‘Self-isolate to save lives’ says Hartlepool health chief - the list of dos and don'ts

The town’s Acting Director of Public Health, Craig Blundred, said it is vital to self-isolate correctly to help stop the spread of the virus.

And now under national law, people who don’t self-isolate if they test positive or are told to do so by NHS Test and Trace face a fine of up to £1,000, increasing up to £10,000 for repeat offenders.

It comes as new lockdown measures have been announced for Hartlepool

Mr Blundred said: “We appreciate that self-isolating can be difficult, stressful and inconvenient, but it’s absolutely crucial to help stop the virus spreading, especially given that you can pass the virus on even if you don’t have the symptoms and feel fine.

“Make no mistake – by self-isolating you are saving lives, especially among the most vulnerable members of the community, like grandma and grandad.

“But you can only do that if you follow the self-isolation rules in full throughout.

“Please don’t be tempted to cut any corners or take any short-cuts – not only will you potentially be putting others in danger, you could also be landed with a hefty fine.”

Self-isolating means:

stay at home, do not go to work, school or public areas; not use public transport like buses, trains, tubes or taxis; avoid home visitors; ask friends, family members or delivery services to carry out errands for you such as shopping or getting medications.

People must self-isolate for at least 10 days from when their symptoms start, however mild. They should also immediately seek to get a test by going on the NHS website or call 119.

Anyone who has tested positive must self-isolate for at least 10 days, starting from the day the test was taken.

If you still have a temperature after 10 days you should continue to self-isolate and seek medical advice.

But you do not need to self-isolate after 10 days if you only have a cough or loss of sense of smell or taste which can last for several weeks after the infection has gone.

All other household members must stay at home and not leave the house for 14 days from the day when the first person in the household became ill or were tested.

For further advice visit www.gov.uk/coronavirus

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