Now double-jabbed and children don’t have to self-isolate if ‘pinged’
PUBLIC HEALTH BOSS ADMITS NEW GUIDANCE COULD BE DIFFICULT FOR COMMUNITIES TO UNDERSTAND
ADULTS who are double-jabbed and under-18s will not have to selfisolate any more if they are pinged, as long as they are not experiencing symptoms.
The new rules came into effect today, in line with the latest government guidance.
The updates have been made during the local outbreak management plan meeting where officials attending including the Director of Public Health at Nottingham City Council Lucy Hubber.
It was reported that those who have already had the two vaccines and under-18s will not be expected to isolate for ten days.
However, if people are not fully vaccinated, they will be required to isolate if they are contacted by track and trace or “pinged” by the app.
However, some workplaces will be offering daily contact testing, which means that some people may still be able to go to work.
Ms Hubber said: “It means that we have quite a complex story to say to people about self-isolation.
“There are a number of routes that people will be taking.
“And we know from our experience of the last 18 months that that becomes very difficult for our communities to understand.
It means that we have quite a complex story to say to people about self-isolation.
Lucy Hubber
“So we are going to make sure that our communities have the information they need and they are supported to understand when they do and do not need to isolate.”
The Public Health Director also added that the position in Nottingham is one of a “stabilising picture but that is not entirely great news”.
“What we would like to see is a continued decline”, Ms Hubber added.
She confirmed that the Covid rate in Nottingham city has largely followed the national trend.
She went on and said: “What we have seen, particularly over the last week or so, is this steadying off of case rates that they are bobbing along in the high three hundreds.”
Ms Hubber has also reiterated the importance of testing regularly, especially before attending family gatherings and meeting people.
“We are asking people to still take Covid seriously, to not only get the vaccine but to continue to, where possible, wear a face covering, keep their hands clean and get tested.
“If we do not have symptoms it is important to get tested regularly and particularly before you are going to meet people or family gatherings.
“It has never been easier - it is really easy to pick up the lateral flow tests. There is a slight move to local authorities being the lead for more targeted distribution of testing.
“So we will be looking at how we can best support those communities that are most in need of have access to asymptomatic testing and leave distribution to the entire population through pharmacy collect.
“So there might be a slight change of focus in our asymptomatic testing, but for the city we believe it’s really important that everybody should continue to have really good access to these rapid tests, and to use them, not just to collect them.”