COVID-19 in Lewisham 7 April 2022 update

COVID-19 infections in England have risen to a record level. The pandemic is clearly not over, but vaccination has meant that the majority of people who become infected will no longer become seriously ill.

Vaccination does not make us immune from infection – nor does it prevent us from passing it on.

The latest round of changes in the Government’s Living with COVID-19 Plan came into play at the beginning of the month. Legal requirements around COVID-19 measures have been lifted.

But learning to live with coronavirus relies on us all taking sensible actions to help stop the spread of the virus and other respiratory infections, which in turn will help to protect those who are most vulnerable.

Now that free COVID-19 testing is only available to specific groups of people – and you can find information about eligibility on the Government website – it can be confusing for anyone who feels unwell to know what to do. I therefore wanted to share the most up to date Government guidance that I hope will be helpful. You can also find this information in a helpful blog on the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) website.

If you are an adult with symptoms of respiratory infections including COVID-19

If you have symptoms of a respiratory infection such as COVID-19, and you have a high temperature or feel unwell, you should try to stay at home and avoid contact with others until you no longer feel unwell or have a high temperature (if you had one).

Symptoms of COVID-19, flu and common respiratory infections include:

• continuous cough
• high temperature, fever or chills
• loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell
• shortness of breath
• unexplained tiredness, lack of energy
• muscle aches or pains that are not due to exercise
• not wanting to eat or not feeling hungry
• headache that is unusual or longer lasting than usual
• sore throat, stuffy or runny nose
• diarrhoea, feeling sick or being sick

If you have any of these symptoms, it is particularly important to avoid close contact with anyone you know who is at higher risk of becoming seriously unwell if they were to develop infection.

If possible, try to work from home if you can. If you are unable to work from home, talk to your employer about options available to you. If you do need to leave home while unwell, please be sure to take the following precautions: wear a face covering or surgical face mask, avoid crowded or enclosed spaces and cover your mouth and nose when you cough and sneeze. Wash your hands regularly.

If you have tested positive for COVID-19

As mentioned above, widespread testing is no longer available, although some people will continue to test due to workplace requirements or to manage risk to other people.

If you do have a positive test result, you should try and stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 5 days after the day you took a test. You should also avoid meeting people who at higher risk of becoming seriously unwell from COVID-19 for 10 days after the day you took a test to make sure that you are no longer infectious.

If you have to leave your home whilst feeling unwell or within the 5-day period following a positive test, you should wear a face covering; avoid crowded places such as public transport, large social gatherings and enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces; exercise outdoors and away from others; and always remember good hand and respiratory hygiene.

Advice for close contacts

People who live in the same household as someone with a positive COVID-19 test are most at risk of becoming infected, as they are likely to have prolonged contact with the infectious person.

It can take up to 10 days for infection to develop in close contacts, and during that period you should:

• avoid contact with people you know are at higher risk of becoming seriously unwell
• limit close contact with people outside your household, especially in crowded spaces.

If you develop symptoms during this period, you should follow guidance for people with symptoms.