In the seven days up to today there were 1899 new cases recorded locally and yesterday there are currently 42 people in hospital as a result of the virus, compared to 25 last week.
Commeting, public health consultant Dr Andrew Rideout, pictured, said: “Covid cases in the region remain high in Dumfries and Galloway, with outbreaks right across our communities.
“Against the backdrop of high numbers of cases across Scotland, the call is clear – to keep wearing face coverings in indoor public settings. This includes the likes of in shops, supermarkets, takeaways, on public transport like trains and buses, in taxis, in churches, in hair salons, and in pubs and restaurants when not seated at your table. They must also continue to be worn when visiting hospitals and care homes.
“The Scottish Government has extended the requirement to continue wearing face coverings in these settings, in response to the concerns right now over high numbers of cases.
“Wearing a face covering stops you from unknowingly passing covid on to those who are more vulnerable. Please be considerate – wearing a face covering helps limit the spread, and demonstrates you care what happens to other people. If you are able to, and even if you feel fine, please wear one.
“Both locally and nationally, we are carefully monitoring the situation.”
Lateral Flow Devices (LFD) continue to be available free to the public until April 18, and after that will continue to remain free for purposes including clinical care, for health and social care workers and for people visiting vulnerable individuals in care homes or hospitals.
Until the end of April, people with symptoms should still isolate and get a PCR test. And, vaccinated close contacts of someone with covid should continue to test daily for seven days with LFDs.
People who have symptoms will still be able to book PCR tests in the usual way until April 30. From that date, test sites will close and people with symptoms will no longer be advised that they need to seek a test.
Dr Rideout said: “People are still being admitted to hospital to receive treatment for covid. There are still people who have not been vaccinated at all or who have not yet been fully vaccinated.
“It’s important that we all seek to be as fully vaccinated as possible, in case we are exposed.
“All steps have been taken to ensure that vaccines are safe and effective for people aged five years and above, and letters are now going out to parents of children aged 5 to 11 inviting them to attend scheduled vaccination sessions over the Easter holidays.”
