South Yorkshire public health director encourages mask wearing as Plan B measures announced

The Prime Minister announced on Wednesday (December 8) that England will move to Plan B measures to slow the spread of Omicron.

Face masks will be compulsory in most public indoor venues, and NHS Covid passes will be mandatory from Wednesday in for indoor settings of 500 people or more, outdoor settings of 4,000 people or more, and any setting with 10,000 attendees or more.

Ben Anderson, director of public health for Rotherham, has encouraged residents to take safety measures such as wearing face coverings and getting vaccinated to protect loved ones in the run-up to Christmas.

The number of people with a confirmed positive Covid-19 test in Rotherham dropped 2.4 per cent over the last week, and as of December 7, there were 26 patients in hospital with coronavirus.

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Between December 3 to 9, there have been four deaths within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test, which is a decrease of 20 per cent compared to the previous week.

More than 202,000 people in Rotherham have had their first vaccine, and 185,759 are fully vaccinated, according to government figures.

Mr Anderson told the local democracy reporting service: “Following on from the Government’s announcement from last night, I am encouraging residents across Rotherham and the wider area to follow the new guidelines, including wearing a face covering in most indoor venues.

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“We are still waiting to say what the impact of Omicron will be on the population, however, we are already seeing that it is a more transmissible variant which means that it is important that everyone follows the new guidelines.

“Wearing a face covering and making sure you get all your COVID-19 vaccinations remain the best way to protect yourselves from COVID-19.

“As we approach the festive season, we can all help to protect our loved ones by meeting responsibly by getting lateral flow tests before gathering or going to events, washing your hands regularly, and by making sure you ventilate your home when you have guests over.”