Health Update: Government's plan for living with COVID

A message from Julie Webster, Wirral’s Director of Public Health:

Dear residents,

The Prime Minister has announced the Government's plan for living with COVID. Its key messages include:

• Ending the legal requirement to self-isolate following a positive test result from 24 February.
• Ending self-isolation support payments on 24 February (although Statutory Sick Pay can still be claimed for a further month).
• Ending routine contact tracing on 24 February.
• Ending free testing for the general public from 1 April.
• Ending the guidance for voluntary COVID-status certification at certain venues from 1 April.

You can read the Government’s 'Living with COVID' plan here and the press notice on the Prime Minster's announcement here. You can also find out more about these changes at gov.uk/coronavirus. As we move into a new phase of ‘Living with COVID’ I would encourage residents to proceed with caution and to continue with the good practices we have adopted, including sanitising hands regularly, meeting in places where there’s fresh air or good ventilation, and supporting others who may need help.

If you feel at all unwell or test positive, please take extra care; keep a distance from those who are vulnerable and avoid travelling where possible until you feel well again. Although face coverings are no longer a requirement, I would advise that you continue to wear them, particularly when visiting crowded spaces, or if you or your close contacts are clinically vulnerable.

Residents aged 75+ and those who are clinically extremely vulnerable will be offered a spring booster jab. This is the best way to protect yourself and others from the virus. More details will follow soon.

We are also working on arrangements for local testing, which I hope to be able to share with you shortly.

Over the past two years we have all made huge sacrifices to counter successive waves of the virus and protect yourselves and others. Your efforts have done much to reduce its spread and the support you have given to others - including vulnerable family, friends and neighbours - has done so much to reduce its impact.

Thank you for all you have done and for continuing your efforts to Keep Wirral Well!