ARGYLL and Bute Council staff will be granted paid leave if they need to self-isolate due to the coronavirus outbreak, the local authority has said.

People are being advised to self-isolate if they have travelled to an affected area, including Northern Italy or parts of Asia, or have been in close contact with a person known to be infected.

NHS advice has stated that most people can continue to go to work, school and other places and self-isolation should only happen if advised by the 111 Coronavirus online service or by a medical professional.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed that anybody affected will receive statutory sick pay from the first day of their absence from work, instead of the fourth.

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It is thought that up to a fifth of the UK’s workforce could be off sick during the peak of any epidemic of coronavirus in the country.

An Argyll and Bute spokesperson said: “Argyll and Bute Council has a flexible working policy, so self-isolating does not necessarily mean being unable to work – a great many staff are able to work from home.

“Employees who have been instructed to self-isolate, who can’t work from home, will be granted paid leave for the duration of self-isolation, or until they develop symptoms.

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“If the employee becomes unwell, normal sick leave provisions will apply until the employee is able to return to work. This is in line with national guidance.”

According to NHS advice, people who self-isolate may need to do so for around two weeks, staying at home and avoiding public places.

The NHS has also advised that people wash their hands often for at least 20 seconds to protect themselves against coronavirus.

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