'Remain cautious,' says Doncaster health chief as Covid isolation rule scrapped

The PM announced yesterday that all coronavirus rules including the legal duty to self-isolate will end this week - and free tests will stop for most in April as part of the Government’s ‘Living With Covid’ strategy.

However, Dr Rupert Suckling, Doncaster’s director of public health says it is important to remember that the virus is still in circulation and that people should still act with caution.

In his weekly update on the town’s Covid situation, Dr Suckling said: “We need to remember that the virus is still in circulation, so we need to remain cautious as we look to implement the new strategy.

“It is important that businesses still follow workplace health and safety measures to protect their employees and that ventilation is good across all settings.

“We’ll be working with our school community to ensure that the updated guidance works in their environment and with all our partners.

“Please continue to wash your hands, meet in places with good ventilation, and test regularly to help to keep each other safe.”

He said that Covid-19 rates in Doncaster continue to fall across all age groups and said: “We are currently at 363.8 for the period from 6th to 12th of February, our positivity rate - the percentage of people who receive a positive PCR after being tested in Doncaster - is now at 9.9.

“Our rate continues to be below both the regional and national average, this is obviously good to see, and we are expecting the rates to continue to fall in the coming week.

Your actions are helping these rates to fall, by getting vaccinated, testing regularly, and making informed decisions about when and where you meet people, you are helping to protect yourself and those in our community.”

But doctors, opposition parties and charities representing vulnerable people have criticised the Government changes.

School leaders have also said scrapping tests in schools - which came into force immediately on Monday - may cause more disruption to pupils.