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 With the new variant of Covid-19, Omicron, both across the globe and within the UK, the Government has taken steps to limit the spread and effect of this.
As of 4am on Tuesday 30th November, the following changes are now in effect;
- Face coverings are a legal requirement in shops and on public transport, unless exempt.
- International arrivals from non-red list countries who are fully vaccinated will need to isolate at home and take a PCR test on or before day 2 following your arrival. You are only permitted to leave isolation if this test result is negative; if your test result is positive, you will need to isolate for 10 days.
- If you have come into contact with someone who may have been infected with the Omicron variant, you will need to self-isolate. This applies even if you are fully vaccinated or aged 18 or under.
These rules are mandatory and are a legal requirement, they will be reviewed on 20th December.
With the changes the laws on mask-wearing, travel and self-isolation, the Red List of countries has also been updated, to find out more, please visit the Government website
We are here to help and support you; please visit our Covid-19 web page if you need assistance.
 We all understand the importance of vaccinations to stop the spread of Covid-19 and its impact on people's lives.
To support this, we are working with the NHS to help a series of pop-up clinics enabling West Berkshire residents to visit local locations to receive their booster vaccinations. If you've been invited for your Booster but unable to book an appointment, this is the perfect opportunity for you to get your vaccination.
In Hungerford, we will have a Booster Vaccination pop-up clinic at the Cricket Club, running from Wednesday 8th to Friday 17th December.
It will be closed on Saturday 11th due to a football match at the next door Hungerford Football Club. You can book appointments in advance for the nine open days, which are recommended, with some walk-in appointments also available.
You can check availability and book here.
In Kintbury at the Coronation Hall, the Health on the Move van will be offering all doses of Covid-19 vaccines on Tuesday 14th and Wednesday 15th December.
This is the perfect chance to get your vaccination; if you've missed either your first or second dose, or you want to get your Booster, you can walk in and grab a jab!
This location is walk-in only; please do consider the weather. Depending on its popularity, you might have to wait outside for a short time.
In Lambourn, the Graham Jones Pharmacy will be opening more slots to offer an increased number of booster vaccinations; you can book these via the main vaccination booking site
We hope you will make the most of our local pop-up centres and book your booster vaccination today!
 The advice on eligibility on Covid-19 Booster vaccinations has been updated.
The new advice means those aged 18 to 39 will also be eligible for a booster when the NHS calls them forward.
The NHS will offer the booster in order of descending age groups, with priority given to the vaccination of older adults and those in a COVID-19 at-risk group. In response to the changing risk posed by the Omicron variant, they will now give the booster no sooner than three months after the primary course.
In addition, a second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine (30 microgram) for young people aged 12 to 15 years is advised no sooner than 12 weeks after the first dose.
Professor Wei Shen Lim, Chair, COVID-19 immunisation, JCVI, said:
Having a booster dose of the vaccine will help to increase our level of protection against the Omicron variant. This is an important way for us to reduce the impact of this variant on our lives, especially in the coming months.
If you are eligible for a booster, please take up the offer and keep yourself protected as we head into winter.
If you would like to find out more about vaccinations and where you can book yours, please visit the NHS webpage on Covid-19 vaccinations.
And finally, don't forget to complete a Lateral Flow Test if you are meeting someone at risk from Covid-19 or going into an environment where you are more likely to be at risk, for example, crowded and indoor events.
If you need help to complete a test, the Assisted Testing Van is at different locations throughout the week and can help you complete a test and show you how to do the tests yourself.
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