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Covid-19 Posted or Updated on 25 May 2023

Stay at 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)

Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital.

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 111 to tell them you're staying at home.

Read the NHS advice about staying at home.

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

Use the 111 coronavirus service

Only call 111 if you cannot get help online.

Requests for fit-notes

General Practice is under a lot of pressure and needs to prioritise the healthcare needs of patients who are acutely unwell. Consequently patients should self-certify for the first seven days as normal if 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 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 to stay at home because of coronavirus and you need a note for your employer.

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.

https://111.nhs.uk/isolation-note/

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