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Call for local COVID caution as next rule change approaches
12/08/2021
Health Chief: “we are not out of the woods and life cannot yet be considered to have fully returned to the way it was before the pandemic”
There’s a call for us to be cautious as we go about our daily lives after 1,517 cases of COVID were reported in Oxfordshire last week. In the Banbury FM area 260 new cases were recorded up to August 6, up from 214 the previous week, but down from 333 two weeks ago.
Ansaf Azhar, Oxfordshire County Council’s Director for Public Health, said: “We’ve seen a gradual relaxation in rules relating to COVID during the summer and people are now able to enjoy many of the freedoms that were part of daily life up until March 2020.
“The number of COVID cases being reported locally and nationally is lower than the peak that was reached in mid-July. However it is still significantly higher than the levels we observed during the spring and early summer.
“COVID is still very much out there – people are being hospitalised with it and sadly deaths are still being reported.
“My overall message to the people of Oxfordshire is that we are not out of the woods and life cannot yet be considered to have fully returned to the way it was before the pandemic.”
Up to the end of last week the Cherwell District recorded 230.6 cases per 100,000 of the population, below Oxford city’s rate of 279.4 cases per 100,000 people, but higher than the other districts.
A national change in the rules is expected to take effect on August 16 in relation to self-isolation for fully vaccinated people. Those not fully vaccinated will still need to isolate if they are contacted, and everyone will still have to isolate if they test positive, to protect themselves and others.
In relation to the rule change Ansaf Azhar said: “I would urge people not to take this as a signal to relax too much. Please get tested regularly and, if you feel unwell, book a PCR test.
“I would also ask that people continue to co-operate with contact tracers when they get in touch. Every small act of personal responsibility helps limit the spread of this virus. Earlier this month our local contact tracing team reached their 4000th case – this shows what a great job they have done to help contain the virus locally and we hope that people will continue to play their part so we can beat this virus together.”
Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam