Advice to keep wearing masks in crowded places in York after restrictions end
The city's Director of Public Health Sharon Stoltz has been speaking as the infection rate here jumps above 400 per 100,000 people.
We're being advised to keep wearing masks in crowded places after the 19th July, despite restrictions being lifted on that date.
It's as the city's infection rate per 100,000 people has gone over 400.
York's Director of Public Health - Sharon Stoltz - says she'll still wear a face mask if she's in a crowded area: "It is a very good idea to continue to wear face masks or face coverings in crowded indoor places.
"That's just common sense: if you're in a crowded indoor place with lots of people who you don't know very well, you don't know if the people around you have been vaccinated.
"While infection rates are still quite high it's common sense to take reasonable steps just to protect yourself. I will certainly continue to wear a mask on public transport and in crowded shops, but not in every situation. I'll keep carrying one with me.
"That would be my recommendation for residents in York - use your common sense. Hand washing and basic infection control measures are still very important; they'll help to protect you from Covid and from flu as we enter the flu season".
York's infection rate is the highest in North Yorkshire at the moment, and Sharon explains that this is partly because of younger age groups who haven't been eligible to get a vaccine until recently: "If we look at the pattern throughout the pandemic York has been in this place on at least two occasions before where we've had rates above the national average.
"We haven't got the highest rate in Yorkshire and the Humber at the moment. Some of that is down to our population makeup as we have a lot of young people under 25 who have only recently been eligible for vaccination.
"When we look at where we've had the greatest increase in infections it is the 15-19 age group and then the 18-25 year olds.
"If you're under 18 you're not eligible to be vaccinated at the moment, and vaccinations for 18-25 year olds have only just come on stream. It's inevitable that we have a greater number of people in the population who have no protection through vaccination, so it's no surprise therefore that we're seeing the highest numbers in that age group.
"If you look at other cities like nearby Leeds - they are seeing a very similar picture. They have a large young adult population and their rate is higher than ours at the moment.
"As those younger adults start to get vaccinated, then we should see those numbers start to fall.
"Over 78% of the adult population in York have had at least one dose of the vaccine; that isn't enough to give us what's called herd immunity - to get herd immunity through vaccination we would hope to see 90-95%.
"We're getting there and more pop up sites are appearing for vaccinations. If you've not been vaccinated yet or have only had one dose, please get a jab as soon as possible.
"The time period between first and second doses for under-40s has been lowered from 12 to 8 weeks. It's a crucial way to keep themselves and their loved ones safe".
Nimbuscare runs the vaccination site at Askham Bar and has released further details of pop up clinics in York:
Thursday 8th July at York Sport Centre at The University of York (Campus West), from 11am to 6pm.
Saturday 10th July at Jorvik Gillygate Practice on Stonebow, from 8am until 12.30pm.
Saturday 10th July at Fishergate Primary School, from 9am to 5pm.
The Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines are available at the above Pop-Up Clinics, but all three vaccines (Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Moderna) are available at the York Vaccination Centre at Askham Bar, which is open daily from 8am to 8pm.
Anyone over the age of 18 can now go along for their jab, without needing an appointment. You don't need to be registered with a GP or have an NHS number. This applies to anyone attending for their first jab or their second dose (providing they had their first at least eight weeks ago).