The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially declared the risk posed by the new coronavirus and COVID-19 as very high as they continue to monitor the progress of this international public health emergency. According to the latest Public Health England guidance, the UK risk level remains moderate. Whilst the WHO has warned that the risk of COVID-19 becoming pandemic is growing, it is still adamant that countries can take measures to prevent this from becoming the case.

“We still believe that we can contain the virus, and what China is doing – serious measures in Wuhan and Hubei province and others, hammering at the source – can help us to contain it,” explained Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the WHO, at a press conference.

“Other countries should also take this very, very seriously. Although the window of opportunity is narrowing to contain the outbreak, we still have a chance to contain it but we have to prepare at the same time for any eventualities because this outbreak could go in any direction.”

Personal risk

Like many viruses, there are lots of things you can do to reduce your own risk of contracting COVID-19. These measures will also reduce your risk of contracting the common cold or flu, both of which are spread by cough and sneeze droplets.

• Carry tissues at all times and use them to cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze. Bin the tissue (preferably in a bin with a lid) and wash your hands or use hand sanitizer. If a tissue isn’t available, cough or sneeze into your elbow rather than your hands.
• Wash your hands frequently and properly. This means using the WHO recommended handwashing method, hot water, and soap. If you can’t wash your hands, use a hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol and wash your hands at the earliest opportunity.
• Avoid touching your face, especially your mouth, eyes, and nose, with hands that haven’t been washed.
• Avoid contact with people who are unwell.

Wearing surgical face masks makes little difference outside of hospital environments as they must be worn and removed correctly, changed frequently and disposed of safely to be effective. Rising demand from the public for protective face masks is also causing shortages for hospitals around the world.

There isn’t yet a vaccine but various teams of scientists across the globe are in the process of developing a vaccine to protect against COVID-19. There also isn’t a specific treatment yet available, although many people will recover from mild infections following rest and fluids. Those who go on to develop pneumonia will have their symptoms managed and treated.

Know the signs and symptoms

It’s important that we’re able to spot the signs of COVID-19 so that we can act quickly if we need to. As COVID-19 is part of the coronavirus family which includes SARS, MERS, and the common cold, many of its symptoms are respiratory and flu-like.

If you do not have a fever, it is relatively unlikely you are infected, although some people are able to be infected and pass on the virus without symptoms. Typically, a runny nose and sneezing are not symptoms of this virus.

According to a study published in The Lancet, the proportion of infected people with the following symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection is:

• Fever – 98%.
• Cough – 76%.
• Shortness of breath – 55%.
• Muscle ache or tiredness – 44%.
• Coughing up sputum – 28%.
• Headache – 8%.
• Coughing up blood – 5%.

Check before you travel

Travelers from the UK should check the latest guidance from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office before travel. Currently, they are advising against all travel to certain regions including Hubei Province in China and the city of Daegu in South Korea. Their advice is being continuously updated, with travelers advised to avoid all but essential travel to a small but growing number of countries and regions across the world.

Isolate yourself

One of the best ways to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus is to isolate anyone who is in a risk group. The virus has an incubation period of fourteen days, meaning that within two weeks of infection, symptoms should show. But some people are able to carry the virus without displaying any symptoms so it’s crucial that people who are at especially high risk are isolated even if they don’t have any symptoms.

For example, a hotel in Tenerife with hundreds of guests was been put on lockdown as medical tests were carried out following an Italian doctor testing positive for coronavirus. This is because many of those people may have come into contact with the doctor or infected surfaces in the hotel.

When should you self-isolate?

Whilst some cities around the world have gone on lockdown to prevent the spread of infection, in the UK only certain risk groups are being asked to take action and self-isolate to protect their friends, families, and communities. Public Health England is producing regularly updated blogs on their latest criteria for self-isolation.

Groups being told to self-isolate so far include:

• People who are waiting for a COVID-19 test result.
• People who are identified as being a close contact of someone with coronavirus. Contact tracing is being used with all new cases to determine people they may have been in contact with, including in public places like bars, on planes, workplaces, and social situations.
• Travelers who have returned from the aforementioned areas within a specific timeframe, including some who are not displaying any symptoms.
• Those who are advised to self-isolate after using the NHS111 self-check tool.

Currently, no other groups are being asked to self-isolate. If self-isolation becomes recommended for wider communities to prevent the spread of the virus, Public Health England will make this clear immediately.

What does self-isolation involve?

If you are in a risk group or asked for self-isolate, you should take action immediately. You must stay inside and avoid all contact with other people.

You must:

• Stay at home.
• Not going to work, school or public areas.
• Not use public transport like buses, trains, tubes or taxis.
• Avoid visitors to your home.
• Ask friends, family members or delivery services to carry out errands on your behalf. This includes shopping, getting medication and food and taking children to and from school.
• When deliveries are made, ask the delivery company to leave them outside your door rather than handing them over personally.

If you are told to seek medical help or you start to develop symptoms of COVID-19, you should call NHS 111 or the relevant number for your country. They will advise you on what to do. If you are told to go to a hospital, you should not use public transport, including taxis, to get there as this could spread the virus.