At VGC, we are committed to keeping everyone well and safe – staff, clients and the public.
We ask all our staff to follow Public Health England advice to stop coronavirus (COVID-19) spreading.
Bear in mind that it is only a tiny percentage of people with colds and flu who have caught COVID-19.
Category 1:
If you have come back from Iran, or certain specific places in northern Italy, China and Korea since 12 February, please:
- Do not go to your GP, pharmacy or hospital.
- Self-isolate for 14 days, even if you feel well. Stay at home and avoid contact with other people.
- Contact NHS 111 for advice.
Please also do this if you have been in close contact with someone who has confirmed coronavirus.
Category 2:
If you have come back from a visit since 12 February to Cambodia, Hong Kong, Japan, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand or Vietnam, or the other parts of north Italy, Korea or China that are not category 1 areas:
- You do not have to do anything specific if you are well.
- If you start to feel unwell, with a cough, shortness of breath, or a high temperature, please stay at home and call NHS 111.
There is a list of category 1 and 2 places, plus maps, on the Public Health England website.
If you have visited any of these places, please contact your line manager.
We hope you understand that while these measures are inconvenient, they are to keep everyone safe.
If you can’t come to work, please follow the absence reporting process for your workplace.
Staying healthy
There are over 200 different cold and flu viruses. Symptoms of COVID-19 are a cough, a high temperature, and shortness of breath.
The Office of National Statistics shows that in 2018:
- 32,355 people died from lung disease, and 55,995 from heart disease.
- 29,516 people died from flu.
- 2,974 died by suicide.
- 1,784 people died in road traffic accidents.
- So far, five people in the UK have died from COVID-19.
So it is important to give up smoking and make healthy lifestyle choices as well as take actions to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
NHS advice to prevent the spread of COVID-19:
- Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Make sure you wash your hands when you get to work and when you get home, after going to the toilet, after touching tools or handles which other people have touched, and before you eat, drink or smoke.
- Use hand sanitiser if you can not use soap and water.
- Avoid contact with people who are unwell.
- Don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth with your hands unless they are clean.
- Cough or sneeze into a tissue. Throw it into a bin straight away, and then wash your hands. (If you cannot get a tissue, use the inner elbow part of your sleeve.)
