Rise in COVID-19 cases in Plymouth, prompts warning from health boss
There have been 170 new cases here over the last seven days
Plymouth's Director of Public Health, Ruth Harrell, is urging residents to make sure they are keeping up all COVID-19 safety measures as the number of cases in the city continue to rise.
There have been 170 new cases of COVID-19 in Plymouth over the last seven days and the rate per 100,000 in Plymouth is now 67.9, the highest it has been for four months.
Dr Harrell, said: “We are now seeing a steady rise in COVID-19 rates in Plymouth and although we remain below the average rates nationally, the gap between Plymouth and national rate has been getting smaller over the last few days.
“The Delta variant is now dominant, and it spreads very quickly and this is showing in the number of cases we are seeing now.
“Around 60 per cent of cases are now seen in the under 25s – the age groups who don’t have the protection of vaccination yet – and this is reflected in the number of cases were are seeing in schools. We currently have a total of around 600 pupils are self-isolating.
“We are also seeing a rising number of cases across all age groups because although the vaccine is very good, it does not stop transmission or illness completely. Across the country we are seeing increasing rates of people being hospitalised and sadly more deaths, though at a much lower level that we saw in the previous two waves due to the vaccine.
“While we are all weary of the impact the virus is having on daily life, we cannot afford to relax our guards now. Even with an excellent vaccination regime, as the legal restrictions are eased, we are still likely to have to make COVID safety part of our daily lives. This includes washing hands, wearing face coverings, being careful when meeting people and making sure there is plenty of ventilation when indoors with others.
“It is also important that anyone going out and about, whether socialising, shopping, eating out or going into work or school, continues to take two free lateral flow tests a week.
"Some children and young people will now be leaving school after their exams and should continue to take regular tests as they will be out and about and meeting friends outside school. Our experience so far shows how helpful they can be in reducing the spread of the virus by alerting those who have COVID but don’t have any symptoms.
“The tests are easily available through pharmacies, libraries, the test centre in the Place de Brest, at the mobile test site touring the city and can be ordered on line.
“The take up of vaccination has been fantastic, and I know that the opening up to all over 18’s created a surge of demand. Please, if for any reason you didn’t manage to get an appointment that suited you, do try again as more appointments are being opened up all of the time.
“Anyone who has any of the COVID symptoms (a cough, or a fever, or a change in taste or smell) should self-isolate and book a PCR test right away.”