Dorset health boss says COVID precautions need to change for winter
Boris Johnson is due to set out his plans to combat COVID this winter
Health bosses are warning our behaviour needs to change before the winter or we risk seeing a surge in coronavirus cases in Dorset.
Boris Johnson is expected to announce new measures later today to prevent the NHS from becoming overwhelmed over the coming months.
Cases here in Dorset have remained steady, although higher than Public Health Dorset say they would like them to be.
But that could all change as flu season begins, routine backlogs continue, and the way we interact changes.
Sam Crowe is the director for Public Health Dorset, he told Greatest Hits Radio Dorset:
"What we've seen government trying to do over the past couple of months is to sensibly lift regulations so that the economy can start to function again, people can go back into workplaces, people can get back on more of a normal footing, but only because we've vaccinated so many people.
"It's different when we start to approach the autumn and the winter because one of those important preventative measures, ventilation, being outdoors, having enough fresh air that it's less likely to catch COVID, it's just harder to do.
"As the temperature drops it becomes harder to keep doors and windows open. People perhaps naturally move to close them. When you're in those closed indoor spaces that's when the risk of COVID spreading can really increase."
Statistically, you're most likely to catch coronavirus at home from a close family member where it's naturally very difficult to keep ventilation going, especially in winter.
Sam Crowe says the government announcement later today will have to walk a very fine line:
"I think it is a difficult balancing act for government. I can completely understand why they've chosen the path they have done. They do have confidence in the protection offered by the vaccine.
"We're just going to have to look at what's announced in terms of the additional measures that may be needed if we start to see a rise in cases again through the autumn and the winter."
Mr Crowe says the best way to help prevent overwhelming the NHS is get vaccinated. Beyond that, he says it's still important to remember even though social distancing measures aren't law anymore, they're still very helpful in preventing spread of the virus.