Following the easing of coronavirus-related restrictions on 19th July, Stockport’s Director of Public Health, Jennifer Connolly, has suggested residents make use of free lateral flow tests ahead of attending busy indoor venues and events.
The easing of restrictions has relaxed rules on social distancing and mask wearing, as well as allowed night clubs to reopen. However, Jennifer Connolly has warned that Covid-19 infection rates remain high in the borough, and recommends a number of steps residents can take to help keep the virus in check. In her weekly statement on the pandemic, she said:
While I’m sure we’re all enjoying the relaxed rules, it is very important to remember that the pandemic is not over. COVID-19 cases are still very high across Greater Manchester, and are currently higher than at any other time in the pandemic in Stockport. In our borough, cases are currently at 607.7 per 100,000, which equates to 255 cases per day*. Thanks to the remarkable vaccine programme, we continue to see a weakened link between cases and hospitalisations, but this link has not been broken completely, and bed occupancy is still rising in Stockport. Currently, COVID-19 patients occupy 19 beds in Stepping Hill hospital, with 2 unfortunately in the ICU. This is expected to rise further due to the high number of cases in the borough.
Despite the success of the vaccine rollout in reducing hospitalisations, COVID-19 remains a risk to us all. Higher cases means more need for self-isolation, which can impact on workforces for local businesses and of course, our social plans. To stop the spread, please maintain the good practices we’ve all been adopting over the past year, including thorough and regular hand-washing, social distancing and being cautious about increasing your socialising and other activities too quickly – it’s better to go gradually. Even though mask wearing and social distancing is no longer law, it is still advised, particularly in enclosed or busy areas to stop the spread of the virus. Remember, you still need to wear a mask when travelling on the Metrolink.
If you’re heading to a large scale event such as a music or sports event or a busy venue such as a nightclub, it’s a good idea to test before you go. It takes just 30 minutes to get a result, and it helps protect yourself and others from the spread of coronavirus. You can order lateral flow tests for free online, find your nearest collection point here, or pick tests up from your local pharmacy or library.
Further information on reducing transmission can be found here.
As I mentioned, the vaccine is proving to be effective at reducing severe disease and at reducing the likelihood of needing hospital care, for those who catch COVID-19. Getting both doses also contributes to reducing transmission rates and is likely to reduce your chance of developing long Covid, which can prevent you from doing the things you love such as playing sport or socialising.
This week in Stockport we passed a major milestone: two thirds of the adult population have now received both doses of the vaccine. 83.8% of the adult population have now received their first dose, and 67.6% of adults have received both doses. For the younger adults in the population, there’s plenty of opportunity to ‘grab a jab’! Look out for the pop-up clinics visiting various locations across Stockport in the next few weeks, or see the full timetable here. You can also book your vaccine online, or call 119 to arrange an appointment.
Cases of COVID-19 are highest in the 18 to 29 population, as well as in 10 to 17 and 0 to 9 year olds. With many of our schools breaking up next week for the summer holidays, I’d like to take this opportunity to remind parents that it’s a great idea to engage with your children to help them stop the spread of the virus. Regular testing for young people is a great idea if they are out socialising during the holidays, and giving each other space and practicing good hand hygiene is important too. Don’t let self-isolation ruin their summer of fun!
Remember, if you have symptoms of coronavirus or your lateral flow test comes back positive, you will need to take a PCR test and self-isolate. You can order your PCR test online or book a test by calling 119.
*This data is validated from 22nd July 2021.