Coronavirus

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses with some causing less severe disease, such as the common cold, and others causing more severe disease.

COVID-19 is the newest, not seen before in humans. Because it is a new virus, scientists are learning more each day. Although most people who have COVID-19 have mild symptoms, COVID-19 can also cause severe illness and even death. Some groups, including older adults and people who have certain underlying medical conditions, are at increased risk of severe illness.

The main symptoms of 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.

If you have any of the main symptoms of COVID-19:

• Get a PCR test (test that is sent to a lab) to check if you have COVID-19 as soon as possible.
• You and anyone you live with should stay at home and not have visitors until you get your test result – only leave your home to have a test.
• Anyone in your childcare should also stay at home if you have been in close contact with them since your symptoms started or during the 48 hours before they started.