Dedicated Coronavirus Pods Are Set Up In Local Hospitals

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Epsom and St Helier Trust has been victim of a hoax email about the virus

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Like hospitals across the country, coronavirus pods have been set up at St Helier and St George’s Hospitals.

 

Following national advice, local hospitals are prepared for people coming in with symptoms of the virus.

 

A hoax email claimed that there had been a case of the virus at Epsom, but the Epsom and St Helier NHS Trust tweeted on February 13 that there were no cases at either Epsom or St Helier.

 

A school in Putney is believed to have sent home more than 20 staff and students after a half-term ski-trip to Northern Italy, as a precautionary measure against the spread of coronavirus.

 

A spokesperson for the Epsom and St Helier NHS Trust said: “We are following national guidance and like all hospitals are putting in place NHS 111 pods in both our emergency departments, so that anyone attending hospital with symptoms of the virus can be kept isolated from other patients and avoid causing unnecessary pressure in A&E.”

 

The Trust asks patients not to come to the emergency departments or urgent treatment centres if you have sore throat, cough or flu symptoms and have travelled to mainland China, Thailand, Japan, Republic of Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia or Macau in the last 14 days.

 

If you are worried that you may have the virus the advice is to stay at home and call NHS 111 for medical advice.

 

If you are seriously unwell and require urgent medical attention please call 999.

 

By Tara O’Connor, Local Democracy Reporter

February 27, 2020