 Covid-19 vaccine protection and local pop-up sites
Have you recently had Covid? While being infected with the virus can provide some level of antibody protection, it’s not guaranteed for everyone, and according to a ZOE Covid-19 study, the level of protection from natural immunity is lower than that provided by vaccination .
Getting vaccinated now will reduce your risk of becoming ill with the virus and your chances of getting Long Covid; it also helps slow the spread and will protect you from different variants.
Everyone over the age of 16 is eligible for their first, second, or booster doses. 12-15 year olds are also eligible for the first two doses. If you haven’t come forward yet, it’s never too late. The lovely teams at the vaccination centres will be happy to see you. If you had the virus recently, you need to wait 28 days from the initial infection.
We’re pleased to let you know that the NHS Health on the Move vaccine bus is back in the borough next week. Over 16s can come and get their first, second, or booster dose of the Pfizer vaccine on:
- Monday 31 January, at the Finchampstead Baptist Church (FBC) Centre (RG40 4ES) – 10am to 4pm
- Tuesday 1 February, at the Wokingham Library (RG40 2BB) – 10am to 4pm
No appointment necessary – just turn up with proof of age and your vaccine card if coming for your second dose, or booster. You can also get vaccinated at a local mass vaccination centre in Bracknell or Reading, or at a community pharmacy. Book an appointment or find a walk-in site.
 Stay safe as Plan B rules end
From today (27 January), Plan B measures will be removed in England. This means an end to compulsory mask-wearing in shops and other places, vaccine certificates for entering venues, and guidance to work from home.
That said, Covid-19 cases remain very high in the borough and are climbing in many age groups. They’re particularly high in school age children, so please be kind and patient with local schools that are navigating staff absences and remote learning.
As before, choosing to wear a face covering in crowded and busy places, will protect you and others. Some shops, venues and public transport providers are encouraging people to continue wearing them. You should also take precautions, such as:
- Washing your hands regularly and using hand sanitiser
- Letting fresh air in if you’re meeting people inside
- Taking a lateral flow test before meeting others to check you aren’t infected
- Taking a PCR test if you feel unwell and have Covid-19 symptoms
Visit our Covid-19 webpages for more information and guidance.
 Self-isolation rules still in place
It is still a legal requirement to self-isolate if you test positive for Covid-19, or if you are a close contact of a positive case and are not fully vaccinated.
Central Government has said that this will be reviewed in March. As policy changes, we will keep you informed with the most up-to-date guidance in this newsletter and on our social media feeds. For now, please remember that:
- If you test positive, you usually have to self-isolate for 10 full days. You may be able to leave self-isolation after 5 full days if you test negative on lateral flow testing on days 5 and 6, and don’t have a high temperature
- If you are a close contact of a positive case, are over 18 and are not fully vaccinated, you are legally required to self-isolate
- Your first day of isolation is day 0. This is the day that your symptoms start, or the day of your positive test
- You might need to self-isolate for longer if you get symptoms while self-isolating or your symptoms do not go away
Full guidance on self-isolation is available on the NHS website.
 Have your say on our draft Anti-Poverty Strategy
We’re asking people who live or work in Wokingham Borough to give their thoughts on our draft Anti-Poverty Strategy, which has been developed in partnership with the Hardship Alliance; a group of four local charities – First Days, Citizens Advice Wokingham, AgeUK Berkshire and Wokingham United Charities.
The strategy’s core objectives include prevention, supporting people in poverty, strengthening communities in their resilience to poverty and improving life opportunities for people living in poverty. It will be underpinned by an annual action plan to address the immediate impacts felt by residents, and to ultimately move more people out of poverty.
The consultation survey is running until 11.59pm on Monday 21 February, via the Engage Wokingham Borough platform. Views of Town and Parish Councils, voluntary sector organisations and professionals supporting people who face financial hardship are also welcomed.
 Covid case numbers to include multiple infections from 31 January
If you follow the data relating to Covid cases within the borough, either on Gov.uk or on the Berkshire Public Health website, please be aware that from 31 January, the number of ‘all Covid-19 cases reported in England’ will include people who have been reinfected.
Up until now, individuals were only counted once (based on their initial infection) – so people who were diagnosed with Covid more than once weren’t included in the daily case numbers. This may cause our local case data to change so if you do want to find out more, please see the full information on the Gov.uk website.
You don’t need to do anything different – if you test positive, please continue to follow self-isolation guidance, report your result if you’ve used a lateral flow test, and liaise with NHS Test and Trace.
 Useful links
Dedicated Covid-19 pages on our website
Latest stats for Wokingham Borough via the Covid-19 Dashboard
How Covid-19 is affecting our services
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