Coronavirus Advice
20/03/20 – Existing National Obesity Surgery Centre patients
Due to the Coronavirus situation, we are currently unable to offer band-fills and face-to-face aftercare appointments.
We are still completing aspirations (defills) and emergency appointments at select clinics throughout the UK. Please contact our Aftercare team by phone on 0161 976 3846 (option 2) for the latest availability and information.
As this is an ever changing situation we will continue to update you with any further changes here. Our priority is to ensure the safety of all patients and staff in compliance with the latest advice from the Government, PHE and WHO.
What to do if you have symptoms
Anyone with a fever or persistent cough should stay at home for seven days if they live alone or 14 days if they live with others. Anyone who lives with someone displaying coronavirus symptoms should also stay at home for 14 days.
This will help to protect others in your community while you are infectious.
Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital.
You do not need to contact NHS 111 to tell them you’re staying at home.
We will not be testing people who are self-isolating with mild symptoms.
Recent government action
The government published its coronavirus action plan on 3 March.
On 10 February, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock, announced strengthened legal powers to protect public health.
The Health Protection (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020 have been put in place to reduce the risk of further human-to-human transmission in this country by keeping individuals in isolation where public health professionals believe there is a reasonable risk an individual may have the virus.
On Monday (17.03.20), Prime Minster Boris Johnson announced significant new measures:
- Everyone should stop non essential contact with others. This is particularly important for people over 70, those with underlying health conditions and pregnant women.
- People should work from home where they can.
- People should avoid places like pubs, clubs and theatres. This applies especially to those in London which is “a few weeks ahead” of the rest of the UK.
- People should stop unnecessary travel.
- By the weekend, those with the most serious health conditions should be largely shielded from social contact for 12 weeks.
Diagnosis and analysis
The UK is one of the first countries outside China to have a prototype specific laboratory test for this new disease. Healthcare professionals who are contacted by a patient with symptoms following travel to an affected area have been advised to submit samples to PHE for testing. Individuals should be treated in isolation.
After the experience of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003, PHE developed a series of diagnostic tests to detect any member of the family of coronaviruses. These have been used for several years, and were able to detect the first UK case of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) in 2012.
With the first reported publication of the genome sequence of a 2019 novel coronavirus, PHE was able to rapidly develop further specific tests for this virus, working with WHO and global network of laboratories.
When a clinician suspects novel coronavirus (COVID-19), they take samples from the nose, throat and deeper respiratory samples, package and send them safely to PHE Colindale. PHE can provide a laboratory result from this specific virus on the same working day.
PHE also has the capability to sequence the viral genome and compare this to published sequences from China, if a case occurs. This will provide valuable information on any mutations in the virus over time and allow an improved understanding of how it spreads.
Please see government guidance:
Please call 111 to discuss any concerns
