Help us to reduce the spread of winter viruses

There are a number of viruses circulating in our communities now, including Flu, COVID, Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and Norovirus. These can make all of us unwell and can be especially serious for those of us who are more vulnerable like the elderly, and those people with certain health conditions.

Our Director of Public Health, Dr Joy Tomlinson explains some of simple steps to take if you are unwell to help prevent these viruses from spreading to others.

If you have cold or flu-like symptoms, or if you have recently had diarrhoea or vomiting, then please do the following:-

• Maintain good hand hygiene;
• Avoid large groups of people, especially within enclosed indoor spaces;
• If you can work from home then do that to avoid passing the virus to your colleagues;
• Stay away places like care homes or hospitals until you are well again.

By taking these actions, you can prevent others from catching these viruses and help reduce the pressures on healthcare services at the same time. This effectively helps us to help you.

If you are unwell and you need health advice then please visit NHS Inform, where you'll find useful information about a wide range of common health conditions. Alternatively, download the new NHS24 App.