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The ongoing lockdown may be causing you to feel anxious and overwhelmed, especially regarding keeping yourself and your loved ones safe against the virus. We have put together a small guide on how to keep yourself protected.
Know what symptoms to look out for
As COVID 19 is a virus that affects the lungs, the main symptoms are reported to be a fever or dry cough, which can also lead to breathing problems.
With lots of information circulating about the virus and its symptoms, it is important to ensure that you are getting your information and advice from a trusted source.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) have stated these common symptoms:
- Fever
- Tiredness
- Dry cough
Other symptoms include:
- Shortness of breath
- Aches and pains
- Sore throat
- Few people will report diarrhoea, nausea and a runny nose
Recently, there have also been reports that symptoms can include a loss of taste.
The symptoms can take an average of five days to appear, although some people may experience that this is longer. The WHO have said that the incubation period lasts up to 14 days.
Patients with mild symptoms are told to self-isolate for at least seven days and are asked not to ring NHS 111 unless they feel worried that their symptoms may be more severe.
Keep safe and clean
The best thing to do in order to protect yourself from the virus is regular handwashing with soap and water, as well as the use of hand sanitiser if possible. Coronavirus spreads from one person to another through small droplets from sneezing and coughing. The virus can be spread by these droplets being breathed in or landing on a surface which is then touched, leading to the possible contraction through touching your face.
To combat this, avoiding touching your face is advised as well as the regular washing of your hands. If you think you may have contracted the virus, it is important that you self-isolate and do not come into close contact with others.
Practice social distancing
It is a very challenging time for everyone now and most people will be finding it hard to retrain themselves indoors and away from loved ones. Though this may be challenging, it is a small sacrifice to make to keep ourselves and the people around us safe. Social distancing, as well as avoiding unnecessary outings, will help to stop the spread of the virus and hopefully decrease the quarantine phase in the long run.
It is advised to travel individually unless you are with children, to keep a two-metre distance from other members of the public, and to only make necessary trips.
The government have issued guidelines on suitable reasons for making trips out of the house:
- Shopping for necessities
- Any medical need, or providing aid for a vulnerable person
- Travel to and from work but only when you cannot work from home
- Exercise – alone of with members of your household
Keep active
With the retrains forced upon us by the extended lockdown, it can be easy to feel trapped indoors. A great way to combat this feeling is to stay active, whether it be a walk, an online exercise class or a bike ride - any form of activity is good for both your physical and mental help.
More advice on this can be found here.
These simple choices could help save thousands of lives. For more information on how you can stay safe, please refer to the WHO website.
Find out more about how we are acting against Coronavirus on our dedication Hub.