Coronavirus information campaign launched

A nationwide campaign has been launched to advise the public on how to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

The government-funded campaign will include public health advice on how people can protect themselves from infection, as well as reduce the impact on NHS services.

Similar to the ‘Catch it, Bin it, Kill it’ campaign used for flu and norovirus, it will promote important hygiene practices, such as regularly washing hands and always sneezing into a tissue, to stem the spread of viruses. The campaign will appear in radio and print media, as well as social media.

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said: "Our highly trained and experienced clinicians are working round the clock to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the UK. The government has detailed plans for how to deal with an outbreak like this. We can all play our part.

"Basic hygiene such as washing our hands regularly and using tissues when we cough and sneeze can play an important role in minimising the spread of viruses like this. Today we have launched a UK-wide public information campaign to help the public protect themselves and each other. Our world-class NHS is well prepared and we are doing everything we can to protect the public."

People who have travelled back from the Hubei province in China within the last 14 days are being asked to: stay indoors and avoid contact with other people as you would with the flu andcall NHS 111 to inform them of your recent travel to the city.

On 31 January 2020, two patients in England, who are members of the same family, tested positive for coronavirus. They are receiving specialist NHS care and we are using tried and tested infection control procedures to prevent further spread of the virus. The government has reiterated that the UK is extremely well prepared for any potential outbreak of an infectious disease.

In fact, the government has pledged £20 million to develop new vaccines to combat the world’s deadliest diseases, amid concerns over the ongoing novel coronavirus outbreak in China.

The new funding will support work developing new vaccines for epidemics, including their three new programmes to develop vaccines against the novel coronavirus, 2019-nCoV. These projects aim to advance 2019-nCoV vaccine candidates into clinical testing as quickly as possible.

Hancock said: "Vaccines are our best defense against a host of deadly diseases, including coronavirus. The UK is a hub of world-leading and pioneering research, and it is vital that we lead the way in developing new vaccines to target global threats with scientists from across the world. The £20 million announced today will help our globally recognised vaccine development capabilities continue to develop new defences against emerging diseases including coronavirus. It’s paramount we invest in vital research about infectious diseases, keeping the UK at the forefront of modern-day science so we can share this knowledge globally."