Covid symptoms and testing
Updated: 16 April
Everyone in England is entitled to twice-weekly rapid (lateral flow) tests for coronavirus. One in three people with coronavirus won't have any symptoms so frequent testing as we emerge from lockdown will help find asymptomatic cases and stop the spread of infection.
You can access this testing in a few ways, depending on how old you are and whether and where you work. There is more information on the main NHS website as well as the local authority websites for our region:
The main symptoms of coronavirus are:
- 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 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
- a 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
Most people with coronavirus have at least one of these symptoms.
What to do if you have symptoms
If you symptoms of covid-19, please do not book a GP appointment or visit a hospital, GP surgery or pharmacy.
If you have any of the main symptoms of coronavirus:
- Isolate immediately along with the people who live with you
- Book a test as soon as possible.
Anyone in your support bubble should also stay at home if you have been in close contact with them since your symptoms started or during the 48 hours before they started.
More information
You can always find the most up to date information about symptoms and isolating online at www.nhs.uk/coronavirus
