Removed Leicester City Council from areas where the new variant is spreading

On 7 July 2021 the Department of Health and Social Care and Lord Bethell of Romford released a new press release titled Extra support deployed in Leicester on 20 May 2021 is being scaled back as the latest data shows local enhanced support has helped slow the initial spread of the Delta variant in the area.

From Tuesday 6 July 2021, guidance on taking additional caution when meeting anyone outside a person’s household or support bubble and minimising travel in and out of the affected areas will no longer apply in Leicester.

To continue to support this effort, everybody living and working in Leicester is still strongly encouraged to continue following key behaviours and actions to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. This includes Hands, Face, Space and Fresh Air and making use of the free, twice-weekly rapid testing offer, even if not showing symptoms.

All over-18s are advised to come forward for the vaccine as soon as possible, and to get their second dose when able for the fullest possible protection.

The press release can be accessed here.

Similarly on 7 July 2021 the department for health and social care updated the Surge testing for new coronavirus (COVID-19) variants guidance. Explaining that Leicester City Council had been removed from the areas where the new COVID-19 variant is spreading fastest, and removed from the section on locations using surge testing. The revised guidance can be accessed here.

On 8 July 2021 the Cabinet Office updated its  (COVID-19) Coronavirus restrictions: what you can and cannot do guidance to reflect that the risk of Covid 19 variant known as Delta spreading in Leicester City had reduced.

The revised guidance can be accessed here.

Local VCSE organisations may want to read the revised guidance so that they can update their own risk assessment procedures in terms of keeping staff, volunteers, and beneficiaries safe from the virus.