Health bosses urge people to remain cautious despite relaxation of rules
Covid rates in Wakefield have dramatically increased in the last week
People in Wakefield are being urged to remain cautious after a dramatic rise in coronavirus cases.
Last week they were around 580 per 100,000 and today they're over 650 per 100,000.
"My concern about restrictions lifting is that people will see it as a reason to be less cautious and because our rates are so high, we do need to be really cautious."
The public are being asked to continue wearing masks, social distance where possible and get the vaccine, despite the government relaxing covid restrictions.
Anna Hartley, the director of public health at Wakefield Council said:
"If people contract covid or are a contact of someone with covid that really does have a huge impact on getting back to normal, we know that businesses are really challenged because so many staff are having to go off, we know early years are challenged.
"They will really struggle if infection rates continue to rise, that's why its important that people are really, really cautious, continue to wear face coverings where possible, continue to social distance and get their vaccine."
Enhanced testing is available to people across the district, and is one of the ways we can reduce the spread, as a third of people don't show coronavirus symptoms.
She continued:
"My concern about restrictions lifting is that people will see it as a reason to be less cautious and because our rates are so high, we do need to be really cautious and continue to be mindful of all the things we can do to reduce infection.
"Getting tested if you are symptomatic, but tests are also available to people who aren't symptomatic.
"We've been going out on door knocking, think we're nearly doing 15 thousand households, encouraging people to get tested. The enhanced testing programme is picking up cases that would have gone undiscovered and may have cause more people to get covid, so that's why in part we've seen cases go up because we've found them in a very pro active way."