NHS says 'stay at home' if you spot these signs of Covid strain (original) (raw)
The NHS is urging people to stay home if they spot three signs of a new strain of Coronavirus, known as XEC. This comes amid a surge in Covid cases and the belief among experts that this new strain could become dominant worldwide.
First identified in Germany, XEC has now been detected in 27 countries across Europe, Asia, and North America. Over 600 cases have been recorded globally, including 82 within the UK.
The strain is believed to be highly transmissible due to its numerous mutations. As Covid cases rise across the UK, data from Public Health Wales shows the number of people being hospitalised with coronavirus has risen over the month of September.
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In the seven days leading up to September 23, 75 people in Wales were admitted to hospital with Covid. Up from 33 people in the seven days leading up to August 31. For the latest health and Covid news, sign up to our newsletter here
Despite self-isolation rules no longer being mandatory in the UK, the NHS recommends staying at home and avoiding contact with others if you have symptoms, reports Birmingham Live.
According to NHS guidance: "You can go back to your normal activities when you feel better or do not have a high temperature. If your child has mild symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat or mild cough, and they feel well enough, they can go to school or childcare."
What to do if you have Covid
Self-isolation rules in the UK are no longer mandatory. But the NHS recommends you try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people if you have symptoms and either:
- Have a high temperature
- Or do not feel well enough to go to work, school or do your normal activities
If you test positive for Covid, the NHS says you should:
- Try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for three days after the day the test was taken if you or your child are under 18 years old – children and young people tend to be infectious to other people for less time than adults
- Try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for five days after the day you took your test if you are 18 years old or over
- Avoid meeting people who are more likely to get seriously ill from viruses, such as people with a weakened immune system, for 10 days after the day you took your test.
Symptoms
Symptoms of XEC are thought to be similar to other strains of Covid and can include:
- A high temperature or shivering (chills) – a high temperature means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
- A new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or three or more coughing episodes in 24 hours
- A loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
- Shortness of breath
- Feeling tired or exhausted
- An aching body
- A headache
- A sore throat
- A blocked or runny nose
- Loss of appetite
- Diarrhoea
- Feeling sick or being sick.
Booster jabs will be available until December 20 this year. They will be offered to those deemed most vulnerable to Covid, which include:
- Over-65s
- People aged between six months and 64 years with health conditions that make them more vulnerable
- People living in care homes for older people
- Frontline health and social-care staff, including in care homes for older people.
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