When to self isolate?

[Lovemusic33]

I’m confused about the protocol for Coronavirus.

If someone was to wake up with cold symptoms (cough, sore throat, runny nose etc..) is the advice to self isolate? Or is it just for people who have been to one of the effected countries?

Obviously there are loads of flu and cold viruses doing the rounds at the moment so loads of people will be showing symptoms that are probably not corona, surely if every one with cold/flu symptoms stay at home the world would come to a stand still? But then how else are the meant to contain such a fast spreading virus and keep the venerable safe?

And yes, I have woken with a cold, I have no fever, just cold symptoms. I go to the gym daily and chances are i have been in contact with people who may have been skiing in Italy and France but who knows? No ones going to tell you at the gym as everyone just keeps themselves to themselves and no ones going to mention their ski holiday or where they have been.

I’m pretty sure I just have a bit of a cold. I am self employed part time and can’t afford a day off work let alone 2 weeks. How are people going to manage if they have to isolate for 2 weeks?

How many people have symptoms and are just carrying on as normal? Going to work? Going to events?

So if you have cold symptoms what are you doing? Staying at home? Going to work?

I had the cold last week. Went to work every day. It's cleared up now. I knew it wasn't Coronavirus because it wasn't respiratory, it was mostly my throat and my sinuses. And I was mostly well, so I carried on as usual.

No need to self isolate unless you have symptoms and have returned from an infected area eg northern Italy, Korea, China etc.
I flew back from HK two weeks ago, no symptoms so carried on as normal.

I wonder about this too.
I had a hysterectomy yesterday morning, had no idea that there were two confirmed corona patients in the hospital.
I normally wouldn't worry but the atmosphere amongst the staff got my nerves jangling

There's advice on the BBC News website and you can also call 111.

Thank you, I guess my main worry is passing anything on at work, I’m a support worker and working with someone who has a lung condition. I tend to carry on going to work unless I do have a temperature on top of bad cold symptoms. I’m only working today and then I’m off until Monday anyway.

NHS advice

Symptoms of coronavirus

The symptoms of coronavirus are:

a cough
a high temperature
shortness of breath
But these symptoms do not necessarily mean you have the illness.

The symptoms are similar to other illnesses that are much more common, such as cold and flu.

Urgent advice:

Call 111 now if you've been:

to Hubei province in China in the last 14 days

to Iran, areas of northern Italy in lockdown or "special care zone" areas in South Korea since 19 February

to other parts of mainland China or South Korea, Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia or Macau in the last 14 days and have a cough, high temperature or shortness of breath

to other parts of northern Italy (anywhere north of Pisa, Florence and Rimini), Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos or Myanmar since 19 February and have a cough, high temperature or shortness of breath
in close contact with someone with confirmed coronavirus

Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital. Call 111, stay indoors and avoid close contact with other people.

So as long as I haven’t been to any of the effected areas the advice is not to worry and the carry on as normal?

I guess these guidelines will change once it actually starts spreading to people who have not been abroad?

They said on the news that it's not like a cold, it's more in the throat and chest.