Supporting your recovery
• Most people recover from coronavirus within three weeks.
• You may have mild symptoms and feel unwell for a short time before slowly starting to feel better.
• To help you recover, you may wish to try:
- Rest
- Paracetamol (Ibuprofen should not be taken whilst pregnant)
- Regular fluids
• Coronavirus can leave some people feeling unwell for a long time - this is known as long COVID.
A minority of people with COVID-19 will suffer more severe symptoms. You should attend A&E as quickly as possible or call 999 immediately if you experience the following:
• If you use a pulse oximeter, your blood oxygen levels are 92% or less (retake your reading immediately first)
• You are unable to complete short sentences when at rest due to breathlessness
• Your breathing gets worse suddenly.
OR if you develop these more general signs of serious illness:
• Cough up blood
• Feel cold and sweaty with pale or blotchy skin
• Collapse or faint
• Develop a rash that doesn’t fade when you roll a glass over it
• Become agitated, confused or very drowsy
• Stopped passing urine or are passing urine much less than usual.
• you have severe chest pain
You should tell the operator you may have coronavirus and if you have a pulse oximeter give your oxygen saturation reading. These symptoms require urgent medical attention
Go to the nearest Hospital Emergency (A&E) Department or phone 999
If you experience any of the following COVID-19 symptoms, you should contact 111 as soon as possible.
• Feeling breathless or difficulty breathing, especially when standing up or moving
• Severe muscle aches or tiredness
• Shakes or shivers
• If you use a pulse oximeter, your blood oxygen level is consistently between 95% and 93%
• Sense that something is wrong (general weakness, severe tiredness, loss of appetite, peeing much less than normal, unable to care for yourself – simple tasks like washing and dressing or making food).
You can access 111:
Online at www.111.nhs.uk
By phone - Call 111
Via your GP.
You should tell the operator you may have coronavirus.
You may be at higher risk of developing complications during pregnancy as a result of Covid-19 if you are
• From a Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic group
• Have a BMI>25
• Have pre-existing medical conditions
• Aged over 35
Please contact NHS 111 if you are concerned about your symptoms
Contact your maternity unit
you cannot cope with your COVID-19 symptoms at home
you have a high temperature (37.3ºC or above)
you feel unsafe at any time.
Please ring your GP surgery or call NHS 111 - dial 111
Contact your Maternity unit
Mild Covid-19 symptoms. These are common symptoms. You may not have all of these but still feel unwell.
• High temperature: you feel hot to touch on your chest and back. If you have access to a thermometer, a reading of 38 degrees celsius or higher
• Cough
• Muscle ache or tiredness
• Mild chest pain
• Dizziness or headache
• Loss of taste or sense of smell
• Diarrhoea and vomiting
• Rashes
Self help
Continue providing your care at home. If you are still concerned, call NHS 111 – dial 111
You can treat your child's very minor illnesses and injuries at home.
Some illnesses can be treated in your own home with support and advice from the services listed when required, using the recommended medicines and getting plenty of rest.
Children can recover from illness quickly but also can become more poorly quickly; it is important to seek further advice if a child's condition gets worse.
For information on common childhood illnesses go to What is wrong with my child?
Pharmacists are experts in many aspects of healthcare and can offer advice on a wide range of long-term conditions and common illnesses such as coughs, colds and stomach upsets. You don’t need an appointment and many have private consultation areas, so they are a good first port of call. Your pharmacist will say if you need further medical attention.
Health visitors are nurses or midwives who are passionate about promoting healthy lifestyles and preventing illness through the delivery of the Healthy Child Programme. They work with you through your pregnancy up until your child is ready to start school.
Health Visitors can also make referrals for you to other health professionals for example hearing or vision concerns or to the Community Paediatricians or to the child and adolescent mental health services.
Contact them by phoning your Health Visitor Team or local Children’s Centre.
Health visitors also provide advice, support and guidance in caring for your child, including:
For more information watch the video: What does a health visitor do?
School nurses care for children and young people, aged 5-19, and their families, to ensure their health needs are supported within their school and community. They work closely with education staff and other agencies to support parents, carers and the children and young people, with physical and/or emotional health needs.
Contacting the School Nurse
Primary and secondary schools have an allocated school nurse – telephone your child’s school to ask for the contact details of your named school nurse.
There is also a specialist nurse who works with families who choose to educate their children at home.
Before your child starts school your health visitor will meet with the school nursing team to transfer their care to the school nursing service. The school nursing team consists of a school nursing lead, specialist public health practitioners and school health staff nurses.
They all have a role in preventing disease and promoting health and wellbeing, by:-
Each member of the team has links with many other professionals who also work with children including community paediatricians, child and adolescent mental health teams, health visitors and speech and language therapists. The school health nursing service also forms part of the multi-agency services for children, young people and families where there are child protection or safeguarding issues.
GPs assess, treat and manage a whole range of health problems. They also provide health education, give vaccinations and carry out simple surgical procedures. Your GP will arrange a referral to a hospital specialist should you need it.
You have a choice of service:
If you’re not sure which NHS service you need, call 111. An adviser will ask you questions to assess your symptoms and then give you the advice you need, or direct you straightaway to the best service for you in your area.
Use NHS 111 if you are unsure what to do next, have any questions about a condition or treatment or require information about local health services.
A&E departments provide vital care for life-threatening emergencies, such as loss of consciousness, suspected heart attacks, breathing difficulties, or severe bleeding that cannot be stopped. If you’re not sure it’s an emergency, call 111 for advice.
