The numbers may be dropping but Sheffield City Council would like to remind us all of our duty to remain vigilant in protecting ourselves and each other from COVID-19. As we begin to ease lockdown measures we must remember this is not over, the virus continues to grow across the world. Whilst numbers of deaths and cases around us reduce it is not doing so at the desired rate and it certainly hasn’t gone away.
We cannot behave like everything is fine. If we do it will lead to an increase in cases and lockdown measures will be reintroduced. Please adhere to and keep the following guidance in mind as we move forwards.
Don’t be a contact
The test and trace service is working well but it does not control the virus – how you behave does. If you are contacted you must self-isolate for 14 days, and the only way to avoid being a contact is to adhere to the guidance below:
Keep your distance
• Wash your hands or use 70%+ hand gel
• Face coverings in enclosed indoor spaces (where you can’t continue distancing)
• Continue to work from home wherever possible
Opportunities for transmission of Covid-19 increase in certain situations. Put simply they are the 3 C’s:
• Crowded gatherings
• Confined spaces
• Close contact
More than one of these conditions at the same time increases the risk of transmission. The message is simple: as lockdown eases the risks remain. What you do makes a difference. It is your responsibility to protect yourself, your friends and your family. Make smart choices; if the weather is hot and you are heading to a public setting such as a beach or park, the likelihood is there will be hundreds of people (which reduces the opportunity to adhere to guidance).
If you are contacted by test and trace
• Stay at home if you have symptoms – even if mild (this is the thing that makes the most difference).
• Isolate if you are advised to by NHS
Test and Trace or the local public health team – again this reduces the risk of spreading the virus to loved ones. You may think you are well enough to go out despite being told to self-isolate, we know the vast majority of people have mild to moderate symptoms, but there are a significant number of people out there who are more likely to have very severe illness. Isolating doesn’t mean nipping for a walk or to the shops; you must stay in at home.
Astonishingly we know that 50% of people with symptoms don’t stay at home. This is the single most important think you can do. Get tested early. Book a test at gov.uk/coronavirus, even if your symptoms are mild and nothing to worry about; this wouldn’t be the case for your elderly relatives and you put those at risk by not getting tested.
Finally, whilst we recognise we can’t live in lockdown forever this virus unfortunately is here to stay. We anticipate it will still be circulating well into 2021, so it is going to be a long haul which is why we all need to play our part in sticking to the guidance to ensure we can recover socially and economically.
