Calls for caution to prevent another coronavirus wave

People must act now to prevent a fourth wave of coronavirus infections in Gloucestershire this autumn.

That is the message from Sarah Scott the county’s public health director who says the recent surge of local infections is a stark reminder that the pandemic is not over yet.

She said people can help stop the spread by wearing face masks indoors, respecting social distancing, washing hands frequently and ventilating indoor spaces when people gather.

It is also never too late for people to have their first or second Covid vaccine and she encouraged those eligible for a booster to take up the offer.

“It’s a stark reminder that it can come back. The last thing we want is a fourth wave,” she said.

“We can act now to try and contain this.”

Ms Scott has also encouraged people who feel unwell to work from home if they can and get tested.

She said there is not an issue with PCR and lateral flow tests but the recent problem with false negatives is linked to processes at the lab in Wolverhampton.

She encouraged people to continue to test regularly and to get a PCR test if they present any symptoms.

“We know that several tens of thousands of PCR tests were sent to that lab between September 2 and October 11,” she said.

“We are not sure if those that tested negative were true negatives.

“We’ve got a cohort of people that were told where negative.”

She said the UK Health Security Agency has contacted those affected and encouraged them to have another PCR test.

“That is in part explaining why we’ve had this surge of infections,” she said.

“We know now that because we’ve had infectious people milling about, they have spread Covid unwittingly, that’s not their fault.

“We also think that people tested negative but are outside of their 10 days of infectious period.

“You can test positive for up to 90 days after your symptoms start but are only infectious for the first 10 days”

She said it is really important that people remember how to keep themselves and their more vulnerable friends and family as safe as possible.

And she encourages anyone going to any public events such as the races in Cheltenham this weekend to wear a mask or stay away if they feel unwell.