What is Coronavirus?
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses which may cause illness in animals or humans. In humans, several coronaviruses are known to cause respiratory infections ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The most recently discovered coronavirus causes coronavirus disease COVID-19.
What is COVID-19?
COVID-19 is the infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus. This new virus and disease were unknown before the outbreak began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. COVID-19 is now a pandemic affecting many countries globally.
Most people infected with the COVID-19 virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment. Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer are more likely to develop serious illness.
What are the symptoms?
The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, dry cough, and tiredness. Other symptoms that are less common and may affect some patients include aches and pains, nasal congestion, headache, conjunctivitis, sore throat, diarrhoea, loss of taste or smell or a rash on skin or discoloration of fingers or toes. These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually. Some people become infected but only have very mild symptoms.
What can you do to keep yourself and those around you safe?
When outside of our household there are three simple actions, we must all do to keep on protecting each other:
Wash Hands – Cover Face - Make Space
You can reduce your chances of being infected or spreading COVID-19 by taking some simple precautions:
What to do if you develop symptoms?
If you have COVID-19 symptoms:
- a high temperature
- a new, continuous cough
- a loss of, or change to, your send of smell or taste
You need to get a test done as soon as possible. Book a visit to a test site to have the test. Or order a home test kit if you cannot get to a test site.
For more information on booking a test click HERE.
Stay home and self-isolate even with minor symptoms such as cough, headache, mild fever, until you recover. Have someone bring you supplies. If you need to leave your house, wear a mask to avoid infecting others.
How are Deaf Student Solutions Ltd working to ensure those providing support, and those receiving support, are informed about COVID-19 and are adhering to guidelines?
We are committed to working with Higher Education Institutes to ensure that the support we provide to students adheres to their Covid19 policy and procedures.
Along with the above we have also produced a Covid19 Risk Assessment that is circulated to all support workers prior to their first session, as well ask university staff if requested.
A copy of Our COVID-19 Risk Assessment can be requested by emailing firstname.lastname@example.org
Information above is correct at time of publishing (Oct 2020), it has been sourced from gov.co.uk and who.int.
For up to date information about COVID-19 please visit the below sites: