Disease outbreak
Infectious diseases can cause significant health issues due to the large number of people that could be affected in a short space of time, including those with the possibility of severe symptoms.
Scenarios could range from significant outbreaks which spread slowly and can be more easily contained (e.g. in a hospital, care home or school) or a pandemic, such as Covid-19, which could cause large numbers of fatalities and put the population at risk.
How you could be affected
A pandemic occurs when a new virus / strain emerges and could:
- infect people rapidly
- spread from person to person
- cause illness in a high proportion of the people infected
- spread widely because most people will have little or no immunity to the new virus / strain
- cause significant numbers of deaths
- cause disruption to all sectors of society (schools, healthcare and businesses)
What you should do
Be prepared
- Ensure you have the vaccinations you're eligible for (flu, COVID etc.)
- Keep a stock of over-the-counter medications for cold and flu
- Call 111 if you suspect you have been infected
- Practice good hygiene such as frequent cleaning and hand washing
- Think about who can support you if you are too ill to leave your home (pharmacy delivery service, online food shopping etc.)
- Plan for childcare provisions if your children’s school had to close
During the incident
- If you are not already immunised, try and get an appointment
- Follow instructions from local health services / Public Health
- If you are infected, limit movement to help stop the spread
- Keep your environment clean
- If you are able, offer support to neighbours / family
- Think about if you can work from home to avoid spread of disease
After the incident
- Maintain immunisations after the outbreak
- Ease back into normal activities and exercise, it may take time for your body to recover
- Continue to wear a face mask if you fall into a vulnerable group
- Continue to observe good hygiene
- Consider using the NHS app to order prescription medication and put in place pharmacy delivery
- Consider flexible and working from home options if available
Further advice and information
NHS 111 – Get help for your symptoms (24/7 NHS non-emergency service)
NHS 111 – British Sign Language (BSL) Service
Individuals with hearing loss can also call 18001 111 on a text phone.