The latest public health update on COVID-19 in Dorset shows that, whilst cases of COVID-19 continue to rise across the county, case rates in both the Dorset Council and BCP Council areas are below the average rates for the South West and England.
Cases are increasing across all age groups, but the majority of infections continue to be amongst younger people. The number of people in hospital with COVID-19 in Dorset has been slowly but steadily rising over the past few weeks, although numbers currently remain low compared to previous waves.
More information from Public Health Dorset
Moving to step 4 of the Government roadmap
This guidance will come into effect when England moves to step 4 of the roadmap. Read the current step 3 guidance on what you can and cannot do.
While cases are high and rising, everybody needs to continue to act carefully and remain cautious. This is why we are keeping in place key protections:
- testing when you have symptoms and targeted asymptomatic testing in education, high risk workplaces and to help people manage their personal risk.
- isolating when positive or when contacted by NHS Test and Trace.
- border quarantine: for all arriving from red list countries and for those people not fully vaccinated arriving from amber list countries.
- cautious guidance for individuals, businesses and the vulnerable whilst prevalence is high including:
- whilst Government is no longer instructing people to work from home if they can, Government would expect and recommend a gradual return over the summer
- Government expects and recommends that people wear face coverings in crowded areas such as public transport;
- being outside or letting fresh air in
- minimising the number, proximity and duration of social contacts.
- encouraging and supporting businesses and large events to use the NHS COVID Pass in high risk settings. The Government will work with organisations where people are likely to be in close proximity to others outside their household to encourage the use of this. If sufficient measures are not taken to limit infection, the Government will consider mandating certification in certain venues at a later date.