Am I stuck inside if I’m quarantined, and do masks spread virus?

QI’m on holiday in France and have heard I’ll have to quarantine on my return. What exactly does this mean?

ANew rules introduced yesterday mean that holidaymakers entering the UK from France, Malta, the Netherlands, Monaco, the Turks and Caicos Islands and Aruba must self-isolate for 14 days. The same rules already apply to countries including Spain and Portugal. If you return to the UK from one of these countries, you must self-isolate for 14 days – as it can take up to two weeks for symptoms of coronavirus to develop. You can use public transport to get to your accommodation, but only if you have no other option, and you should wear a face covering and stay at least two metres away from other people if you do. You can stay in your own home, a hotel, or with family or friends, but once you arrive you should not leave for any reason or have visitors, except in an emergency or if you require vital care. Food should be delivered, or dropped off by family and friends, and you can only exercise within your home and garden. People you live with do not need to stay at home unless they travelled with you – but you must try to stay as separate as possible.

People who need help collecting medicines or shopping in England can call the NHS Volunteer Responders on 0808 196 3646, in Scotland call 0800 111 4000 and in Wales go to gov.wales/findsupport-affected-coronavirus.

QI heard that masks with valves don’t work. Should I get a new one?

AYes, ideally. While many people find it easier to breathe in a mask with a valve, experts warn they are unlikely to be as effective as surgical masks or cloth coverings at stopping the spread of the virus.

‘When you breathe in, the valve closes, filtering any incoming air,’ explains Professor Paul Hunter, professor of medicine at the University of East Anglia. ‘But when you breathe out, the air going out will go out through the valve, unfiltered. As soon as you put a valve in, the integrity of the mask as a way of protecting people around you reduces.’