Play your part

We have all made sacrifices to stop the spread of COVID-19 and protect the communities we live in.

Washing your hands, covering your face, and making space aren't sacrifices but simple and effective ways to reducing risk and helping stop the spread of the virus to yourself, family and friends.

Preventing the spread

COVID-19 exists in the liquid droplets you breathe into the air. This is how it spreads, through breathing in infected liquid droplets from the air around you and touching surfaces where the droplets have landed. This is why it's important, if you have tested positive or are identified as a close contact, you must isolate to stop the spread.

If you're asymptomatic, you don't have symptoms. Therefore you won't know you're carrying the virus but could still be mixing with your bubble and be out and about around other people, passing the virus on without knowing. This is why the basics of hands, face and space are so important.

Further information

• Visit prevention and health advice for more information on how and why washing hands, covering your face and creating space are key to preventing the spread.

The importance of testing

Got symptoms? Get tested.

If you have any one of the COVID-19 symptoms it's important you get tested straight away to confirm if you do have the virus. You must isolate for 10 full days, starting before you get a test or receive your results, to prevent the spread and protect others. Knowing if you're definitely positive will help you decide what steps you take next to help your body fight the virus and also how you protect your household from catching COVID-19 from you. There are testing sites in Kirklees specifically for people with symptoms available to book now.

Not got symptoms? Get tested.

1 in 3 people have COVID-19 but don't present any symptoms (known as asymptomatic) but will still be infectious and could spread the virus to others without knowing. Some of those people who become infected might be vulnerable and/or elderly, they could become seriously ill or even die - some of these people could be your loved ones. Community (mass) testing aims to help prevent and reduce transmission in the community through Lateral Flow Testing. No need to book, just turn up.

You can play your part - get tested now.

Further information

• Find your local community testing sites, read mass community testing: getting a test if you don't have symptoms to find out what to do.
• Or book a test if you have symptoms by visiting Test and Trace: getting a test if you have symptoms

Isolating effectively

If you have been in contact with someone who has tested positive, up to 2 days prior to them having symptoms or testing positive, you too could already be infectious. You may feel fine but this doesn't mean you don't have COVID-19 or won't develop it over the next 10 days. Isolating is an incredibly effective way of slowing the spread and why adhering strictly to timeframes is extremely important, whether you have tested positive or are a contact.

By isolating you are playing your part in helping to break the chain of the virus. As well as protecting your friends and family, you are also shielding the most vulnerable who could suffer the consequences of the disease more than you.

Additionally, it's a legal requirement - you could be fined if you do not self-isolate when required.

You must isolate for 10 days:

• if you test positive
• if you are identified as a close contact regardless of whether you test negative
• if you have been told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace

Further information

• Visit self-isolation if you have been told to self-isolate by the NHS Test and Trace.

Long term effects of coronavirus (Long COVID)

Most people will make a full recovery after contracting coronavirus but for some, COVID-19 will have serious long term effects.

Commonly known as Long COVID or Post-COVID Syndrome, you could be left with debilitating physical and/or mental ill health issues. You may quickly recover from the initial virus, but your mind and body could take months to fully recover from the lasting impact.

Don't risk your health or the health of others.

Play your part. Follow the guidelines.

Further information

• Visit COVID-19 long term effects to find out about symptoms and support for recovery.

Protecting loved ones

Family and friends are precious and it's important to realise that even though you may not be showing symptoms yourself, you could unknowingly infect someone else.

We need to protect loved ones, especially if they are elderly or clinically extremely vulnerable.

If not for yourself, do it for them. Play your part, follow the guidelines.

Further information

• Read COVID-19 guidance for vulnerable people for more information.

Laws around COVID

You must abide by the local and national restrictions, failing to do so is against the law. You must stay local if you go outside.

We must all play out part in bringing down the infection rate in Kirklees. If you know of someone breaching the restrictions and by doing so, increasing the risk of spreading the virus, you should report them to the Police.

Action will be taken against those who are not playing their part.

Those who breach the restrictions can be given a fixed penalty notice of £200 for the first offence, doubling for further offences up to a maximum of £6,400. Anyone who holds an illegal gathering of over 30 people can be issued with fines of £10,000.

If businesses fail to comply with these restrictions, they can face fines of up to £10,000, prosecution or closure.

Further information

• For more information on the restrictions, read COVID-19 restrictions in Kirklees
• If you need to report an incident, report a COVID-19 incident
• To report a Kirklees business that is breaching the regulations please email: Email covid-secure.enquiries@kirklees.gov.uk

Follow the guidelines, even with a vaccine

The vaccination programme is in full swing with thousands of people getting their jab every day. This is helping us move towards a brighter future. However, right now we can't rely on the vaccine alone to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

We still need to continue to follow government guidance and adhere to the three key rules: hands, face, space. A vaccine may drastically improve your chances of avoiding serious illness, but it might not prevent you from passing the virus on to a loved one, so we need to continue to be vigilant and cautious until restrictions can be safely lifted.

Further information

• For more information on the restrictions, read COVID-19 restrictions in Kirklees