Staff and facilities at St Mary’s Hospital are being prepared for the possibility that the coronavirus could make its way to the Isle of Wight – but all steps are simply precautionary at this moment in time.
A ‘pod’ has been established in Newport as a safe location for anyone presenting with symptoms of coronavirus to be directed to. These pods are being created throughout the country following guidance issued by NHS England.
Anyone with a cough, fever, or shortness of breath who attends hospital and has recently returned from one of the specified countries, will be advised to follow signs to the Island’s pod and call for advice, so they stay isolated from other patients and avoid causing unnecessary pressure in A&E.
Islanders are however being urged to call 111 first before taking any other action – including visiting the hospital – if they suspect they have contracted the virus. They will then be directed to the pod in a controlled manner.
Staff at the Trust were informed of the plans and procedures yesterday afternoon.
Although the risk remains low, the deadly virus could soon find its way to the Isle of Wight as it has already hit the South Coast. Over 1,100 people have died from coronavirus – also known as COVID-19 – with more than 44,600 people infected worldwide.
Anyone returning from the Wuhan and Hubei provinces in the last 14 days should stay indoors, avoid contact with other people and call NHS 111 whether or not they are showing symptoms. Follow this advice even if you do not have symptoms of the virus.
Travellers from other parts of China and other specified areas
This advice applies to travellers who have returned to the UK from China, Thailand, Japan, Republic of Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia or Macau.
If you have returned to the UK from any of these areas in the last 14 days and develop symptoms of cough or fever or shortness of breath, you should immediately:
- stay indoors and avoid contact with other people as you would with the flu
- call NHS 111 to inform them of your recent travel to the country
The most up to date information on Coronavirus, including travel information on countries affected, can be found here.
Surely we would be wise to avoid opening packages purchased on ebay indoors, if from China unless wearing disposable gloves, and burning the packaging?
This virus at 4 degrees can live 28 days max I read yesterday.
I am avoiding buying such until this is under full control.
not much point to that AZ –
This virus appears to cause mild symptoms, not unlike a general cough, sore throat and cold, which a large number of those infected simply see as a cold and manage with over the counter symptom relief and continue to go to work, meet friends, socialise, go shopping (handling items in the supermarket) and thus spread the virus everywhere.
This in my view is now a free running virus, that cannot be contained and the entire world is simply at its mercy, until people develop natural antibodies to it, via exposure and a cure is found for those that cannot fight it off.
The numbers being reported are only the ones they know about through testing and the virus is effectively “culling” those that are unable to fight it off themselves.
This is not over yet and is only just getting started.
whilst the chinese deny it, the fact that the epicentre of this virus, wuhan, is also the location of the one and only biological, warfare research laboratory that china has, is not just an unfortunate coincidence. There is far more to this and the whole fish market story is more than likely “a red herring” – excuse the pun.
I would never trust OUR Government, let alone the Chinese data. Would be awful IF this virus has been created by the Chinese. Would be odd to create it with no ‘cure’ though if used for germ warfare, yet I guess the ‘cure’ can only be made after creating the virus to test it on.
We will likely never know the truth.
Perhaps pension firms who will gain from the death of millions of elderly as will our Government as they say we have an ageing population, but IF this hits the UK and world things will change drastically.
Why are there no checks being carried out at Red Funnel & Wightlink to monitor people travelling to the Island as a precaution?
What and risk loosing a fare? Would be a good idea otherwise. Yet they might end up using Wight as a quarantine island as we have many empty hotels etc.
Because it is largely pointless with a possible 28 day incubation period and also at this time of year, the vast majority of cross solent customers are commuters going to and from work/school.
Camp Hill Prison should be converted as a pod for those with this virus.