Covid rates continue to fluctuate

In the seven days up to 8 October the number of confirmed new Covid-19 cases in Brighton & Hove rose by 10.3% to 730.

This is equivalent to a weekly rate of 250.2 per 100,000 residents and lower than the rate for England of 366.8 per 100,000 people and the South East rate of 350 per 100,000.

Alistair Hill, Director of Public Health at Brighton & Hove City Council, said:

“Overall rates continue to fluctuate. After a small drop last week, positive Covid-19 cases have risen again in the last seven days.

“The Brighton & Hove rate is lower than the South East and England rates. Similar to other areas, our local rate is highest within secondary school aged children.

“Covid is still around and there are still many people with virus but no symptoms. I’d encourage you all to keep testing regularly so that if you have Covid you can find out quickly and isolate so you don’t spread it to friends, family and colleagues.”

What you can do to help reduce the spread

Get your Covid vaccines, and your booster when you’re offered it. Covid boosters are currently available for over 50s, health & social care workers and those with underlying health conditions if it's been 6 months since your 2nd jab. You can book online or walk-in sessions are available locally. Find out more about getting your vaccines.

Wear a face covering in crowded or enclosed places, including on busy buses and trains. It’s not just about protecting yourself, it can also help make sure others feel safe.

Meet outside where possible, or open a window to let fresh air in.

Keep taking twice-weekly lateral flow tests if you don’t have symptoms so you know you’re not spreading Covid without realising.

• Order free test packs online to be delivered to you at home 
• Pick packs up from Jubilee Library or Hove Town Hall
• Collect packs from a pharmacy – you now need to register for a collect code before picking up tests from a pharmacy
• Get a supervised test at a pharmacy 
• Students and staff should get their tests from their schools  

Get a PCR test if you have any symptoms, even mild, or if you test positive from a lateral flow test. Then stay at home and isolate for 10 days if you test positive. If you have any symptoms it’s really important that you get a PCR test and don’t use the LFD home test kits. PCR tests are more sensitive as they are analysed in a lab.

Close contacts of someone who’s tested positive should get a PCR test, whether or not you have symptoms. If you are a close contact and not fully vaccinated you should stay at home and self-isolate for 10 days even if your PCR is negative. If you are a contact and fully vaccinated (where you received your second dose more than two weeks ago) or if you are under 18 years and 6 months, you no longer need to self-isolate while waiting for your PCR result.