Coronavirus: UK staycationers asked to test themselves before travelling
Summer staycationers have been asked to test themselves before heading to some of the UK's most sought-after destination spots.Cumbria Lake District health authorities are urging visitors and vacationers to take lateral flow tests before travelling to the area and to maintain social distancing once they have arrived.
This comes after a rise in coronavirus cases in the area, which is a popular holiday destination for Britons, mirroring the national increase.
Data published by the Government on Monday showed a further 40 people have died within 28 days of a positive Covid-19 test.
The latest case numbers also show a further 31,914 coronavirus cases reported in the past 24 hours.
In Cornwall, the tourist board has urged people not to visit unless they have pre-booked and to test themselves extensively.Chief executive of Visit Cornwall Malcolm Bell said visitors should aim to “treble their efforts as much as possible” with the hands, face, space guidance and try to remain outdoors.This comes after recent case spikes in the county due to an influx of tourists over the summer period, and a recent music festival.Health officials are investigating 4,700 coronavirus cases that are suspected to be linked to the Boardmasters music festival in Cornwall, which took place two weeks ago.
The cases are spread across the country but around 800 are living in Cornwall, a council official confirmed, after the festival, which was held between August 11 and 15 in the Newquay area.
A spokesperson for Boardmasters said the festival used the NHS Covid Pass app as a condition of entry to the festival or urged people to show proof of a negative test before entering and asked people to test themselves during the five-day event.
They added that more than 450 people tested positive and left the festival early or did not go in.
“No event is able to eliminate risk entirely and the latest Test & Trace data includes reported infections among the 76,000 people who visited the festival or related activities at Fistral Beach, in Newquay and the wider area during the week of Boardmasters,” they said.
“We will continue to work with our public health partners to understand the extent to which attendance at the festival has contributed to the figures.”
The experience on the south coast has heightened concern ahead of the flagship Reading and Leeds Festivals, which are also due to take place this weekend.
In a statement addressing Covid-19 safety precautions for Reading festival, Meradin Peachey, Director of Public Health for West Berkshire said it is important for those attending the festival to stock up on lateral flow tests before they leave their homes.
He said: "Festival goers will have to show evidence of a negative test taken prior to travel on the day of the festival, or proof of full vaccination – with both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine received at least 14 days prior to the festival.
“Those using an NHS lateral flow test to demonstrate their Covid status will need to re-test on the expiry of the initial 72-hour validity period, so we are asking people to ensure they bring spare lateral flow tests with them for the weekend."
Free hand sanitiser will be available throughout the site and the organisers require all staff to take a lateral flow test every 72 hours.