, use a dishwasher to clean and dry the family’s used crockery and cutlery. If this is not possible, wash them using your usual washing up liquid and warm water and dry them thoroughly. If the vulnerable person is using their own utensils, remember to use a separate towel for drying these.

**We understand that it will be difficult for some people to separate themselves from others at home. You should do your very best to follow this guidance and everyone in your household should regularly wash their hands, avoid touching their face, and clean frequently touched surfaces.**

When cleaning you should use your usual household products, like detergents and bleach, as these will be very effective at getting rid of the virus on surfaces. Clean frequently touched surfaces such as door handles, handrails, remote controls and table tops. This is particularly important if you have an older or vulnerable person in the house.

Personal waste (such as used tissues) and disposable cleaning cloths can be stored securely within disposable garbage bags. These bags should be placed into another bag, tied securely and kept separate from other waste. This should be put aside for at least 72 hours before being put in your usual external household trash containers.

Other household waste can be disposed of as normal.

To minimize the possibility of dispersing virus through the air, do not shake dirty laundry.

Wash items as appropriate in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. All dirty laundry can be washed in the same load.

**If you do not have a washing machine, wait a further 72 hours after your 7-day {for individual isolation) or 14-day isolation period (for households) has ended when you can then take the laundry to a public laundromat.**

Drink water to keep yourself hydrated; you should drink enough during the day so your urine (pee) is a pale clear color. You can use over-the-counter medications to help with some of your symptoms, if allowed by your physician. Use these according to the instructions on the packet or label and do not exceed the recommended dose.

Seek prompt medical attention if your illness or the illness in any household members is worsening.

**If it is an emergency and you need to call an ambulance, dial 911 and inform the operator that you or your relative have coronavirus symptoms.**

All routine medical and dental appointments should usually be cancelled while you and the family are staying at home. If you are concerned or have been asked to attend in person within the period you are home isolating, discuss this with your medical contact first (for example, your GP, local hospital or outpatient service), using the number they have provided.

Clean your hands frequently each day by washing with soap and water for 20 seconds or using hand sanitizer. This will help protect you and the people you live with. This step is one of the most effective ways of reducing the risk of passing infection to others.

Cover your mouth and nose with disposable tissues when you cough or sneeze. If you do not have one on hand, sneeze into the crook of your elbow, not into your hand.

If you have a care giver, they should use disposable tissues to wipe away any mucus or phlegm after you have sneezed or coughed. Then they should wash their hands with soap and water.

Dispose of tissues into a disposable garbage bag and immediately wash your hands with soap and water or use a hand sanitizer.

We do not recommend the use of facemasks as an effective means of preventing the spread of infection. Facemasks play an important role in clinical settings, such as hospitals, but there’s very little evidence of benefit from their use outside of these settings.

Do not invite or allow social visitors, such as other friends and family, to enter your home. If you want to speak to someone who is outside of your household, use the phone or social media.

If you or a family member receive essential care in your home, then care taker should continue to visit. Care takers will be provided with face masks and gloves to reduce the risk of you passing on the infection.

We know that staying at home for a prolonged period can be difficult, frustrating and lonely for some people and that you or other household members may feel low.

It’s important to remember to take care of your mind as well as your body and to get support if you need it. Stay in touch with family and friends over the phone or on social media. Think about things you can do during your time at home. People who have not minded staying at home for a week have kept themselves busy with activities such as cooking, reading, on line learning and watching TV or films. If you feel well enough you can take part in light exercise within your home.

If you have been symptomatic, then you may end your self-isolation after 7 days. The 7-day period starts from the day when you first became ill
If living with others, then all household members who remain well may end household-isolation after 14 days. The 14-day period starts from the day illness began in the first person to become ill. Fourteen days is the incubation period for coronavirus; people who remain well after 14 days are unlikely to be infectious.

After 7 days, if the first person to become ill feels better and no longer has a high temperature, they can return to their normal routine. If any other family members become unwell during the 14-day household-isolation period, they should follow the same advice – that is, after 7 days of their symptoms starting, if they feel better and no longer have a high temperature, they can also return to their normal routine.

Should a household member develop coronavirus symptoms late in the 14-day household-isolation period (for example, on day 13 or day 14) the isolation period does not need to be extended, but the person with the new symptoms has to stay at home for 7 days. The 14-day household-isolation period will have greatly reduced the overall amount of infection the rest of the household could pass on, and it is not necessary to re-start 14 days of isolation for the whole household. This will have provided a high level of community protection. Further isolation of members of this household will provide very little additional community protection.

At the end of the 14-day period, any family member who has not become unwell can leave household isolation.

**If any ill person in the household has not had any signs of improvement and have not already sought medical advice, they should contact their physician.**

The cough may persist for several weeks in some people, despite the coronavirus infection having cleared. A persistent cough alone does not mean someone must continue to self-isolate for more than 7 days.