Coronavirus – COVID-19

Advice and guidance for employees of Powys County Council 26 February 2020

Background

A coronavirus is a type of virus. As a group, coronaviruses are common across the world. Wuhan novel coronavirus is a new strain of coronavirus first identified in Wuhan City, China. This has spread to other countries.

Typical symptoms of coronavirus include fever and a cough that may progress to a severe pneumonia causing shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. Most people who have the virus recover well, but generally, coronavirus can cause more severe symptoms in people with weakened immune systems, heart, kidney, liver disease, older people, and those with long-term conditions like diabetes, cancer and chronic lung disease.

Travel advice

If you get a cough, high temperature or feel short of breath within 14 days of returning from:

* China

* Thailand

* Japan

* Republic of Korea

* Hong Kong

* Taiwan

* Singapore

* Malaysia

* Macau

* Northern Italy

You should:

* Self -isolate, staying indoors and avoiding contact with other people, as you would with flu.

* Call NHS Direct Wales on 111 to inform them of your recent travel to the area.

Please follow this advice even if your symptoms are minor or you have no symptoms.

If you have travelled from Wuhan or Hubei Province to the UK in the last 14 days you should immediately:

* Self-isolate, staying indoors and avoiding contact with other people as you would with the flu.

* Call NHS Direct Wales on 111, to inform them of your recent travel to the area.

Please follow this advice even if your symptoms are minor or you do not have symptoms of the virus.

The latest information and travel advice is available from:

* Department of Health and Social Care and Public Health England (PHE)<gov.uk/guidance/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-information-for-the-public>

* Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)<gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/china>

* The Welsh Government<gov.wales/coronavirus>

* phw.nhs.wales/topics/coronavirus

Advice and Guidance on the Coronavirus

The spread of coronavirus is a fast-changing situation. Public Health Wales phw.nhs.wales/topics/coronavirus<eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fphw.nhs.wales%2Ftopics%2Fcoronavirus%2F&data=02%7C01%7Cjohn.bevan%40powys.gov.uk%7Cc3ff5b4e51644c5ce9ee08d7ba1df758%7Cc01d9ee10eb0475499ae03ae8a732b50%7C0%7C0%7C637182510181606351&sdata=r6WFvGv8mM39trCgYXvMsrKLhf67GLYuEi%2F9ZDcoj%2FM%3D&reserved=0> update their advice at 3 p.m. every day. Please refer to the PHW website for the latest information, advice and guidance on the coronavirus.