Coronavirus - Official information and advice

Contents

What is coronavirus?

Novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is a new strain of coronavirus first identified in Wuhan City, China. The 2019 novel coronavirus has been spreading since it was first reported in December 2019.

Symptoms include fever and respiratory symptoms including coughing and shortness of breath. Generally, coronavirus can cause more severe symptoms in people with weakened immune systems, older people, and those with long term conditions like diabetes, cancer and chronic lung disease.

Latest official advice

The latest Government Coronavirus guidance and support can be found on the Gov.UK Coronavirus web pages.

Stay alert - we can all help protect each other and control the virus if we all stay alert. This means you must:-

  • Keep your distance if you go out (2 metres apart where possible)
  • Wear face coverings
  • Wash your hands regularly
  • If you have symptoms self isolate and get tested
  • If you test positive provide details of contacts

More information and guidance from Public Health England on coronavirus (or COVID-19) can be found on nhs.uk/coronavirus

The repeated advice from experts at Public Health England is that hygiene practices, such as regularly washing hands and always sneezing or coughing into a tissue is the best way to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

You should:

  • wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds
  • always wash your hands when you get home or into work
  • use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
  • cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
  • put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards

Official health information

There is lots of misinformation being shared about coronavirus, the following organisations are providing regular official information and updates both on their websites and via social media.

Other official guidance

Coronavirus testing

Please see our coronavirus testing page for details on how to book a test and information on NHS Test and Trace.

Education

Funerals

  • Government have issued some guidance regarding funerals.
  • To ensure that organisations managing funerals are able to cope with the increased number of deaths, it is important that funerals are not delayed.
  • An information and advice leaflet for the bereaved in Surrey can be downloaded below.

Overseas Travel

Guidance on how long to quarantine for if you are returning to the UK from overseas or travelling overseas from the UK. GOV.UK/border control.

Visas

Resources

Files available to download