If you have symptoms of covid, you can just go to A and E now, right ?

[garrybubblo]

Say if you deem it serious enough, is it OK to just turn up at a and e now ?

I ask because I was in a and e the other day, for something completely unrelated and there were lots of people who seemed very sick with coughs etc. May not have been covid of course.

But I do remember a time when you were not supposed to go to a and e or to a GP with those kinds of symptoms. Or where you'd be triaged into certain covid green areas of covid red areas.

Just wondering how that works now ?

No, it’s not. Hospitals have hot and cold sites. They won’t mix people with covid symptoms in a general a&e unit.

In my area, the advice is specifically NOT to attend A&E with COVID symptoms, but to phone NHS 24 / 111 for advice.

Ah ok. I was quite scared to be fair. But a lot of coughing fits in there. I was surprised.

People cough for all sorts of reasons though op.

There are separate areas in my a&e but you need an appointment for both.

@shouldistop

People cough for all sorts of reasons though op.

Yeah that's absolutely true. Maybe they had some sort of procedure I wasn't aware of and those people in a and e with coughing were screened. Surely they can't just let anyone come into a and e with no testing in place, because coughing could be covid.

@Tellmewhat

There are separate areas in my a&e but you need an appointment for both.

This one was just a usual walk in a and e. No appointment required.

If its life threatening, or you are worried that it might be, then phone 999. The paramedics will come out, assess you and take you in if necessary. If the ambulance wait times are very long Id get a lo to a&e before I let them expire at home.

If its slightly less urgent then try 111 who will advise/triage you. It can also be worth speaking to your gp who can advise you and may prescribe antibiotics or steriods (for instance).

@kazza446

No, it’s not. Hospitals have hot and cold sites. They won’t mix people with covid symptoms in a general a&e unit.

I wouldn't count on it. Our local hospital does not have a separate covid site. I was hospitalised twice with covid. In each case I was told by the covid oximetry at home service to go straight to A&E. On arrival we (DH had to take me in a wheelchair) had to queue in the normal way at the reception desk. People in front and behind. I was directed then to a separate waiting room but even then there were people with small children wandering between the two waiting rooms.