Derby’s Director of Public Health urges residents to Do the Right Thing this Christmas.

Dr Robyn Dewis, Director of Public Health for Derby, is urging residents to consider their actions to ensure a COVID-free Christmas.

As cases continue to increase nationwide, residents are being encouraged to reduce their interaction now to  help stop the spread ofCOVID-19 over Christmas and the New Year.

Walk in Booster jabs are available at Midland House (DE1 2SA) or can be booked through the NHS website. You can walk in from 8.00am to 7.00pm every day.  Appointments are available for those who have had their second dose at least three months ago and are:

  • aged 18 or over
  • aged 16 or over with a health condition that puts you at high risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19
  • a frontline health or social care worker
  • living or working in a care home
  • aged 16 or over and are a main carer for someone at high risk from COVID-19
  • aged 16 or over and live with someone who has a weakened immune system (such as someone who has HIV, has had a transplant or is having certain treatments for cancer, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis)

If you aged 16 and over and are yet to have your first or second dose, or 12-15 and haven’t had your first dose,  you can book your vaccination now on the NHS website. 

As well as getting the booster jab, we should continue to Do the Right Thing for Derby by wearing a face covering in public indoor spaces, if we can, following social distancing in busy places, washing our hands and keeping rooms well ventilated.

To help slow the rise in cases, it is also vital that we continue to test ourselves regularly before meeting family and friends or heading to events, and self-isolating for ten days if we test positive. You can pick up rapid lateral flow tests from your local pharmacy or order them online on the GOV.UK website. If you get a positive rapid lateral flow test, please book a PCR test on the GOV.UK website.

In response to the current situation, Dr Robyn Dewis has emphasised the need for Derby citizens to do the right thing for the city. She said:

The Omicron variant is highly transmissible and the recent surge in confirmed cases across the country is evidence of that. Here in Derby we have had a number of confirmed Omicron cases, with many more cases under investigation, so we anticipate these cases will continue to increase rapidly as we have seen nationally. It is important that we reduce the number of people we are in contact with now, to slow down the spread of the virus, and to ensure we can have a safe Christmas.

We’d strongly urge all those who are eligible to get their 1st, 2nd or booster vaccinations as soon as possible. Walk-in vaccinations are available at Midland House on Nelson Street or you can book an appointment online. We’re also recommending that everyone continues to take regular lateral flow tests at home to reduce the spread of the virus. This is particularly important if we are going to meet vulnerable people over the holidays. Lateral flow tests can be ordered online or picked up from local pharmacies.

We would also urge everyone to continue to Do The Right Thing For Derby by wearing a face covering, following social distancing in busy places, washing hands regularly, try to meet outdoors and keeping rooms well ventilated.