COVID-19 STATEMENT

At IMS we are doing all we can to help delay the spread of the #coronavirus. We remain very much open, are adequately staffed & our production continues. We have issued the following guidance to all our staff:- What is Coronavirus? As a group, coronaviruses are common across the world. Typical symptoms of coronavirus include fever and a cough that may progress to a severe pneumonia causing shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. Generally, coronavirus can cause more severe symptoms in people with weakened immune systems, older people, and those with long-term conditions like diabetes, cancer and chronic lung disease. Novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is a new strain of coronavirus first identified in Wuhan City, China. 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. How Coronavirus is spread Because it is a new illness, we do not know exactly how coronavirus spreads from person to person. Similar viruses are spread in cough droplets. It’s very unlikely it can be spread through things like packages or food as viruses like coronavirus cannot live outside the body for very long. How to avoid catching or spreading germs There are things you can do to help stop viruses like coronavirus spreading. DO Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not hands) when you cough or sneeze Put used tissues in the bin immediately Wash your hands with soap and water often – use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available Try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell DON’T Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean. Do I need to avoid public places? Most people can continue to go to work, school and other public places. You only need to stay away from public places of you have been: To Hubei province China, 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 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 If you have been to any of these places you must call 111. Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital. Call 111 and stay indoors and avoid close contact with other people. Treatment for Coronavirus There is currently no specific treatment for coronavirus. Antibiotics do not help as they do not work against viruses. Treatment aims to relieve the symptoms while your body fights the illness. For more information please check the following links: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19 https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-information-for-the-public https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019 As of 16th March 2020, following the press conference chaired by the British Prime Minister, it is vital that if you or anyone in your household has one of the following symptoms: New dry continuous cough or an elevated temperature (above 37°C) you MUST stay at home for 14 days and self-isolate. This means where at all possible you should not leave the house for 14 days. If anyone comes to work with these symptoms, then Supervisors/Managers are required to send the personnel home immediately. How to self-isolate Anyone who has been told to self-isolate, should stay indoors and avoid contact with other people to prevent them from spreading the disease to family, friends and the wider community. According to Public Health England (PHE), this means you must: Stay at home Not go to work, school or public areas Not use public transport like buses, trains, tubes or taxis unless you have been told it is safe to do so by a member of a public health team. Avoid visitors to your home Ask friends, family members or delivery services to carry out errands for you – such as getting groceries, medications or other shopping It was also advised that we should stop all unnecessary travel, be that national or internationally. Obviously, most international travel has been halted as individual countries have banned entry but ensuring that we are minimising all travel is essential. We’d like to take this opportunity to wish all our clients across the World, along with their families, safety during this period. Should you wish to discuss any ongoing or imminent projects, please get in touch with the sales team today via sales@silencers.co.uk NB: This page will be updated inline with Governmental changes/advice or further company decisions (last update 18th March 2020).