Messages urging people to continue following the social distancing guidelines are being reiterated and translated into other languages to encourage people from all of Huntingdonshire’s communities to pull together to avoid a second peak of coronavirus - particularly ahead of a potentially warm weekend.
A recent increase in local people contacting their GP surgeries in Huntingdonshire with coronavirus-like symptoms does not mean an increase in cases - but while rates of infection across the East of England and Cambridgeshire as a whole are generally low, Huntingdonshire infection rates have 'plateaued' and are not falling as fast as other parts of the county, Dr Liz Robin, the county’s Director of Public health has confirmed.
Information about patients attending GP surgeries in Cambridgeshire with symptoms which may be related to COVID-19 show that some areas in Huntingdonshire are above the Cambridgeshire average - but these symptoms also occur in other illnesses, so we can’t draw firm conclusions. Dr Robin said: "Although the government has eased the lockdown measures, there are still strict guidelines in place to control the spread of the virus, which we must all follow. Coronavirus has not gone away, and, unless we follow the guidelines, infection rates will increase, leading to more illness and more deaths.
"If you leave the home to take outdoor exercise, you must stay at least two metres away from anyone not in your household. In addition, if you go outside to meet up with anyone not in your household, you can only meet one other person, and must stay at least 2 metres apart. It is still not allowed to invite visitors into your home, including friends and relatives."
Executive Leader of Huntingdonshire District Council, Cllr Ryan Fuller, said: "Based on this very clear health advice I would ask everyone in Huntingdonshire to understand that the recent relaxation of lockdown rules changes things only very slightly. The national test and trace system which was introduced today will help us isolate and quarantine cases - but there is no substitute for people all continuing to follow public health advice."
Jo Lancaster, Managing Director of Huntingdonshire District Council said: "If we all follow this guidance, rates of infection will stay under control, and the government may be able to make further changes to the lockdown measures. It will protect you, your family, your friends, and all the fantastic people in the health and care sector who are caring for our loved ones. If we ignore the rules, we will face a second wave of the virus and a tightening of the lockdown measures. We are reaching out to everyone to say - do the right thing to protect everyone in our district."