People in Todmorden are being urged to take extra care when out and about this weekend, as a number of cases of the Delta variant of COVID-19 (first identified in India) have been found in Todmorden and are linked to socialising in the evening.
The Delta variant is more transmissible, so it is more important than ever to stick to the five big things to help prevent the spread:
- Keep our distance and limit mixing with people we don’t live with.
- Wear a face covering where necessary, unless medically exempt.
- Self-isolate if we test positive or are a contact of someone who has tested positive.
- Meet others outside where possible, and if not then let the fresh air in.
- Book our vaccine when we are invited by the NHS.
Additional PCR testing will begin in Todmorden next week to help stop the new variant spreading and to keep COVID-19 rates as low as possible. More information will be available next week on how to access this extra testing, which will be for everyone in Todmorden regardless of whether they have symptoms.
Deborah Harkins, Calderdale Council’s Director of Public Health, said:
“The fantastic joint efforts of people in Calderdale have helped to drive down our local COVID-19 rates in recent months. However, cases are now gradually increasing in Calderdale, and across the whole borough there has been an increase in cases of the Delta variant in the last week. The number of Delta cases is still low but is increasing quickly, reflecting the situation across the country.
“A cluster of Delta cases has been found in Todmorden and the evidence from contact tracing shows that this transmission started through socialising in the evening.
“If you’re out and about in the good weather this weekend, please make sure you play your part, be vigilant and take extra care. By taking preventative action together, through the five big things, we can stop things getting worse.
“To add to the public health advice that we can all follow, we’re providing more testing in Todmorden next week as a preventative measure to help control the spread of the Delta variant.”
For up to-date and reliable information about COVID-19, use trusted sources such as:
www.gov.uk/coronavirus(external link)