Self-isolating correctly is crucial and saves lives

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.

Self-isolate immediately if:

• you have any COVID-19 symptoms while you wait for a test (the symptoms are a new continuous cough, a high temperature or a loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell)
• you test positive for COVID-19
• you’re notified by NHS Test and Trace or the NHS COVID-19 app that you could be at risk of having Coronavirus because you’ve been in close contact with someone who has the virus.

Self-isolating means staying at home and avoiding contact with other people. In practical terms, this means that you must:

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

If you have symptoms of COVID-19, however mild, self-isolate for at least 10 days from when your symptoms started. You should also immediately arrange to get a test - visit nhs.uk/coronavirus or call 119.

If you are not experiencing symptoms but have tested positive for COVID-19, you must self-isolate for at least 10 days, starting from the day the test was taken. If you develop symptoms during this isolation period, restart your 10-day isolation from the day you developed symptoms.

After 10 days, if 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.

If you live with others, all other household members must stay at home and not leave the house for 14 days. The 14-day period starts from the day when the first person in the household became ill or if they do not have symptoms, from the day their test was taken.

If anyone else in the household starts displaying symptoms, they must 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.

For further advice click here.

Craig Blundred, Hartlepool Borough Council’s Acting Director of Public Health, 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.”