Important information regarding coronavirus

The below information is accurate as of 01 April 2020 at 10:00am. 

Stay at home to stop spreading the virus 

Everyone must stay at home to help stop the spread of coronavirus.

You should only leave the house for very limited purposes:

  • Travelling for work purposes, but only where you cannot work from home
  • Shopping for basic necessities, for example food and medicine, which must be as infrequent as possible
  • One form of exercise a day, for example a run, walk, or cycle – alone or with members of your household
  • Any medical need, including to donate blood, avoid or escape risk of injury or harm, or to provide care or to help a vulnerable person

These reasons are exceptions – even when doing these activities, you should be minimising time spent outside of the home and ensuring you are 2 metres apart from anyone outside of your household and wash your hands as soon as you get home.

NHS guidance for people working in healthcare can be found here.

We will continue to update this page with the latest information regarding coronavirus. Please check back regularly for additional information. We’d like to take this opportunity to reassure our candidates and clients that we, at Pulse, are still operating as close to business as usual as possible; we are, therefore, still able to address any questions or concerns you may have during this time.

If you are worried about exposure to coronavirus, please contact our dedicated team.

The below information is accurate as of 25 March 2020 at 10:00am. 

All non-essential businesses are closed, and you must stay at home unless you are a key worker

On Monday 23 March 2020, the government announced Britain would be on lockdown for at least the next three weeks. As part of this announcement, the government is introducing tighter rules around how often and for what reasons we are able to leave our homes.

Government guidance states that we should only leave our houses for the few reasons listed below:

  • Essential work that cannot be done from home/remotely
  • To exercise once a day
  • Dog walking is allowed as part of the exercise people can take per day
  • Shopping for basic necessities – this should be done as infrequently as possible
  • To look after any medical needs or to provide care to a vulnerable person
  • To donate blood
  • Children aged under 18 with separated parents are allowed to visit both homes

Further to the above, all non-essential businesses have been asked to close, effective immediately. Shops/services that remain open are:

  • Parks
  • Supermarkets/food shops
  • Health shops
  • Pharmacies, including non-dispensing chemists
  • Petrol stations
  • Bicycle shops
  • Home and hardware stores
  • Laundrettes and dry cleaners
  • Car rentals
  • Pet shops
  • Corner shops/newsagents
  • Post offices
  • Banks

We will continue to update this page with the latest information regarding coronavirus. Please check back regularly for additional information. We’d like to take this opportunity to reassure our candidates and clients that we, at Pulse, are still operating as close to business as usual as possible; we are, therefore, still able to address any questions or concerns you may have during this time.

If you are worried about exposure to coronavirus, please contact our dedicated team.

The below information is accurate as of 13 March 2020 at 12:00pm. 

Stay at home if you have coronavirus symptoms

Stay at home for 7 days if you have either:

  • A high temperature
  • A new, continuous cough

Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital.

Use the NHS 111 online service if:

  • You feel you cannot cope with your symptoms at home
  • Your condition gets worse
  • Your symptoms do not get better after 7 days

If you are worried about exposure to coronavirus, please contact our dedicated team.

The below information is accurate as of 03 March 2020 at 12:00pm. 

The news continues to report on the coronavirus outbreak (also being referred to as COVID-19), and the current status with Public Health England (PHE) is that it is moderate.

We are working with our NHS partners and private healthcare providers to ensure that you have timely and clear information about how any precautionary measures might affect your day to day role. The basic precautions are:

  • Wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds
  • Always wash your hands when you get home or into work (especially after using public transport)
  • Use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
  • Put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards
  • Try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell

If you are worried about exposure to coronavirus and develop a cough, fever or shortness of breath, please contact your consultant or email us.

Updates on travel and returning to the UK 

If you have returned to the UK from these specific areas since February 19th, you should call NHS 111, stay indoors and avoid contact with other people. Please ensure that you inform your consultant even if you do not have symptoms:

  • Iran
  • Specific lockdown areas in Northern Italy as designated by the Government of Italy: Lombardy, Codogno and South East Milan
  • Special care zones in South Korea as designated by the Government of the Republic of South Korea; Daegu and Cheongdo
  • Hubei province (returned in the past 14 days)

If you have returned from these areas since February 19th and develop symptoms, however mild, you should stay indoors at home, avoid contact with other people immediately and call NHS 111 and inform your consultant. You do not need to follow this advice if you have no symptoms.

  • Northern Italy (defined above, and not including Pisa, Florence and Rimini)
  • Hong Kong and Macau
  • South Korea
  • Japan
  • Malaysia
  • Singapore
  • Taiwan
  • Thailand
  • Vietnam
  • Cambodia
  • Laos
  • Myanmar

For the most up-to-date information, please click here. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to email us.

The information in this blog is for general informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalised guidance. The author(s) and publisher(s) are not liable for errors or omissions, and reliance on the content is at your own risk.


Leave a comment