I just wanted to remind everyone and give a little update in terms of COVID19 and sickness.

Sickness

There have been again a number of cases of sickness and/or diarrhoea throughout the last week resulting in cancellations.

As a polite reminder, child/young people should not attend a session until 48 hours have passed since the last episode of sickness/diarrhoea, as I know is the case in many schools and colleges. This is also something which applies to myself, so please do understand I sometimes have to cancel or rearrange at short notice.

I’ve had a few children who have displayed these symptoms and have then tested positive for COVID-19. In accordance with the guidance from Public Health, I am asking that any child/young person who has suffered with sickness and/or diarrhoea complete an LFT test to rule out the possibility of a positive COVID-19 test (where possible.)

I have hand sanitizer always available.

COVID19

I am still asking ALL clients to wear a face mask/covering* (I will also be continuing to wear a face covering) to continue to protect everyone, as you can see from the below (statement from Cheshire East Council) COVID19 in CE is on the rise, and according to the WHO is up globally by 20% last week.

*Unless medically exempt.

Covid-19 cases are continuing to rise in Cheshire East

We are urging residents to stay safe and protect themselves and others against rising Covid-19 infection rates.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) infection survey estimates that 4.5 per cent of residents in Cheshire East tested positive between 12 June and 18 June.

Infection rates in Cheshire East are currently 222 cases per 100,000 people, this an increase of 38 per cent against the previous week, and slightly higher than the UK average of 194.4 cases per 100,000 people.

The ONS has said that Omicron variants BA.4 and BA.5 are likely to be behind the latest surge across the UK. They are thought to be the most dominant strains of the virus.

The rise in positive Covid-19 cases recently not only in Cheshire East but in neighbouring areas, is worrying.

We are also seeing an increase in hospitalisations for people with Covid-19. There are 71 patients being treated with Covid-19 in local hospitals, an increase from 47 the week before.

The recent surge in cases across the borough is shown across all age groups. It is so important to play our part in keeping infection rates down to protect ourselves, our families and other residents.

If you feel unwell and are able to, please work from home, postpone any social events you had planned and don’t send your child to school if they feel unwell. Good hand hygiene is an effective way of preventing the spread of a virus, so remember to wash your hands regularly and use hand sanitiser.

Good ventilation is important so open windows regularly when indoors, consider wearing a mask in crowded indoor spaces and keep your distance from others.

These measures will not only reduce our chances of catching or passing on Covid but also reduces our chances of catching or passing on other infections like colds, flu and vomiting bugs.

If you feel unwell, check your symptoms against the latest list of Covid symptoms displayed on the government website.