The latest advice from Public Health England has just been published and no longer contains information about the number of cases in the country during this ’delay’ phase.

if you live alone and you have symptoms of coronavirus illness (COVID-19), however mild, stay at home for 7 days from when your symptoms started.

if you live with others and you or one of them have symptoms of coronavirus, then all household members must stay at home and not leave the house for 14 days. The 14-day period starts from the day when the first person in the house became ill.

The most common symptoms are recent onset of a new continuous cough and/or a high temperature (37.8 degrees or higher).

Dr Helen Carter, Director of Healthcare Public Health for PHE West Midlands, said: “For most people, coronavirus (COVID-19) will be a mild infection and following this advice will help protect family, friends and communities who are more at risk of severe illness and slow the spread of the virus. You do not need to call NHS111 to go into self-isolation. If your symptoms worsen during home isolation or are no better after isolating, then you should contact NHS 111 online. If you have no internet access, you should call NHS 111.

“It remains crucial for everyone to wash your hands more often than usual, for 20 seconds using soap and hot water, particularly after coughing, sneezing and blowing your nose, or after being in public areas where other people are doing so. Use hand sanitiser if that’s all you have access to. To reduce the spread of germs when you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue, or your sleeve (not your hands) if you don’t have a tissue, and throw the tissue away immediately. Then wash your hands or use a hand sanitising gel.

“Most adults in good health who develop symptoms will fully recover, and the CMO has advised that it is not necessary for them to be tested. However, to protect the most vulnerable, people with symptoms should stay at home for the specified timescales to reduce the spread in the community.

“Throughout the ‘delay’ phase, we will prioritise tests for those who require hospital care for pneumonia or acute respiratory illness – while continuing to investigate outbreaks, ie where several cases are connected, especially in a particular setting, such as a care home or prison.

“This change will be reflected in the surveillance data we report which will monitor, support and inform the public health actions we are taking while no longer providing a running commentary of individual cases.”