If you have either a new continuous cough, a fever, or a loss in taste and smell you should stay at home and self Isolate until you are able to have a test and receive your results.

You can apply for a test here. We have now expanded eligibility so that anyone with symptoms can apply for a test. If you are an essential worker, please book a test here.

Stay Alert

We can all help control the virus if we all stay alert. This means you must:

• Stay at home as much as possible
• Work from home if you can
• Limit contact with other people
• Keep your distance if you go out (2 metres apart where possible)
• Wash your hands regularly
• Self-isolate if you or anyone in your household has symptoms, until you are tested and receive a negative result.

What Can I Now Do?

Form a ‘support bubble’ with one other household if you live alone or are a single parent with dependent children. In other words, you can act as if you were a single household.

You are allowed to meet in groups of up to six people who you do not live with or who are not in your support bubble. This should be in an outdoors setting and observing a 2-metre distance.

You are able to visit any type of shop and some additional outdoor attractions - drive-in cinemas, and animal attractions like zoos, farms and safari parks, as well as places of worship for individual prayer.

More detailed information can be found here.

The Police and local authorities have the powers to enforce social distancing rules and disperse groups of people. It is a criminal offence to:

• meet indoors with anyone who is not a member of your household or, from 13 June, your support bubble, except for specific exceptions set out in law
• meet outdoors in a group of more than six with people who are not in your household or support bubble, except for specific exceptions set out in law
• incite others to break the rules by e.g. inviting people to a party
• threaten others with infection by coronavirus, for example by coughing or spitting in their direction

What Can I Do From 4th July?

From Saturday 4th July, the Prime Minister has announced that pubs, restaurants and hairdressers will be able to reopen, providing they adhere to COVID Secure guidelines.

From the same date, he has set out that two households will be able to meet up in any setting with social distancing measures, and that people can now enjoy staycations in England with the reopening of accommodation sites.

In order to begin restoring the arts and cultural sector, some leisure facilities and tourist attractions may also reopen, if they can do so safely – this includes outdoor gyms and playgrounds, cinemas, museums, galleries, theme parks and arcades, as well as libraries, social clubs, places of worship and community centres.

Following a review, the Prime Minister has also set out that where it is not possible to stay two metres apart, guidance will allow people to keep a social distance of ‘one metre plus’. This means staying one metre apart, plus mitigations which reduce the risk of transmission.

You can find the latest Government advice here 

If you would like to see the NHS advice, it is available here

Key Helplines

NHS: 111

You should call NHS 111 in the following circumstances:

• you feel you cannot cope with your symptoms at home
• your condition gets worse
• your symptoms do not get better after 7 days

Medway Council: 01634 333 333

Food issues in Medway: emergency.foodproject@medway.gov.uk

Business' offering support & ventilators: 0300 456 3565

HMRC: 0800 015 9559

Universal Credit: 0800 328 5644

School closures: 0800 046 8687

What am I Doing as Your Member of Parliament?

My team and I have been responding to the hundreds of emails and phone calls that I have been receiving about this issue. I have been providing constituents with advice and guidance, and raising your concerns to the relevant authorities, local organisations and the Government. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if there is anything I can help you with during this difficult time.

I am also the Minister for Ports, Aviation and Security. I have been working every hour of the day with the maritime and aviation industries to provide them with the assurances they need. This means liaising via telephone with as many stakeholders as possible in the sector, ensuring that their concerns are understood and that plans are put in place by the Government. I have also been carrying out the work necessary to ensure that freight is still able to enter the country safely and that British tourists and visitors abroad are able to get home. 

View My Coronavius Information Leaflet Here