Treat common illnesses at home

If you develop symptoms of COVID-19 stay at home until you feel better. Do not go to your GP, pharmacy or hospital.

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are a new:

• continuous cough
• fever/high temperature (37.8C or greater)
• loss of, or change in, sense of smell or taste (anosmia) 

If you have a fever or cough, it’s safe to treat it at home. However, you may be at risk of becoming dehydrated. You should wear loose, comfortable clothing, drink plenty of fluids and take paracetamol. Make sure you get plenty of rest as well.

Remember to cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze, wash your hands regularly, dispose of tissues appropriately and sneeze into the crook of your elbow if you don’t have a tissue.

Only contact your GP or 111 if your symptoms worsen.

If you have a medical emergency, phone 999 and tell them you have coronavirus symptoms.

For further advice on managing COVID-19 please visit NHS inform

If you have flu, you generally start to feel ill within a few days of being infected but you should begin to feel much better within a week or so.

The main symptoms of flu include a high temperature, tiredness and weakness, a headache, general aches and pains and a dry, chesty cough.

Cold-like symptoms, such as a blocked or runny nose, sneezing, and a sore throat, can also be caused by flu, but they tend to be less severe than the other symptoms you may have.

The best remedy is to rest at home, keep warm and drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration. You can take paracetamol or ibuprofen to lower a high temperature and relieve aches if necessary. Stay off work or school until you're feeling better.

To help reduce the spread of infection, please avoid visiting friends and relatives in hospitals if you are suffering from flu-like symptoms.

People can also reduce the chance of picking up infections by washing their hands regularly, using tissues for coughs and sneezes and disposing of tissues in the bin. 

Flu symptoms can be very similar to those of COVID-19. If you have a new continuous cough, fever/high temperature (37.8C or greater) or loss of, or change in, sense of smell or taste (anosmia), then please stay at home and follow the guidance above for managing COVID-19.

To find out more please visit NHS inform.

 Norovirus is also known as the winter vomiting bug because it is more common in winter, although you can catch it any time of the year. It is one of the most common stomach bugs and can be very unpleasant but it usually clears up by itself in a few days. There’s no cure for norovirus so the best thing to do is stay at home and let it run its course.

The symptoms of norovirus include sudden vomiting and diarrhoea. Some people also have a slight fever, headaches, painful stomach cramps and aching limbs. Symptoms appear one to two days after you become infected and typically last for up to two or three days.

You don't usually need to get medical advice unless there's a risk of a more serious problem, but if you do have concerns please call your GP surgery or NHS24 on 111 in the first instance as visiting your GP with norovirus could put others at risk.

To help ease symptoms you should drink plenty of fluids, such as water or fruit juice to avoid dehydration and, if you feel like eating, eat plain foods, such as soup, rice, pasta and bread. You can take paracetamol for any fever or aches and pains and make sure you get plenty of rest. You can also use special rehydration drinks from pharmacies if you have signs of dehydration, such as a dry mouth or dark urine.

Norovirus can spread very easily, so you should wash your hands regularly while you're ill and stay off work or school until at least 48 hours after the symptoms have cleared, to reduce the risk of passing it on.

To find out more please visit NHS inform.