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Although it’s mid-September, health professionals are still urging local people to stay sun safe during this week’s warm weather.

To stay sun safe you should:

• spend time in the shade between 11am and 3pm;
• make sure you never burn;
• cover up with suitable clothing and sunglasses;
• take extra care with children;
• use at least factor 30 sunscreen.

Dr Debbie Harvey, clinical lead for cancer at NHS South Sefton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said: “A tan and sunburn are both signs of skin damage from exposure to the sun. Too much ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or sunbeds is the main cause of skin cancer.

“It’s important to remember that there is no safe or healthy way to get a tan and that you can burn in the UK, even on a cloudy day.

“To protect your skin sunscreen should be applied to all exposed areas. Reapply sunscreen every 2 hours, as the sun can dry it off your skin.

“Make sure that the label on your sunscreen has a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 to protect against UVB and at least a 4-start UVA protection too.”

In the UK, almost 9 in 10 cases of melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer, could be prevented through enjoying the sun safely and avoiding sunbeds.

Dr Graeme Allan, clinical lead for cancer at NHS Southport and Formby CCG, said: “Take extra care to protect babies and children in the sun. Their skin is more sensitive than adult skin and damage caused by repeated exposure to sunlight could lead to skin cancer developing later in life. Children under 6 months should always be kept out of direct strong sunlight.

“It’s important to use a water-resistant sunscreen and to reapply it as soon as you or your child have been in the water as water washes it off.

“If you do get sunburn, stay out of the sun as much as possible, apply after-sun cream or spray and drink plenty of water. Your community pharmacists will be able to help you with the best treatments to soothe it and ease any pain, they will also advise if you need to see your GP.

Margaret Jones, Interim Director of Public Health for Sefton, said: “As people are out and about enjoying the good weather it’s really important to not rely on sunscreen alone to protect yourself from the sun.

“And it’s still important to follow social distancing guidance and wash your hands regularly and thoroughly.”

Residents and businesses across Sefton and the whole of Cheshire and Merseyside are being urged only to get a Covid-19 test if they have symptoms of the virus.

There has been a huge increase in the number of people seeking a test for coronavirus, partly due to the return of schools and the testing of international travellers. This has put a strain on the laboratories which process the tests.

On top of this, the number of people who do not have symptoms, being tested has also increased; meaning that some people who are symptomatic cannot access a test when they need it.

Successful

The delivery of testing sites across Cheshire and Merseyside has been successful, with enough facilities to meet the demand. However, the sheer number of people now being tested, who often do not have symptoms, has led to laboratories being temporarily overwhelmed across the country.

This situation has seen booking restrictions placed on some of the testing sites in Sefton while laboratories cope with such high demand.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is in the process of delivering a huge increase in laboratory capacity. But while this work continues people are asked to only seek a test if they have symptoms and only to attend a testing site if they have an appointment.

Greater capacity

Margaret Jones, Sefton Council’s Director of Public Health said: “A vast amount of work has gone into delivering the testing infrastructure we need across Sefton. There are, Regional, Local, Satellite and Mobile testing sites available for our residents and workers across Cheshire and Merseyside.

“The increase in people using those sites in the last few weeks has, however, meant that laboratories need even greater capacity to cope with the demand. Many of the people now seeking tests do not have symptoms of Covid-19 and it is those people we are asking to wait a little longer while the capacity in laboratories is developed nationally.

“It is essential for people who do have symptoms or have been asked by Test and Trace or healthcare professional to get a test, to come forward.

“Testing people with symptoms will help us stop the spread of the virus. As we manage this period of high demand, it is especially important that if individuals don’t have symptoms and have not specifically been advised to take a test, to stay away for now. We are asking people to do this as they could be taking a test away from someone who really needs it at this time.”

Key workers

Key workers, frontline health and care staff and those in an outbreak area, will continue to be tested whether they have symptoms or not. Areas with outbreaks will also not see booking restrictions placed on Mobile Testing Units to enable local management of the situation.

Anyone with Covid-19 symptoms; a high temperature, a new, continuous cough and a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste, can book an appointment at nhs.uk/coronavirus or by calling 119.