Plan B the “right response to Omicron threat” — Rotherham health boss

Speaking exclusively to the Advertiser, Ben Anderson acknowledged the new restrictions could be “concerning” for people, but said he hoped they would prevent the NHS being “overwhelmed” by the new variant during a “very long winter”.

On Wednesday the government announced new Covid-19 rules for England, including guidance to work from home if possible from  Monday, December 13.

From today, masks will be required in more public places including theatres and cinemas, although they are not compulsory in hospitality venues such as pubs and restaurants, or places where it is “not practical to wear them”, like gyms.

And from next week, the NHS Covid pass will be needed to get into some venues including nightclubs.

“Plan B” follows previous government measures aimed at tackling the spread of Omicron, such as wearing a face covering in shops and on public transport which returned at the end of November.

Mr Anderson told the Advertiser: “It’s a move backwards of where we are in terms of the pandemic, to some extent.

“But from a positive point of view it’s a lot more balanced than some of the more draconian measures we’ve had previously and it is the right response to the threat Omicron is bringing at the moment.

“Omicron is now known to be more transmissible and therefore is more of a threat.  

“What we don't know yet is how it is going to respond to a well-vaccinated population like the UK and therefore its severity.

“The measures around working from home where possible, wider use of face coverings, and Covid passports for big events will hopefully slow down the spread of Omicron and give us more time to understand it.

“A new wave in January could potentially overwhelm the NHS in the middle of winter.

“I can understand new restrictions coming in can be quite concerning for people but I don’t feel these will inhibit people too much and will add a lot higher levels of resilience and safety to people going about their activities.

“I do think these are proportionate and fairly balanced.

“It’s not a big restriction to ask people to wear a mask in enclosed spaces.

“The Covid passport does involve a bit more but people have got a week to download the app, or they can do a lateral flow test 24 hours before attending an event.

“It’s accessible to all, regardless of vaccination status.

“It allows people to make decisions and choices with a level of confidence.”

Mr Anderson said the town had “managed previous restrictions well”, and they had been beneficial adding: “We observed very good behaviours. Rotherham residents adhered to the social distancing measures including ‘Hands, Face, Space’.

“People in the town adopted healthy practices during the pandemic and they really do make a difference — we saw that last year with fewer cases of flu, colds and other respiratory viruses.

“If we can see that again this year, great — and if it helps get numbers of Omicron infections then that’s even better.

“My advice would be to continue to use lateral flow tests on a regular basis and strategically before mixing in bigger groups or when seeing vulnerable people and use a test again a couple of days later.

“That will give you the confidence about who you see and how you go about your daily life — and it will give us time to understand what Omicron is really going to mean in terms of its severity.

“We are going into what is going to be a very long winter and, while our hospital staff are amazingly resilient, we must make sure we do not overwhelm the NHS.”