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England to move into Step 4 on 19 July

Most legal restrictions to be lifted on 19 July

The Prime Minister confirmed yesterday (12 July) that from Monday, 19 July, England moves to Step 4 of the Roadmap. This means most legal restrictions to control COVID-19 will be lifted on 19 July.

Find out what will change and what you should do to protect yourself and others.

In addition, from 19 July, fully vaccinated people returning to England from amber list countries will not need to quarantine.

Play your part to keep West Berkshire safe

Even as we move to Step 4, everyone should remain cautious and continue to manage the risks of spreading the virus, as cases of COVID-19 remain high.

Here's how we can all play our part to keep everyone safe:

Self-isolate if you have symptoms or are instructed to do so by Test and Trace. You may be eligible for the Test and Trace payment of £500 if you need to take time off work.

Take sensible precautions: While we welcome the move to Step 4 on Monday, as the Prime Minister said, we are still in a pandemic situation, and everyone has a personal responsibility to be vigilant and cautious for the sake of themselves and others. For example, the Government expects and recommends that people wear face coverings in crowded areas such as public transport. They also advise meeting others outside where possible and keep letting fresh air in. See also the guidance on protecting clinically extremely vulnerable people. 

Get the jab: This is our most important line of defence to break the chain of transmission and decrease illness, hospitalisations and deaths - and it’s important to get both jabs when offered. 

Get tested: If you have symptoms, get the free PCR test and stay at home. Otherwise if you don’t have symptoms, keep taking the free lateral flow test (rapid Covid-19 test) twice a week. If you don’t know how to do the self-test, trained staff at our community testing centres can show you how.

Vaccination update

Get your jab

Anyone aged 18 or over, or who will reach that age before 1 July 2021, can now book their Covid-19 vaccine appointment. 

Second doses for all over-40s are also being accelerated, reducing the time between doses from 12 weeks to eight weeks.

Appointment slots for first and second doses are available at all vaccination sites. If you can't find a local slot straight away, keep trying as more appointments are added regularly. 

Vaccinations will be offered on Saturday, 24 July at the Riverside Community Centre, Clay Hill - 11am to 5pm - for people aged 18 or over and haven't yet had the vaccine.

Your COVID vaccination status: NHS COVID Pass

Your coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination details or test results are obtained FREE through the NHS App, website or by calling the NHS on 119. You can show your NHS COVID Pass as proof of your COVID-19 status when travelling abroad.

(Please be alert for scams, which ask for payment.)

Covid-19: local cases data

As of 12 July there have been 7,300 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in West Berkshire. In the last 7 days there have been 217 new cases, giving us a weekly case rate of 138.8 per 100,000 people.

We have continued to see a considerable rise in our case rate over the past two weeks across all age groups, with a high proportion of cases among the 20-29 age bracket.

We strongly encourage everyone to continue to be cautious, get both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, and take twice-weekly lateral flow tests if you don't have symptoms. These measures give the best protection for you and others against coronavirus.

Community Testing News

It's important to take rapid Covid-19 tests twice a week if you don't have symptoms

Help keep yourself and your loved ones safe from the virus by having twice-weekly lateral flow tests, three to four days apart. Lateral flow testing is a rapid test for Covid-19 and it is free of charge. It is for people without any Covid symptoms.  

You should still keep testing, even if you have had one or both doses of the Covid vaccine.

If you have Covid symptoms you must book a Covid PCR test by calling 119 or visiting www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test.

Coronavirus Weeknotes from Leader and Chief Executive

In their Weeknotes issued last Friday (9 July), Council Leader Lynne Doherty and Chief Executive Nick Carter talk about personal responsibility for staying safe, and our ongoing support to help businesses to re-open.

Local Outbreak Engagement Board

Our most recent public Local Outbreak Engagement Board meeting was held on Monday, 5 July. Agenda items included the vaccination programme, vaccine uptake, Covid-19 situation update, Public Protection Partnership and our Covid-related communications activities.

The next public meeting is being held on Monday, 19 July at 6pm. See agenda.

Calling all voluntary and community group leaders

If you run, or help run, a voluntary or community group, we are keen to hear from you. We'd welcome your feedback on the kinds of support your group or organisation would like to be made available and what that support could look like.

Thank you for responses to date, and there is still time to take the survey if you haven't done so already.

The responses will help us to further develop support for our voluntary and community groups and organisations, including as part of the district's recovery from Covid-19.

This six-week engagement is part of the steps laid out in our Communications and Engagement Strategy (2020 – 2023) to support the voluntary sector. 

The engagement survey is open to all sizes of voluntary or community group or organisation, whether a national charity operating locally, a smaller charity or community interest company (CIC), or a less formal community group.