Warwickshire’s Director of Public Health, Dr Shade Agboola has urged people to enjoy this bank holiday weekend safely and continue following the rules.
Dr Shade Agboola, shares some of her top tips to help people stay safe as they look forward to catching up with family and friends and enjoy the recently relaxed lockdown restrictions.
Dr Shade Agboola says: "I know many of us are really looking forward to enjoying the bank holiday with friends and family. So we need to remember to maintain social distancing measures to protect ourselves and our loved ones. Covid is still here and is likely to be with us for some time. To support the gradual reopening of our economy, protect each other and keep infection rates down, we need to keep following the guidance which has helped us get this far.”
Shade's top tips for a safe bank holiday weekend are:
- Follow the hands, face and space guidance at all times. This means staying two metres apart from those outside your household or household bubble, washing your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds and wearing a face covering when in enclosed environments such as shops.
- If you go out somewhere and it looks crowded, think about going back at a different time, or another day when it might be less busy.
- Stick to the rule of six which allows six people, or two households of any size to meet up outdoors. But remember, even when you're meeting up outdoors, you still need to socially distance.
- If you're planning to meet up in someone's garden, plan ahead and take your own drinks with you so that you're not sharing glasses or crockery. Don't be tempted to pop into their house - it's much easier to catch Covid indoors. One in three people don't have symptoms, so you could unknowingly be putting them and yourself at risk.
- Good ventilation is also very important, so if you are looking after people in your bubble then as well as hands, face, space, it’s also important to keep your home well ventilated.
- If you can, take a symptom free covid test - symptom free testing will help us minimise the spread of new cases.
- If you have symptoms get a test and stay at home.
Testing is available for those without symptoms of Covid-19 at our community test sites. The test sites hours over the bank holiday weekend are as follows:
- Saturday: 10.20am to 3.30pm
- Sunday: 10.20am to 3.30pm
- Bank Holiday Monday – closed. Test kits can be picked up from your local pharmacy or are available for delivery to your door from https://www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests
- Tuesday: 8.20am to 7.30pm
Our mobile test unit will be at Draycote Water Park on Bank Holiday Monday. No need to book just turn up and test onsite.
For more information on testing visit: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/covid-19-testing-warwickshire
From Tuesday 4 May, all test appointments will be walk-in, so no need to book.