Covid symptoms

Stay at home if you have coronavirus symptoms

You must stay at home if you  or a member of your household including children have symptoms of coronavirus. This includes any of the following symptoms - most people with coronavirus have at least one of these symptoms.
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)

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

Contact your manager to inform them of your symptoms, following local arrangements for reporting absence.

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

You do not need to contact 111 to tell them you're staying at home.

Testing for coronavirus is not needed if you're staying at home.

Read the flow chart decision tool for self-isolation.

Further advice is available from the NHS 111 self-assessment tool

How long to stay at home

• if you have symptoms, however mild, stay at home for 7 - 10 days
• if you live with other people who have symptoms, and you have had contact with them, you should stay at home for 14 days from the day the first person started having symptoms. The 14-day period starts from the day when the first person in the household started having symptoms. If anyone else in the household starts displaying symptoms, they need to stay at home for at least 10 days from when their symptoms appear, regardless of what day they are on in their original 14-day isolation period.

Living with people at risk

If you live with someone who is 70 or over, has a long-term condition, is pregnant in the 3rd trimester or has a weakened immune system, try to find somewhere else for them to stay for 14 days, or find alternative accommodation for yourself.

If you have to stay at home together, try to keep away from each other as much as possible.

Read advice about staying at home.

When to end self-isolation and household-isolation  

Clarity has been provided nationally on the process for ending self-isolation and household isolation. 

• If you live alone and have symptoms, you should self-isolate for 7 - 10 days. 
• If one person in a household is symptomatic then the whole household should isolate for 14 days. 

Self-isolation:

If, after 7 - 10 days, you no longer have a high temperature then you can return to your normal routine.

If, after 10 days, you still have a temperature you should continue to self-isolate and seek medical advice. You do not need to self-isolate after 10 days if you only have a cough or loss of sense of smell or taste, as these symptoms can last for several weeks after the infection has gone.

Household isolation:

After 7 - 10 days, the first person in the household to become ill can return to normal activity if they no longer have a high temperature. During this period, if any of the remaining household contacts become unwell, they must be isolated for 10 days from the onset of their own symptoms. After seven days, household contacts can also return to normal duties if they no longer have a high temperature. 

The full guidance on ending isolation is available on the GOV.uk website.