Contrary to popular belief, we can all look out for each other by looking out for ourselves, at least in the case of public health matters.

Readers will no doubt have seen that Cumbria is preparing for the possible appearance of the coronavirus in the county, as reported on page 2 of today's The Mail.

By looking after ourselves, we can ensure that if the virus has reached Cumbria, we can limit the spread and keep ourselves healthy.

The NHS has published some common sense advice for people to follow that can stop the virus from spreading and can help prevent initial infections.

They are:

n Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze

n Put used tissues in the bin straight away

n Wash your hands with soap and water often – use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available

n Try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell

n Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean

The main symptoms of coronavirus are a cough, a high temperature and shortness of breath.

This may seem obvious, but if you've been to China or other specified areas in the last 14 days, be more cautious about your symptoms.