Doncaster health bosses say town's Covid rates remain high - and are expected to rise

Rachael Leslie, Deputy Director of Public Health at Doncaster Council, made the predicition in the authority’s weekly update on the town’s Covid situation.

She said: “Rates of Covid-19 across Doncaster remain high and we're seeing weekly rates of around 350 per 100,000 population.

"We're expecting this rate may again begin to rise as we move into next week.

"I want to reinstate the importance of being cautious while you're out and about or in workplace while rates remain so high in Doncaster and other parts of the UK.

She also revealed that the town’s vaccination programme is continuing, with 16-17 year olds now able to get the jab and pop up centres continuing to roll out first and second doses.

She said: “We have been working with vaccination teams in our areas of lower vaccination uptake. They have been answering questions and giving information to help people make an informed choice about vaccination.

"We know that vaccination has meant fewer people have died in the most recent wave of infection than we've seen in previous waves. If you haven't had your vaccination yet or are due your second vaccination, now is a good time to make arrangements as we move into the colder months of autumn and winter.

“You may have seen information about changes to self-isolation guidance. From Monday, anyone who has been identified as a close contact of a positive case will no longer have to self-isolate provided they have been fully vaccinated and are not displaying any Covid-19 symptoms. To be fully vaccinated you need to have had both doses and be 14 days or more beyond your second vaccination dose.

“Additionally, anybody aged under 18 does not have to self-isolate and this includes if you're living in a household with a positive person. If you've not yet been fully vaccinated, you must still complete 10 days of self-isolation as a close contact. And anybody testing positive, still has to complete 10 days of self-isolation.”