Understandably, the global spread of the Coronavirus Covid-19 is dominating the news at the moment. I know many constituents are concerned about the potential impact if Britain experiences a widespread outbreak. They have lots of questions about what precautions the Government is taking.
When the Health Secretary briefed the House of Commons earlier this week, he confirmed that “the situation facing the country is increasingly serious.” However, he outlined the Government’s action plan to tackle the virus. The UK is well placed for infectious disease outbreaks of this kind. That’s partly because of our excellent National Health Service and the medical advice and care it can provide. We also have a world-leading public health system backed up by science.
The Government is carefully preparing to respond when needed. But we all have a responsibility to reduce the risk of spread by taking some basic precautions and following advice from our health professionals. With all the media coverage, it can be confusing as to what that advice is. I recommend following the information provided on the NHS website. And if you have a concern about your own health or that of a friend or relative, contact NHS 111 by phone or online where they have a coronavirus advice service.