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The council is monitoring the situation regarding Coronavirus (COVID-19) closely and is liaising regularly with experts at Public Health England, the Department of Health and Social Care, the NHS, Devon County Council and others. We are taking all possible steps to keep East Devon’s residents, visitors, businesses and our staff safe.

The Government has brought in guidance aimed at trying to delay the spread of the virus.

The symptoms and guidance are: 

Symptoms

The most important symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are recent onset of any of the following:

  • a new continuous cough
  • a high temperature
  • a loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia)

For most people, coronavirus (COVID-19) will be a mild illness. However, if you have any of the symptoms above you must stay at home and arrange to have a test to see if you have COVID-19 – go to testing to arrange.

What to do if you show symptoms

Stay at home

You should stay at home as much as possible. The reasons you may leave home include:

  • for work, where you cannot work from home
  • going to shops that are permitted to be open - to get things like food and medicine
  • to exercise or spend time outdoors
  • any medical need, including to donate blood, avoid injury or illness, escape risk of harm, or to provide care or to help a vulnerable person

More guidance can be found on our staying at home page and on the GOV.UK website. 

Social distancing

The government has updated its guidance on social distancing.

This is with regards to: 

Additional measures

Borders/international visitors 

When you arrive in the UK, you must self-isolate for 14 days.

You may be refused permission to enter the UK (if you are not a British citizen), or fined if you do not to provide your contact details or do not self-isolate when you arrive in the UK on or after 8 June 2020.

In England, if you do not self-isolate, you can be fined £1,000. If you do not provide an accurate contact detail declaration – or do not update your contact detail form in the limited circumstances where you need to move to another place to self-isolate – you can be fined up to £3,200.

The Foreign & Commonwealth (FCO) advised British people against all non-essential travel worldwide. This applies for an indefinite period due to unprecedented international border closures and other restrictions. All countries may restrict travel without notice. 

All arrivals including British nationals will be required to provide their contact information and self-isolate upon arrival, other than those on a short list of exemptions.

Full guidance can be found on the GOV.UK website.

Key workers

A full list of key workers has been provided by central government. 

Coronavirus advice in Devon

Devon County Council is providing daily updates on the coronavirus situation - coronavirus advice in Devon - with links to guidance covering the following:

  • Latest updates - number of UK cases, latest test figures, number of cases by local authority area.
  • Schools and families
  • Care homes, vulnerable and older people
  • Business and employers
  • Communities and voluntary sector organisations
  • Public transport and public places
  • Warning about scams
  • Your wellbeing
  • Resources, including posters, which support efforts to stop coronavirus in workplaces or organisations. (Please note, these are designed for printing purposes only, and will not be fully accessible to someone using assistive technology such as a screen reader)