Although there is now no longer a legal requirement to self-isolate following a positive Covid test, Public Health Dorset is urging residents to continue to stay at home if they test positive or display symptoms of the virus.

Sam Crowe, director of Public Health for Dorset Council and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council, said: “The latest national announcements signal a new phase of the pandemic as we learn to live safely with Covid-19 but it’s important to remember that the virus has not gone away. Whilst we’re in a much better place now, there are still risks, particularly for those who are more vulnerable to the virus, and we need to remain cautious for a while longer.

“Covid-19 spreads very easily between people, so self-isolation remains an important way of protecting others. Whilst most people with Covid-19 have mild symptoms, other people are more vulnerable to the virus and can become seriously unwell, so we need to think about the impact spreading the virus might have on other people.

“As we learn to live with Covid-19, it needs to become the norm that if you’re feeling unwell – including with a high temperature or a cough – and there’s a risk you could spread that illness to other people, you should stay at home and away from others.”

Those who test positive will continue to be advised to self-isolate for five full days and then follow the guidance until they have received two negative test results on consecutive days.

At present, anyone who develops symptoms of Covid-19 can continue to get a free PCR test by booking online or calling 119. The government has announced that from 1 April it will no longer provide universal symptomatic or asymptomatic testing for the public in England.

Vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself from serious illness caused by Covid-19, and appointments and walk-ins are still available at clinics across Dorset. Find out more at: https://www.dorsetccg.nhs.uk/vaccinations/.