SOMERSET residents are being urged to remain cautious as Covid-19 cases rise in the county.

Public health leaders at Somerset County Council (SCC) have reminded residents to continue to take precautions against the virus.

Last month, the country reverted back to Plan A guidance following an announcement from the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson.

This means that working from home is no longer mandated, Covid passes have become voluntary and face coverings are no longer be mandatory in indoor venues.

READ MORE: The end of Plan B: the latest changes to England’s coronavirus rules

For some this has created a sense of being 'back to normal', says SCC.

Professor Trudi Grant, director of public health for SCC, said: “Case rates remain very high across the county, and the new variant of the virus ‘Omicron’ is highly transmissible.

"Although hospitalisations have stabilised we still need to take precautions as much as possible when going about our daily lives.

"It remains important to continue to wear a face covering in crowded or indoor spaces, to prevent breathing out infectious Covid-19 particles that might be suspended in the air.

"If you are meeting people from outside of your household indoors, it’s a good idea to open windows to let in fresh air and reduce the risk of catching and spreading Covid-19. This is one of the most effective ways of preventing Covid spreading.

"Another simple measure to reduce transmission is to do regular lateral flow testing, especially before meeting up with people, particularly those who are in poorer health.

"Lateral flow testing helps identify those of us infected with Covid-19 who are not showing symptoms but might still spreading the virus unwittingly. If you do have symptoms, then you should book a PCR test and isolate until you get the results.”

If a person tests positive on a PCR, this will automatically be reported by the lab carrying out the test, but if a Lateral Flow Test result is positive, this should be reported by the individual themselves.

Following a positive test, everyone should continue to follow the latest guidelines on isolation.

UK government figures show that Covid re-infections now make up one in 10 of cases in the Omicron variant wave, meaning if someone has had Covid-19 before, they are pretty likely to catch it again.

Trudi added: “Ultimately our main defence against becoming seriously ill with Covid-19 is to get vaccinated. Omicron is not a mild virus for many people and those who are unvaccinated or have underlying health issues can become extremely unwell.

"It still isn’t too late to get your first, second or booster vaccination and I really do urge anyone who has been putting it off to book an appointment online today, or by calling 119.

"All these steps are simple and have very little impact on our ability to go about our everyday lives and enjoy ourselves, but they make a big difference when it comes to helping keep us all safe here in Somerset.”

For all the latest guidance on Covid-19 and rules regarding isolating then visit www.gov.uk/coronavirus.

To find the latest pop-up vaccination sites, visit nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination.