Southampton Omicron cases are reminder 'the pandemic is not over'

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Southampton residents are being warned that "everyone has a role to play" in combating Covid-19, after four cases of the Omicron variant were detected in the city.

Debbie Chase, the city's Director of Public Health, said that the cases had been "directly or indirectly linked to travel", but said that "residents do not have to take any specific additional actions."

It comes as a year group at school in Basingstoke was forced to isolate, following the detection of three cases in the town.

Maria Miller MP, Basingstoke said: "I think we have to bear with the NHS professionals that are running this. They are basing it on clinical need, which first and foremost is people with chronic conditions and age groups. We are rapidly running this out to all adults and inevitably there is going to be an issue over availability."

In a statement released by Southampton City Council, Debbie Chase confirmed the positive results, but said "there is no cause for alarm."

She said: "We are right to be cautious and the detection of this variant in the city is a reminder that the pandemic is not over."

"We should be vigilant and remember that we all have a role to play in helping to limit the spread of the virus."

Elsewhere in Hampshire, Year 4 pupils and teachers at Hatch Warren Junior School in Basingstoke are being told to self isolate after three cases of Omicron were detected in the town.

Three cases have also been identified in Oxfordshire - two of them linked to the University of Oxford.

Public health experts across the region have urged people to keep up their efforts to reduce the spread of the virus: wearing face coverings, testing in line with national guidance and taking up booster jabs when offered.