THE number of people testing positive for Covid in Solihull has increased by 435 cases to 1,116 in the last seven days.
That equates to a rise of 63.9 per cent from the last week says Solihull’s director of public health Ruth Tennant.
She added that figures from the Office for National Statistic survey show that one in 25 people had Covid in England last week.
“This is likely to be a result of the relaxation of national guidance leading to more transmission and also some potential waning of immunity from the virus,” she said.
“It is clear that the virus is still with us and circulating widely.
“Worryingly we have seen a recent increase in the number of people hospitalised with Covid locally, although severe illness and death rates from Covid are around 40 times lower during this Omicron wave than compared to earlier waves of the pandemic.”
She added that although legal restrictions had been lifted, people can still choose to take measures that don’t restrict their lives but can slow the spread and protect people who may be more vulnerable to the virus.
She advises people to:
Get vaccinated and get your booster dose.
Opt to wear a face covering in crowded indoor places and public transport
Ventilation: if you meet indoors, let in plenty of fresh air or think about meeting people in outside spaces.
Get tested if you have Covid symptoms and register your test result.
It’s still the right thing to do to keep yourself away from others if you test positive or think you have Covid.
The rigorous studies so far conducted and new ones being developed, have shown and continue to show, that vaccination provides extra protection against severe disease and gives us an extra boost to our immunity even if we’ve had Covid before.
The Joint Committee and Vaccination and Immunisation has now recommended a fourth Spring booster dose as an important additional protection for older people or people who have weakened immune systems which makes them at higher risk.
“The good news is that we have seen an increase in people coming forward for vaccination in some areas. If you or a family member hasn’t had theirs, now is the time to get one. Find out more here: https://www.birminghamandsolihullcovidvaccine.nhs.uk/,” she said.
