Mansfield MP urges everyone to heed advice to slow the spread of Coronavirus

Ben Bradley MP is asking everyone to follow Government advice on combating the spread of coronavirus

The advice from the Prime Minister and chief medical officer last week is that if you experience symptoms including a new and persistent cough or a fever, then you should stay at home and isolate yourself for seven days.

You should only call 111 if the symptoms worsen to the extent where you need medical help, in order to not put excessive strain on the health system.

Britain has not yet gone as far as some other nations have in closing schools or banning major events.

However, the Government is not ruling out taking those steps in the coming weeks.

For now, it’s important that we all follow the science and take these steps only at the right time.

We have to get the balance right to try and delay the spread of the virus so that the health service is more able to cope with treating vulnerable people.

However, we also don’t want this to drag on for months more than is necessary, which would lead to other significant problems like isolation and mental health, as well as having a significant economic impact.

The country obviously can’t shut down for months and months.

The peak of the risk is predicted to be in ten to 12 weeks, so between now and then more restrictions are likely to be imposed.

It’s vital that everybody looks out for new advice as things change.

The truth is that the majority of us are probably going to get coronavirus in the coming months.

For most of us that’s not a major problem, though you’ll feel a bit rough, but the key thing is that we’re able to protect and look out for people who are most at risk like the elderly or those with pre-existing health conditions.

It's important to make clear that it is impossible to prevent this condition from spreading.

We have no immunity to it like we do with the flu and there is no vaccine.

That's why it's vital to follow the best scientific advice, stay home for a week if you get a cough or fever, and still most importantly to wash your hands more often.

Ben Bradley is MP for Mansfield.