What is Coronavirus and what are the symptoms?
Coronavirus (Covid-19) is a contagious disease caused by severe respiratory virus Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)
- The virus can spread via:
- droplets of saliva
- discharge from the nose when an infected person coughs or sneezes
The main symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) 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
The government is removing remaining domestic restrictions in England. There are still steps you can take to reduce the risk of catching and spreading COVID-19:
- Get vaccinated
- Let fresh air in if meeting indoors, or meet outside
- Consider wearing a face covering in crowded, enclosed spaces
- Get tested if you have COVID-19 symptoms, and stay at home if positive
Recent Covid Changes in England:
Spring COVID-19 Booster
- Care home residents, people aged 75 and over and those with a weakened immune system aged 12 and over will be invited to get a spring COVID-19 booster. The NHS will contact you and invite you to book your spring booster when it’s due.
18 March
- From 4am on Friday 18 March, you do not need to take any COVID-19 tests or fill in a passenger locator form when travelling to the UK from abroad. These changes apply whether you are fully vaccinated or not.
24 February
- You will not be legally required to self-isolate if you test positive for COVID-19. Stay at home if you can and avoid contact with other people.
- You will not have to take daily tests or be legally required to self-isolate following contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.
- The Test and Trace Support Payment Scheme will end. If you were told to self-isolate before 24 February you can still make a claim up to 6 April.
21 February
- The government has published its plan for living with COVID-19.
- Staff and students in most education and childcare settings no longer need to test twice a week.
11 February
- If you’re fully vaccinated you will no longer need to take a COVID-19 test either before or after you arrive in the UK. You still need to complete a passenger locator form.
- If you are not fully vaccinated you will need to take a pre-departure test. After you arrive, you will need to take a PCR test on or before day 2, but you will only need to quarantine if it’s positive. You still need to complete a passenger locator form.
It can sometimes be difficult to find factual information about the current situation.
Linked below are some helpful sites you may want to have a look at:
Please Note: All of the above information is correct as of 24th March 2022.
For the most up-to-date information please visit the Government website here.
