Anyone who has travelled from South East to Sheffield urged to isolate as new strain of virus threatens to make its way to city

Public health chiefs in Sheffield are urging anyone who has travelled to the city from the South East recently to isolate in order to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
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It comes as a new strain of the virus, thought to be up to 75 per cent more transmissable than the dominant strain, was identified in the South East region of the country.

Sheffielders saw their ‘five day bubble’ Christmas plans scuppered over fears surrounding the new strain, which saw the South East and London escalated to Tier 4.

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Eleanor Rutter, Public Health consultant at Sheffield City Council, said: “During the second national lockdown, while rates of coronavirus infection slowed down in most areas of the country, rates in the South East increased.

A woman wearing a face mask walks along the pavement in the shopping district in central Sheffield (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)A woman wearing a face mask walks along the pavement in the shopping district in central Sheffield (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)
A woman wearing a face mask walks along the pavement in the shopping district in central Sheffield (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)

"With this increase in cases, a new strain of the virus was identified. It is normal for viruses to undergo mutations and it was always a possibility that this could happen.

"The good news is that the new variant can be controlled by the same measures that we are all familiar with.

"However, following the announcement from Government, we want to urge anyone who has travelled from the south east, over the last several days, to Sheffield to stay at home to prevent the spread of the virus.

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"We also want to remind people to be cautious; it is imperative that we all now stick firmly to the guidance by maintaining a distance of at least two metres from people you do not live with and washing your hands frequently for 20 seconds as well as wearing a face covering.”

Ms Rutter added that there is nothing to suggest that current testing methods or the effectiveness of vaccination will be affected but anyone with ‘even with the mildest of symptoms’ should still self-isolate and get a test.

"We know how hard people have and continue to work to limit the spread of this disease in Sheffield and how much people wanted some sense of ‘normality’ over the Christmas period,” she said.

"But it is more important now than ever to do whatever we can to keep our friends and families safe over the coming weeks.”

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At a press conference at Downing Street this afternoon, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps also urged people not to travel to Kent after the closure of the French border.

In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a digital subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Nancy Fielder, editor.