Swansea Residents Urged to Take Action

Public Health Wales experts say Swansea is an area of concern

Author: Claire PearsonPublished 24th Sep 2020

Communities across Swansea are being told they must take action to help prevent the spread of Covid-19 in the city.

People who think they have symptoms must self-isolate at home immediately and seek a test. Anyone who lives with them must self-isolate too.

Public Health Wales experts say Swansea is an area of concern as the number of infections continues to grow.

But residents can help reduce the spread by taking some simple and straightforward actions that will help keep families and communities safe and reduce the risk of Swansea joining the local lockdown list.

Dr Keith Reid, Executive Director for Public Health for the Swansea Bay area, said: "It's in our hands to prevent the spread. But we must act today and keep going. Each of us should pledge to do a few small things frequently to help keep our families and communities safe."

He said anyone who shows symptoms of the virus must self-isolate straight away, stay at home and seek a Covid-19 test. Everyone else can help by maintaining the two-metre rule, by wearing a face covering in indoor public spaces and by washing hands frequently.

You are allowed to go to the pub or a restaurant for table service only. But you must stay in your own extended household bubble as a group and cannot mingle with people from other groups even if they are your friends.

Dr Reid said: "Keeping your distance and wearing a face covering matters. If you have symptoms, you must take immediate action to self-isolate at home and then get a test.

"If you're not self-isolating and you later test positive you may have spread the virus without even knowing you've done it. Covid-19 can kill."

He added: "If you self-isolate at home and stay there, ensuring you have no visitors you will be helping isolate the virus and keeping people safe. If the test comes back positive you will be able to help our contact tracers help prevent further spread by sharing details of your contacts so they too can take action.

"We can act to prevent the spread. But as individuals we all have to decide for ourselves to do the simple things right and to keep doing them."

Under Welsh Government rules if a person has symptoms they must isolate at home and get a test:

The household where they live must self-isolate as well

If anyone else in the household shows symptoms, they must get a test

If tests are positive a contact tracer will be in touch to advise on what happens next

In Swansea you can book a test by ringing: 01639 862757

For more information about getting a test go to: https://sbuhb.nhs.wales/coronavirus-covid-19/information/test-trace-protect/

For more Welsh Government information about self-isolation: https://gov.wales/self-isolation-stay-home-guidance-households-possible-coronavirus