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Final Stage of Roadmap Out of Lockdown Approaches - (COVID Update – 16 July 2021) As the final stage of the roadmap out of lockdown approaches, please remember to keep yourself and others safe. For all the latest information, please see the GOV.UK website. Lockdown latest The rules until 19 July In England, Step 3 restrictions remain in place until 19 July. For more information on what you can and cannot do, please see Government guidance. From 19 July England moves to Step 4 of the roadmap from Monday, (19 July). Everyone should be cautious whilst managing the risks as cases of COVID-19 remain high. For more information on what will change and what you should do to protect yourself and others, please see the GOV.UK website. Staying safe from 19 July Most legal restrictions to control COVID-19 will be lifted at step 4. For full details, please see the GOV.UK website. While cases are high and rising, everybody needs to continue to act carefully and remain cautious. Government is keeping in place the following key protections: - Testing when you have symptoms and targeted asymptomatic testing in education, high risk workplaces and to help people manage their personal risk
- Isolating when positive or when contacted by NHS Test and Trace
- Border quarantine: for all arriving from red list countries and for those people not fully vaccinated arriving from amber list countries
- Cautious guidance for individuals, businesses and the vulnerable whilst prevalence is high including:
- Whilst the Government is no longer instructing people to work from home if they can, it would expect and recommend a gradual return over the summer
- The Government expects and recommends that people wear face coverings in crowded areas such as public transport
- Being outside or letting fresh air in
- Minimising the number, proximity and duration of social contacts
- Encouraging and supporting businesses and large events to use the NHS COVID Pass in high risk settings. The Government will work with organisations where people are likely to be in close proximity to others outside their household to encourage the use of this. If sufficient measures are not taken to limit infection, the Government will consider mandating certification in certain venues at a later date.
Vaccinations update There are more than 40 walk-in vaccine clinics in Kent and Medway on Friday, Saturday and Sunday this week. Details of dates, times, locations and which vaccine is being given are on the CCG walk-in page which includes a map to spot your nearest clinic. If you’d rather book in advance there are over 20 Kent and Medway vaccination clinics listed on the National Booking Service. You can book online or call 119. The latest update from the CCG also reports that a team of Kent and Medway vaccinators are onsite at the Golf Open in Sandwich offering walk-in vaccinations to the many staff and visitors to the Open. For more information on COVID vaccinations, please see the CCG website. Symptom-free testing update Symptom-free home testing kits are widely available at pharmacies and workplaces across Kent and can also be ordered online and delivered to your door. Everyone without symptoms should get tested twice per week. It's important to get tested regularly to make sure you are not unknowingly spreading the virus. For more information on symptom-free testing, please see the NHS website. You can book a test for people with symptoms by visiting the GOV.UK website or by calling 119. Keep up-to-date We’re keeping all our social media channels updated with the latest news and advice, so please keep following us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. 
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