Covid-19 will increase as pubs and shops reopen, Sandwell health chief warns
Coronavirus infections rates and outbreaks will increase after the reopening of pubs and stores, Sandwell’s director of public health has warned.
Dr Lisa McNally’s stark message came as she explained the next three months are critical in preventing a second wave of Covid-19 this winter.
Pleading with people to stick to social distancing rules, she said the frontline of coronavirus has moved from hospitals to the wider community.
“I would say to anybody looking to go for a drink this weekend to remember that this is not just a case of keeping yourself safe,” she said.
“Coronavirus is spread by contact with other people and will not just affect you but also anyone you have contact within your family, workplace or other social settings.
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“So if you do go the pub, please stay at least one metre away for other customers and don’t think that after two pints it is okay to stand at a crowded bar waiting for your next pint.”
Sandwell has dealt with four outbreaks of Covid-19 in the last month – including two in schools – and Dr McNally's remarks coincided with the government ordering pubs and stores in Leicester to remain closed.
'Basic mechanics'
Dr McNally denied reports the rate of infections in Sandwell is increasing but added cases are going down "very slowly" in comparison to other areas.
Commenting on the impact of relaxing lockdown, she said: “The reopening of more retail and workplaces will have an effect.
“This virus increases as the amount of social contact increases. It is spread by person to person, so the more people come together with other people the more the virus will spread.
“It is basic mechanics to say the rate of infections will increase as the rate of people coming together increases.”
Dr Dr McNallyspoke out as councils across the country published their plans to deal with localised outbreaks.
Saying as hospital cases declined local and regional authorities were now the frontline in preventing a second wave of Covid-19, she added: “This isn’t the time to take off the gas when it comes to prevention and think "let’s take a breather because it is okay now".
“Examples such as Leicester show us all that cases can accelerate at any time, often without warning.
“In the winter, I want to be able to look back at what we did in July, August and September and say we did use that time effectively to build our preventive response.”
