While cases are high and rising, everybody needs to continue to act carefully and remain cautious. This is why we are keeping in place key protections:

• testing when you have symptoms and targeted asymptomatic testing in education, high risk workplaces and to help people manage their personal risk.
• isolating when positive or when contacted by NHS Test and Trace.
• border quarantine: for all arriving from red list countries and for those people not fully vaccinated arriving from amber list countries.
• cautious guidance for individuals, businesses and the vulnerable whilst prevalence is high including:
  • whilst Government is no longer instructing people to work from home if they can, Government would expect and recommend a gradual return over the summer
  • Government expects and recommends that people wear face coverings in crowded areas such as public transport;
  • being outside or letting fresh air in
  • minimising the number, proximity and duration of social contacts.
  • encouraging and supporting businesses and large events to use the NHS COVID Pass in high risk settings. The Government will work with organisations where people are likely to be in close proximity to others outside their household to encourage the use of this. If sufficient measures are not taken to limit infection, the Government will consider mandating certification in certain venues at a later date.

Lifting restrictions

Most legal restrictions to control COVID-19 have been lifted at step 4. This means that:

• You do not need to stay 2 metres apart from people you do not live with. There are also no limits on the number of people you can meet.
• However, in order to minimise risk at a time of high prevalence, you should limit the close contact you have with those you do not usually live with, and increase close contact gradually. This includes minimising the number, proximity and duration of social contacts.
• You should meet outdoors where possible and let fresh air into homes or other enclosed spaces.
• The Government is no longer instructing people to work from home if they can. However, the Government expects and recommends a gradual return over the summer.
• The requirement to wear face coverings in law has been lifted. However, the Government expects and recommends that people wear face coverings in crowded areas such as public transport.
• There are no longer limits on the number of people who can attend weddings, civil partnerships, funerals and other life events (including receptions and celebrations). There is no requirement for table service at life events, or restrictions on singing or dancing. You should follow guidance for weddings and funerals to reduce risk and protect yourself and others.
• There are no longer restrictions on group sizes for attending communal worship. COVID-19 has not gone away, so it’s important to remember the actions you can take to keep yourself and others safe. Everybody needs to continue to act carefully and remain cautious.

Specific Guidance for East Cheshire

Coronavirus – COVID-19

The Government has issued new guidance to come into effect when England moves to step four of the roadmap from Monday 19 July.

We are urging those living and working in Cheshire East to:

Get fully vaccinated – it’s shown to be safe and effective against the virus, including new variants and is the best way to keep yourself from getting seriously ill. It also reduces the risk of passing the virus on to someone else

• Be kind and considerate of others who may be feeling extremely nervous about the further lifting of restrictions
• Continue wearing face coverings in crowded indoor areas where social distancing cannot be followed, such as supermarkets and on public transport, in health and social care settings, such as hospitals, care homes and GP surgeries, and where it would make others feel more comfortable
• Continue social distancing by not unnecessarily being in crowded areas and continuing to work from home if possible
• Continue to practice good hand hygiene, in particular hand washing
• Keep getting tested – everyone should undertake twice weekly rapid symptom free testing using Lateral Flow Tests (LFT). If people experience generally associated symptoms such as a headache, a stuffed or runny nose, tiredness or weakness, aches and pains, sore throat or diarrhoea, they should take an LFT and follow up with a PCR test if the LFT test is positive. If people have any of the main symptoms of COVID-19 such as a high temperature, a new continuous cough or loss or change to their sense of smell or taste they must stay at home and book a PCR test. Around one in three people with COVID-19 don’t have symptoms, but can still infect others – so getting tested regularly will help slow the spread.
• Self-isolate if you have been in contact with someone who has COVID-19, especially if you work in a high-risk setting

We are urging businesses and workplaces in Cheshire East:

• Continue to adhere to COVID-19 working safely guidance, including provision of washing facilities and proper ventilation with external fresh air
• Continue to engage with the Test, Trace and Isolate process, and increase testing if your workplace has had an outbreak
• Encourage your employees to get tested if they suspect they have COVID-19 symptoms and self-isolate if positive
• Encourage your employees to have both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine when it is offered

It is difficult to say when this way of living will end, but we do know that we are likely to have a difficult winter ahead of us, which means it is likely we will need to follow this advice until spring next year.

For many this will be unwelcome, but ultimately, it is necessary. Throughout this pandemic, we have witnessed from our population extraordinary levels of personal resilience, as well as kindness and thoughtful consideration towards others, and it is with this in mind that we ask you to continue your efforts in being strong, being kind and being safe.

Guidance

Coronavirus: how to stay safe and help prevent the spread from 19 July: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-response-summer-2021-roadmap/coronavirus-how-to-stay-safe-and-help-prevent-the-spread