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Lancashire County Council urges vigilance as Covid infections surge

Posted on - 18th March, 2022 - 8:39am | Author - | Posted in - Fylde News, Health, Politics, Preston News, Ribble Valley News, South Ribble News, Wyre News
A hand displaying a stop Covid-19 slogan Pic: Pixabay
A hand displaying a stop Covid-19 slogan Pic: Pixabay

The county council has urged residents to be vigilant after Covid-19 infections rose by 80 per cent across all age groups in March.

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Between 5 and 11 March in the Lancashire County Council area, the infection rate for all ages rose to 459.2 per 100,000 people, an increase of 80 per cent, according to government data.

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During the same period, the infection rate for over 60s rose to 415.9 per 100,000 people, a 68 per cent rise, with infection rates surging across England and the North West after the government removed all legal Covid-19 restrictions last month.

The rise in infections and hospital admissions coincides with the launch of the new ‘Looking out for Lancashire’ campaign, developed by the Lancashire Resilience Forum, which asks residents to take small actions to help Lancashire heal and recover. 

Read more: Blind Preston man tells of how new course helped ‘lift his mood’ 

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Dr Sakthi Karunanithi, Director of Public Health for Lancashire County Council, said: “After two years of fighting Covid, it is now time to live safely with it.

“As we look forward to the future, it is vitally important that we stay united to tackle the upcoming challenges together.

“Right now, that means taking sensible precautions, where we can, to limit the spread of Covid-19 to protect ourselves and others and to minimise disruption to our lives.”

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Covid-related hospital admissions have also steadily risen across Lancashire’s four hospital trusts, with 241 patients admitted on March 8, a jump from 188 seven days prior.

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Dr Karunanithi said: “While legal restrictions have now ended for Covid-19, the standard public health advice remains.

“We understand it may not always be possible for people to follow this advice, so I would also encourage people to respect others to make their own decisions.

“Now is a time for healing and coming together. Now more than ever, we need everyone to look out for Lancashire.”

Read more: Businesses in Preston set to receive more Covid recovery funding

The council said Covid-19 is now a feature of our lives, and we all need to learn to live with it and manage the risk to ourselves and others.

Receiving an initial Covid-19 vaccine and booster remains the best way of protecting people against the virus. – whether it’s a first, second or booster dose.

If an individual has any of the main Covid-19 symptoms, the public health advice is to order a PCR test, stay at home, avoid contact with other people, and follow the guidance for people with COVID-19 while waiting for the test result.

Read more: Sir Lindsay Hoyle visits Lancashire Resilience Hub to mark pandemic achievements

If residents are unwell but do not have Covid-19 symptoms, they may still have an illness that they could pass on to other people.

Staying at home until they feel better reduces the risk they pass on an illness to friends, colleagues, and others in the community and help reduce the burden on health services.

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For more information, visit – https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-coronavirus



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Do you think we need to reintroduce Covid-19 restrictions? Let us know in the comments below.

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