Keeping safe together
We are delighted to welcome you to Cornwall for that long-waited day out, holiday or break. Cornwall is as wonderful as ever, but some things have changed. Most importantly, we all have to abide by the Government guidelines to ensure we are all safe and able to enjoy all that Cornwall has to make life fun, fulfilling and create those life-long memories.
Staying safe
As the Coronavirus (COVID-19) is still present in Cornwall and the rest of the UK, we all have to play our part in managing, mitigating and reducing this threat by:
- Do not travel to your Cornwall if you or the people you are travelling with have Covid symptoms (high temperature, new cough, loss of taste/smell) before you leave home and Dial 119. Please get tested at home and if the test is negative then come down. If the test is positive, you need to stay at home, get better and not visit until 7 days after your symptoms first started.
- Please make sure you continue to follow social distancing wherever you are, ideally stay 2m away from other people in all settings (except your household contacts). If you do need to get closer, please always maintain 1m+ social distance and take extra precautions like never talking to people face to face, wear face coverings in crowded situations, on public transport and to wash your hands frequently.
- Wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds and use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available.
- Wash your hands as soon as you get back to your accommodation.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough, or sneeze, put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards.
- Try to limit the number of people you see.
- Have face coverings with you so you can use public transport easily. Make sure you pack lots of hand sanitizer and use it frequently.
Gathering in Groups
- You can meet in any outdoor space in a group of up to 6 people from different households maintaining social distancing.
- Only gather indoors in groups of no more than two households (including your support bubble) – this includes when dining out or going to the pub.
- Limit social interaction with anyone outside your group you are attending a place with, even if you see other people you know, for example, in a restaurant, attraction or beach
Making the most of your stay or day out
We want you to have a great holiday. In order to do that, you have to plan ahead and book ahead for dining and visiting attractions. Some attractions, restaurants and eateries will have reduced capacity, and by booking ahead, this will ensure you are not disappointed and save fruitless journeys.
Visit a beach with confidence – tips on staying safe on our beaches:
- Cornwall is blessed with over 400 beaches and coves all round our coast.
- If you visit a beach which is busy, have a plan B in place to find another beach less crowded. It will be a better experience for you and the people around you – and you will find some real hidden gems.
- Help us to keep our beaches beautiful – take all your litter with you when you go and leave only your footprints behind.
- Please remember not all beaches will have their usual facilities – and public toilets may not be open. If you go to the beach, please make sure you don’t “go” on the beach.
- Continue to practice social distancing when you are out and about.
- Even though our beaches are a fantastic place and for most are the main attraction for a holiday to Cornwall, but they can also be very dangerous.
- The vast majority of incidents can be avoided by heeding the advice of lifeguards and not taking unnecessary risks. When visiting a beach look out for the red and yellow flags that mean a lifeguard is on duty and indicates where you should swim or bodyboard. Never enter the water if a red flag is flying.
- Unfortunately, not all beaches have lifeguards. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, only around 75% of beaches are being patrolled by the RNLI. Whether there are lifeguards on duty or not, it is especially important to follow these beach safety tips:
- Even though our beaches are a fantastic place and for most are the main attraction for a holiday to Cornwall, but they can also be very dangerous.The vast majority of incidents can be avoided by heeding the advice of lifeguards and not taking unnecessary risks. When visiting a beach look out for the red and yellow flags that mean a lifeguard is on duty and indicates where you should swim or bodyboard. Never enter the water if a red flag is flying.
- Unfortunately, not all beaches have lifeguards. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, only around 75% of beaches are being patrolled by the RNLI. Whether there are lifeguards on duty or not, it is especially important to follow these beach safety tips:
- Have a plan – check the weather forecast, tide times, and read local hazard signage It is very easy to get caught out by the tide when exploring. Be particularly careful when walking around rocky headlands or exploring rock pools. The tide can come in very quickly across rocks and leave you stranded.
- Beware of rip currents – Each year lifeguards around our coast rescue thousands of people who get caught in rip currents. If you get caught in a rip current, try not to panic, if you have a bodyboard – keep hold of it, paddle or swim sideways out of the current towards breaking waves which will help wash you back in towards shallower water.
- Keep a close eye on your family – on the beach and in the water. Lifeguards cannot be everywhere. It is particularly important that you keep an eye on your family and know where they are at all times.
- Do not use inflatables – Inflatables can be carried out to sea by wind and tide very quickly. They are designed for Swimming pools and should not be used in the sea.
- If you fall into the water unexpectedly, FLOAT TO LIVE – More than half of the people that drown each year never meant to go into the water. If you accidently fall in, fight your instinct to thrash around, lean back, extend your arms and legs, and float.
- In an emergency dial 999, and ask for the Coastguard – When heading to the coast make sure you take a mobile phone with you so that you can call for help if you need it.
Visit with confidence
Five tips on staying safe in our re-opened towns and villages
- Go with the flow: follow the new signage that has been put in place in many towns and villages.
- Be safe, keep your distance and stay spaced out! Thank you for being considerate, responsible and patient.
- Say ‘hi’ (Dydh da) to our local street marshals and volunteers. They’re there to help and guide you.
- Help us help you stay safe: remember to wash your hands often, use free sanitiser stations, use contactless payment, and wear a face covering in shops.
- Visit with confidence: Our local businesses are working hard to help protect the safety of customers and staff. Look out for their Covid risk assessment certificates
If you feel ill during your stay:
General Medical Advice:
Have your regular GP details with you on holiday so you can contact them if you need any medical attention. Make sure you have enough of any regular medicines you take in order to avoid any unnecessary pressure on local services and have an extra 2-week supply of your regular medicines just in case you need to self-isolate in Cornwall whilst waiting for test results.
If you feel ill with coronavirus like symptoms?
- Stay indoors if you feel unwell. If you think it could be Covid then please arrange to get a test by calling 119. Do not put off getting a test and ignore your symptoms. It is your responsibility to stay safe and keep everyone else safe, getting tested quickly will be the best way to keep safe and protect others around you. As Covid-19 is not the only illness with these symptoms, such as high temperature and flu like symptoms, if in doubt please consult your GP/healthcare professional.
- If you need to contact a doctor for medical advice, please contact your normal doctor where you usually live. GPs are now very used to doing telephone consultations and your GP will know your full medical history and therefore will be the best person to advise you about your health.
- If you get a test please enter your holiday address into the site to get the test. This way we will be notified in Cornwall if you are Covid positive and we can then more rapidly identify any outbreaks in Cornwall and keep everyone as safe as possible. Please DO NOT try and hide your Covid symptoms because you want to enjoy your holiday. This type of behaviour will only result in everyone having to go into lockdown.
- If your test comes back negative, as long as you feel well enough, please stay for the duration of your holiday, and enjoy Cornwall.
- If your test is positive and you feel well enough to travel, you need to get home as quickly and as directly as you can. You should travel back by car if someone else in the group can drive or drive yourself if it is safe to do so, you should not use public transport.
- You will need to tell your accommodation provider that you have tested positive. This way they can ensure they clean the accommodation in a suitable way to reduce possible onward transmission to the next people in the accommodation.
- If you need to know any information about Covid-19 and how Cornwall is working to reduce the spread and protect people in Cornwall please go to our web site www.cornwall.gov.uk
- If you cannot travel home you should self-isolate in your accommodation, but you will have to pay for the additional nights of stay in your accommodation.
If you are contacted by Test and Track whilst on holiday in Cornwall
Do not use any public transport if you have been contacted by the test and trace service and told you are a contact of someone with Covid. If you or a member of your party can travel home by private car then that should be considered, but if you need to then self-isolate. Self-isolating as a visitor will not be a good experience as you won’t be able to go outside, you will need help to access food and medicine and self-isolation is much easier if you are at home with your normal social network. You will also have to pay for the additional nights of stay in your accommodation.
If you feel unwell with other symptoms?
Please contact your usual Doctor/Surgery for your initial consultation
If you have a minor accidents and injury ?
If you need urgent, but not emergency, care:
Just contact NHS 111 by phone or online at any time of day or night, to find out where you should go and when.
If needed, expert clinicians will arrange for you to be seen at the Emergency Department (ED) or at the range of other treatment units.
Please don’t just turn up, as you may be redirected elsewhere or have to wait longer. This will help ensure that everyone stays as safe as possible during the pandemic. It will help the NHS manage the flow of patients when capacity in waiting rooms is much smaller than before, to maintain distancing and reduce the risk of infection.
It means you will get the right treatment, more quickly – and probably closer to home as well
Dial 111 or go online at: 111.nhs.uk/
If you have a serious accident medical problem re suspected heart attack etc?
Dial 999 or go straight to the Emergency Department if you have serious or life-threatening illnesses or injuries.