COVID-19 (coronavirus): Information for the public

Overview
Patient leaflets

Overview

Last updated: 21 December 2020

This page is continually being updated to reflect the changing situation. Please check this page and our social media channels regularly for the latest information.

Important information - please read

Our children and young people’s emergency department at the Royal Free Hospital is temporarily closed until further notice. For more information, including where to go, please visit this page.

In response to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak, we are putting extra measures in place to protect patients, visitors and staff. Find out more about these measures and how you can support the trust during this challenging time by reading how we're keeping you safe.

Our response to COVID-19

We know this will be a difficult time for our patients, and their families, friends and carers. We appreciate your understanding and support in helping us to protect our patients and staff.

As part of our response to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, we have made a number of important changes including:

Some of our services have also developed service specific advice, including:

Please check our services A-Z.

Symptoms of COVID-19 and what to do

Do not leave your home if you have either:

a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or three or more coughing episodes in a 24 hour period (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
loss or change to your sense of smell or taste - this means you've noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal

To protect others, do not go to places like a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital. Stay at home.

For advice on the next steps please visit: www.111.nhs.uk/covid-19
If you feel you cannot cope with your symptoms at home or your condition gets worse, please visit: www.111.nhs.uk/covid-19. If you cannot get help online, please call 111.