Anyone in Worcestershire with coronavirus symptoms urged to get tested

June 04 2020
Anyone in Worcestershire with coronavirus symptoms urged to get tested

Worcestershire County Council is reminding anyone with coronavirus symptoms that they should take immediate action to be tested. 

The first step to take is to self isolate for at least seven days from the start of any symptoms and then order a test by visiting www.nhs.uk/coronavirus or by calling 119. 

The symptoms of coronavirus include a new continuous cough, a high temperature and a loss of or change in someone’s normal sense of taste or smell.

Dr Kathryn Cobain, Director for Public Health in Worcestershire, said: “It’s important to act quickly if you develop symptoms of coronavirus, as this will help to protect you and those who you come into contact with.

“The test itself involves taking a swab of the nose and back of the throat. You can do the test yourself or someone else can do it for you.

“You can get tested by visiting a regional testing site or ordering a test to be done at home.

“The NHS will then get back in touch with you with your results and more information depending on the result. It’s important to continue to self isolate whilst you wait for the result.”

If the test comes back negative, then members of their household will no longer need to self isolate and if that person feels well, they can also stop self isolating.

If the test is positive, that person will need to complete the rest of their seven-day self isolation, unless they continue to have a high temperature, in which case they should continue to self-isolate until that returns to normal. 

If that person lives with other people, all other household members must stay at home for 14 days, unless they also develop symptoms of coronavirus. If they develop symptoms, then they should also book a test right away.

People who have tested positive will be contacted by contact tracers from the NHS Test and Trace service to talk them through their next steps. They will also need to share information with the team about their recent interactions.

This could include household members, people with whom they have been in direct contact, or within two metres of for more than 15 minutes.

People identified as having been in close contact with someone who has a positive test must stay at home for 14 days, even if they do not have symptoms, to stop unknowingly spreading the virus.

For more information on the service, visit: www.worcestershire.gov.uk/coronavirus 

If you have been asked to self-isolate by the team, and would like some support, visit: www.worcestershire.gov.uk/here2help