Test plea for Penrith pub-goers after positive Covid-19 case identified

Eden District Council has alerted anyone who has recently visited The Station Hotel, in Penrith, to get tested, after a positive coronavirus case was identified in a customer.

Local contact tracers found links between a group of people who visited pubs in the town on the weekend of 25th & 26th July, some of which have since tested positive for COVID-19.

People who attended a the pub on these dates, from opening to closing time, have been asked to get tested. Public health officials say it is no reflection on the pub which had fulfilled all its obligations,

Colin Cox, Cumbria County Council’s Director of Public Health, said: “We are taking a robust approach to this situation because we want to get a grip as quickly as possible. When people are out socialising in pubs there’s inevitably less certainty about what people have done and who they have been in contact with so the approach we are taking reflects that.“I want to stress that this situation is no reflection on the pub listed and provided pubs follow good hygiene practices, the risk of transmission after the times these people visited is low.”“In this instance, the pub completed thorough risk assessments in time for opening on 4th July and implemented resulting safety measures to keep all staff and customer safe. The pub operated within government guidelines, but it has been found that some pub-goers did not use the track and trace app as directed."Last week we explained that up to 20 per cent of contact numbers left at the venues in Carlisle and Eden were either false, incorrect or not legible. This information is absolutely vital to our efforts to stop the spread of the virus.”

How do I get tested?

Testing is available in Carlisle at Brunton Park until Sunday 2 August from 10am to 3pm and then again on Wednesday 5 August and Thursday 6 August.

Testing is also available at Penrith Rugby Club seven days a week. People can book a test at: https://www.nhs.uk/ask-for-a-coronavirus-test

Home testing kits can also be ordered via https://www.nhs.uk/ask-for-a-coronavirus-test

NHS staff should arrange testing via their employer.

Testing is also available in Annan and Gretna.

Anyone who tests positive is being asked to contact our COVID-19 call centre on 0800 783 1968.

For further information contact Cumbria County Council's communications team on 01228 221008.