Wednesday 04 March 2020
As the situation regarding the SARS-CoV-2 virus evolves, the Public Health team continues to meet daily to discuss the evolving situation around novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
After reviewing epidemiological data on Thursday 4th March 2020 a decision was made to add the following country to the list of Group B affected areas:
Germany - for anyone who has returned from Germany since 2 March 2020.
Mainland Spain - for anyone who has returned from Spain since 2 March 2020.
For Group B countries, Public Health Services (PHS) are asking people to self-isolate ONLY IF THEY HAVE SYMPTOMS (fever or cough or shortness of breath), even if these are mild, and these symptoms occur within 14 days of returning from a Group B country.
Factors influencing this decision included:
- published numbers of confirmed cases in the above areas, along with
- evidence for probable community spread
- travel links to Guernsey
Consideration of the numbers of confirmed cases and evidence of probable community spread means that the Spanish Islands do not need to be included at this time - with the exception of Tenerife which was previously added to Group B.
Public Health Services are having to make decisions about which countries we should be concerned about based on assessed levels of risk and the resilience of Guernsey's small health infrastructure if we have to deal with cases of COVID-19 on Island. In view of this, our advice will differ slightly from the advice currently being issued by Public Health England.
Anyone in Guernsey or the smaller islands who has returned home from Germany or Mainland Spain (or from any of the countries in the Group B category) within the relevant timeframes is asked to be vigilant for signs of cough, fever or shortness of breath. Any returning travellers who experience one or more of these symptoms within 14 days of return travel, no matter how mild, should self-isolate at home and seek advice from Public Health Services via the hospital switchboard 01481 725241.
Self-isolation guidance and further information can be found at: www.gov.gg/coronavirus
The guidance for travellers returning is now as follows:
Group A: Self -Isolation for all returning travellers irrespective of whether they have symptoms or not:
PHS are recommending that any individual should self-isolate, irrespective of symptoms if they have returned from the following areas in the last 14 days:
- Mainland China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau)
- Iran
- South Korea
- Specific lockdown areas designated by the government of Italy
If you experience symptoms (fever, cough or shortness of breath, no matter how mild) and have returned from the above countries in the last 14 days, then contact Public Health Services on 01481-725241, or, if you are feeling very unwell, phone 999 telling the operator of your symptoms and travel history.
Group B: Travellers from other specified countries who have symptoms, even if these are mild:
PHS have updated the guidance as of the 4 March 2020, taking into account the evolving situation globally.
PHS has issued this additional advice for returning travellers from the following countries:
- Thailand,
- Japan,
- Hong Kong,
- Taiwan,
- Singapore,
- Malaysia or
- Macau
- Northern Italy (defined by a line above, and not including, Pisa, Florence and Rimini),
- Vietnam
- Cambodia
- Laos
- Myanmar
- Indonesia
- France
- Egypt
- Tenerife (returning since 17 February 2020)
- Germany (returning since 2 March 2020)
- Mainland Spain (returning since 2 March 2020)
If you experience symptoms (fever, cough or shortness of breath, no matter how mild) and have returned from the above countries in the last 14 days, then stay indoors and contact Public Health Services on 01481-725241, or, if you are feeling very unwell, phone 999 telling the operator of your symptoms and travel history.
Self-Isolation is the act of separating yourself from physical contact with the rest of the community for a specified period of time.
Further information on self-isolation can be found on www.gov.gg/coronavirus
