Home   Stamford   News   Article

Subscribe Now

Rutland director of health speaks out as covid restrictions are lifted




A health professional has outlined the need for personal responsibility as England’s ‘living with covid’ plan begins today.

On Monday the prime minister announced that people who test positive for Covid-19 are no longer legally required to isolate.

They will be advised to stay at home for at least five days, but will not be legally obliged to do so.

Boris Johnson detailed his ‘living with Covid’ strategy. Photo: Jeff J Mitchell/PA
Boris Johnson detailed his ‘living with Covid’ strategy. Photo: Jeff J Mitchell/PA

Routine contact tracing also ends today along with self-isolation payments.

Free lateral flow tests will be scrapped for most people in April.

Director of public health for Rutland, Mike Sandys, said: “It’s down to us now. Covid hasn’t gone away overnight and we all still need to do our bit.

Mike Sandys, director of public health for Rutland
Mike Sandys, director of public health for Rutland

“We have come a long way in our struggle to overcome what we hope will turn out to be the worst of Covid-19.

“The way that we each choose to act in the absence of legal restrictions and the extent to which we think about the risks to others will be key during this next phase of the pandemic.”

During Monday’s announcement, Boris Johnson also told MPs that changes to statutory sick pay and employment support allowance designed to help people through the coronavirus pandemic will end on March 24.

Mike said: “People who have symptoms really shouldn’t be going out.

“I appreciate it’s easy to say that for people who can work from home or those who qualify for good sick pay. There will be some people who feel they can’t do that, but those who can stay at home really should.”

A further round of booster vaccines for the over 75s and those classed as clinically vulnerable has also been announced, but Mike thinks it is unlikely that everyone will be offered a fourth dose at this stage.

He said the need for future jabs will depend on whether a new variant arises and how seriously it affects people.

The covid vaccine will also soon be rolled out to children aged five to 12.

Mike said: “Vaccinations remain critical in the continuing fight against covid.

“Very few children suffer serious consequences of covid and it doesn’t affect them as much as adults, but the vaccination is about protecting the population more widely and cutting down transmission.

“Even if it’s not the worst thing in the world for children to get covid, being poorly and having time off school can contribute to harm through missed education.

“When parents are faced with the decision about vaccinating their children, it’s a case of weighing up the overall harm and benefit to both the child and wider society.”

Addressing the Commons on Monday, Mr Johnson said: “Covid will not just disappear so those who would wait for it to end before lifting restrictions would be waiting a very long time.

“It is time we got our confidence back. We can rely on a sense of responsibility towards one another... Let us learn to live with this virus.”

The number of people in Rutland to report covid test results dropped by 20 per cent this week.

Between February 16 and 22, 195 people had a confirmed positive test result. This shows a decrease of 15 per cent compared to the previous week.

Of a population of about 40,000 in Rutland, 26,733 people had been given a booster or third dose of the covid vaccination by Monday.

No further deaths have been recorded within 28 days of a positive covid test.



Comments | 0
This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More