Health

Responding to news that the Indian COVID variant, which has been classified by Public Health England as a ‘variant of concern’, has been linked with coronavirus cases in the Borough, Sefton Council Leader Cllr Ian Maher said:

“We understand that while it has been detected locally, this variant does not seem to affect people more seriously or inhibit the effectiveness of the vaccines currently being rolled out across the UK.

“Also, it doesn’t appear to be more infectious than the Kent variant, which is now the dominant strain in Britain.

“Sefton Council will be working closely with Public Health England and other partners to provide all the local knowledge and expertise it can to support any work that is required to identify and contain the variant.”

Vaccination, testing and following rules

Cllr Maher continued: “Vaccination, testing and all of us following the rules on distancing, face-covering and handwashing are all still key to preventing the spread of COVID.

“It is vital that people go along to get their first and second vaccination jabs when they are offered them. You can now get the COVID-19 vaccine if you’re aged 40 or over or if your 40^th birthday is between now and 1^st July. You can book your appointment online or by phone.

“And, whether vaccinated or not, it’s still important that those of us going to work or out and about regularly continue to take the rapid tests, which are free and widely available across the Borough, twice a week.”

Cllr Maher went on to add that anyone with the coronavirus symptoms of a new persistent cough, a high temperature or a loss of sense of taste or smell, should self-isolate immediately and book a PCR test by calling 119 or visiting www.nhs.uk/coronavirus.

Face coverings

With some pupil groups having been sent home from Sefton schools this week, Cllr Maher also stressed the importance of pupils and staff in secondary schools wearing face covering in schools.

Cllr Maher continued: “As well as in secondary schools, the rest of us need to remember the need to wear face coverings when we go into shops and other locations and use public transport.

“We all need to be taking care in inside spaces and sticking closely to the 2m distancing to protect ourselves and those around us including our friends and family, who may be vulnerable to the serious effects of COVID-19.”

Sefton has two SMART test sites for people without symptoms, at Bootle Leisure Centre and at Splash World in Southport which are open 8am to 8pm seven days a week.

Home testing

Rapid home test kits can be collected from Bootle Town Hall and Splash World in Southport from 8am-8pm seven days a week. No appointments are needed.

Rapid tests for people without coronavirus symptoms usually provide a result in around 30 minutes. Rapid testing involves taking a throat & nasal swab, dropping the sample into the container supplied and then checking the result after 20 to 30 minutes.

Kits can also be collected between 2.30pm and 8pm, seven days a week, from walk-through Local Test Centres opposite Bootle Town Hall and at Crosby Library Car Park, Netherton Activity Centre and Southport Town Hall. No appointments are needed.

Pharmacies

They are available from all Sefton’s pharmacies and they can be ordered online at www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests

People can also choose to have assisted testing at one of Sefton’s SMART test sites, which are also open 8am to 8pm seven days a week and located at Bootle Leisure Centre and at Splash World in Southport.

Anyone who gets a positive result from a rapid test can book a PCR test by calling 119 or visiting www.nhs.uk/coronavirus.

Sefton Council is working with the national Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) and Public Health England (PHE) in response to recent COVID-19 outbreaks in the Central Sefton area.

The Council and its partners are investigating these outbreaks and tracing any contacts of the confirmed cases. There will also be targeted local publicity providing details of what people can expect when taking a test as well as information and advice on self-isolation.

Responding to the news, Sefton Council Leader, Cllr Ian Maher, said: “Once again we have joined forces with DHSC and PHE to respond promptly to a localised outbreak of infections.

“I am confident that our local communities, as they have throughout the pandemic, will remain vigilant, will get tested if they show any Covid symptoms and will self isolate so that infections can be identified, traced and contained before they spread any further.

“This is a fast-moving situation and we will, of course, provide more information and updates to our local communities as soon as we’re able to.”

People across Sefton are being reminded of the need to continue taking every precaution, getting tested and registering the results. Health leaders are also highlighting the need for anyone with coronavirus symptoms of a new, persistent cough, a fever or loss of taste or smell to self-isolate and book a PCR test by calling 119 or visiting www.nhs.uk/coronavirus.

For anyone displaying Covid-19 symptoms – a new persistent cough, a high temperature or a loss of sense of taste or smell – there will be mobile (drive through) test sites at various locations throughout the borough. These can be booked by calling 119 or visiting www.nhs.uk/coronavirus .

There are also four local walk-through test centres, open 8am to 8pm every day, for people who do not have a car and who should not travel by public transport.

They are at:

• Bootle Town Hall, L20 7AA
• Crosby Library Car Park, Haigh Road, L22 OLQ
• Netherton Activity Centre, Glovers Land, L30 3TL
• Southport Town Hall, PR8 1DA

Anyone without symptoms can visit the asymptomatic test sites at Bootle Town Hall and Splash World in Southport from 8am-8pm seven days a week, no appointments are needed.

Home Testing Kits can also be collected between 2.30pm and 8pm, seven days a week, from walk-through Local Test Centres opposite Bootle Town Hall and at Crosby Library Car Park, Netherton Activity Centre and Southport Town Hall. No appointments are needed.

Sefton Council has a range of schemes, grants, information and advice available to anyone who may be struggling financially due to Covid, or who may need support when Self Isolating. More information is available at www.sefton.gov.uk/COVID-testing.