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DS Risk Warning: Health

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Hello all,

We hope the storm hasn't caused you too many problems.

Today's news is that the Government has now announced that Coronavirus is a "serious and imminent threat" to public health.

This will, no doubt, increase the numbers of you being questioned about what you are doing. As previously advised you might reply along the lines of the usual best practice of Catch It, Bin IT, Kill It including all that best practice on hand washing, cleaning common use surfaces, etc. All this alongside keeping a close eye the government's advice on compulsory and voluntary quarantine.

The report goes on to say:

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has announced new measures in England to fight the spread of the virus.

These include additional powers to keep individuals in "supported isolation for their own safety", the Department of Health said.

There have been more than 40,000 cases of the virus globally, mostly in China, with four so far in the UK.

The total number of deaths in China is now 908 - but the number of newly-infected people per day has stabilised.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: "We are strengthening our regulations so we can keep individuals in supported isolation for their own safety and if public health professionals consider they may be at risk of spreading the virus to other members of the public.

"This measure will rightly make it easier for health professionals to help keep people safe across the country."

Arrowe Park Hospital, on the Wirral, and Kents Hill Park, in Milton Keynes, have been designated as "isolation" facilities in the UK.

A visit to the Government web site includes this update too:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-information-for-the-public  

Based on the World Health Organization’s declaration that this is a public health emergency of international concern, the UK Chief Medical Officers have raised the risk to the public from low to moderate. This permits the government to plan for all eventualities. The risk to individuals remains low.

Based on the scientific advice of SAGE the UK Chief Medical Officers are advising anyone who has travelled to the UK from mainland China, Thailand, Japan, Republic of Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia or Macau in the last 14 days and is experiencing cough or fever or shortness of breath, to stay indoors and call NHS 111, even if symptoms are mild.

These areas have been identified because of the volume of air travel from affected areas, understanding of other travel routes and number of reported cases. This list will be kept under review. Our advice for travellers from Wuhan and Hubei Province remains unchanged.

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We'll keep an eye on this developing situation and update you as necessary.

Bill

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