• New TV adverts featuring Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty and voiced by actor Mark Strong highlight key actions for public to take in the fight against coronavirus.
• Part of next stage of Government’s public information campaign, launched across various channels, including TV, radio, online and billboards
• New ads come after the PM confirmed new social distancing measures and stay at home advice to limit virus spread
The UK’s Chief Medical Officer and actor Mark Strong will feature in new TV adverts as part of the government’s public awareness campaign to delay the spread of COVID-19 and keep people safe.
The adverts, which can be viewed here https://we.tl/t-ykE0xtA1pb, hit screens this week and help explain new guidance to stay at home for 14 days if someone in your household has symptoms.
The guidance sets out that individuals will still be asked to self-isolate for seven days from the onset of symptoms, but any individuals in the household will now be asked to self-isolate for 14 days from that moment as well.
If other members of your household develop symptoms, however mild, at any time during the 14 days they must not leave the home for 7 days from when symptoms started.
The new phase of the campaign will build on the existing radio, online, digital and billboard adverts currently visible all over the country. These reinforce the importance of washing your hands more often for 20 seconds and ask people to self-isolate for seven days if they develop a high temperature or a new continuous cough – however mild.
The government’s public awareness campaign offers clear, practical advice so people can play their part in preventing and slowing the spread of the virus.
The awareness campaign also reiterates the importance of seeking help online by visiting NHS.uk/coronavirus to check your symptoms and follow the medical advice, rather than visiting your GP. It also urges people with any symptoms to avoid contact with older and more vulnerable people.
Only if symptoms become worse should people use the NHS 111 service. To ensure the phone service is readily available to those who need it, where possible people should use the 111 website rather than calling.
NHS, Public Health England and Local Authority Public Health teams up and down the country are working tirelessly to support everyone in need of advice, testing or treatment.
Since January, public health teams and world leading scientists have been working round the clock on the COVID-19 response, and government has been working with partners across the country to provide tailored advice to the public, travellers coming into the country and those most at risk from COVID-19.
