Coronavirus: One in five Britons with COVID-19 symptoms ‘not fully self-isolating’
Written by News on 11/04/2020
A fifth of Britons with at least one symptom of coronavirus in the last week did not fully self-isolate, new research suggests.
The YouGov poll found 12% of Britons surveyed had experienced a common symptom of COVID-19 in the previous seven days.
They include a fever, dry cough, loss of taste or smell, and shortness of breath.
When asked what action they took over the following days, 21% of those with at least one coronavirus symptom said they had only sometimes, rarely or never self-isolated.
NHS advice states that people should stay at home for seven days if they have either a high temperature or a new, continuous cough.
Anyone living with someone with those symptoms has been told to self-isolate for 14 days.
The government said earlier this month that loss of taste and smell would not be added to the list of symptoms that people should watch for when assessing if they have coronavirus.
This is despite research from King’s College London which indicated that almost 60% of COVID-19 patients experienced a loss of taste and smell.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock revealed he lost his sense of taste when he was struck down by COVID-19.
Some 1,650 Britons took part in the YouGov survey after it partnered with the Institute of Global Health Innovation at Imperial College London to look at how populations across the world are adhering to public health advice to tackle coronavirus.
Thirteen countries were included in the first phase of the study and it is set to expand to 16 more parts of the world.
Reported testing in the UK was the lowest out of all the countries, with just 1% of those survey saying they had been tested, and 1% saying a member of their household had been tested.
:: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
Britons seem to be staying inside as advised, only leaving the house an average of 0.77 times a day, compared to the international average of 1.08 times, according to the study.
More than 90% of Britons surveyed said they regularly cover their noses and mouths when they cough or sneeze and avoid social gatherings, crowded areas and using public transport.
The survey results will be available to public health bodies free of charge so they can assess what measures are working.
(c) Sky News 2020: Coronavirus: One in five Britons with COVID-19 symptoms ‘not fully self-isolating’
