We’re all excited to get back to doing what we love this summer, whether that be seeing friends or going on holiday, but it is extremely important that we take this step safely. COVID-19 is still a present risk in the UK, and there are other emerging variants from abroad. With this in mind, here are five ways that you can ensure you remain safe while having fun this summer.
Vaccination
It is highly recommended that you book your vaccine appointment as soon as you are able. Vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna, and Oxford/Astra-Zeneca have been proven to be highly effective in preventing hospitalisation from the virus. This is particularly important when considering the Delta variant, which is much more transmissible than other variants of the virus. These vaccines are both safe and effective, and getting your vaccinations as soon as you can is the best way to ensure you can have a safe summer.
Regular Testing
The great danger associated with the spread of coronavirus is that you can do so without ever knowing you’ve had it. Regular testing, even if you do not have symptoms, is therefore extremely important. The process need not be a long one; with options like the Healgen rapid Antigen test, which can provide results in under an hour, testing can be an easy process.
If you do have symptoms, however, it is vital that you do get tested, and self-isolate if necessary. The most common symptoms for coronavirus are a dry cough, a sore throat, and loss of taste and sense of smell.
Beware of seasonal allergies as well; hay fever sufferers may confuse coronavirus symptoms with symptoms of their allergies. It is highly recommended that anybody with allergies regularly uses rapid tests, such as the Healgen rapid Antigen test, to protect those around them.
Coronavirus test kits can be collected for free from participating pharmacies across the country.
Maintain Social Distancing
Now that bars and restaurants are beginning to open on a larger scale, you could be forgiven for thinking that things have, for the most part, returned to normal. It is important, however, that you continue to take steps to protect yourself when out of the house. Make sure to stay at least one metre away from other people where possible, and follow one-way systems where they are in place.
Wear a Mask
Wearing a mask has been proven to be an effective means of preventing infection in environments where social distancing may not be possible. It is vital that we continue to wear masks, especially in badly ventilated environments such as on public transport.
When you are not sitting at your table in a restaurant or bar, you should also continue to wear a mask. This is the time when you are most likely to encounter someone from outside your household, and therefore you should exercise caution when moving around a public area.
Ventilate your House
We’re all excited to finally be able to invite friends around to our gardens, especially when the weather is good. It is also now permitted to host a small number of guests inside your house, however you should still take steps to protect yourself and your loved ones. Make sure to maintain social distancing within your household where possible, and try to have at least one window open at all times.
Keeping windows open allows the air in the room to be recycled constantly, decreasing the risk of being infected by removing COVID-19 particles from the air. Ventilating a room is an extremely simple way of keeping yourself safe when you have friends over.
Hopefully, the threat of coronavirus will have disappeared very soon, but in the meantime it is important that we take these steps to ensure we can put this pandemic behind us.