Residents are reminded that meeting outdoors is safer, and if they do meet indoors, they should try and let as much fresh air in as possible.
In addition, people are being urged to take a rapid Covid-19 test before meeting up with people they don’t live with to reassure themselves and others that they don’t have the virus.
Councillor Jasbir Jaspal, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said: “We want people to have great fun as they celebrate Bonfire Night and Diwali this week, but we also want them to do so safely.
“We know that Covid-19 spreads more easily in enclosed spaces, so we’re encouraging people to try and meet up outside if they can and, if they meet indoors, to let in as much fresh air as possible.
“We’re also asking everyone to continue taking sensible precautions such as having a regular rapid Covid-19 test – particularly if they are planning on meeting up with people they don’t live with – practising social distancing and wearing face coverings in busy enclosed spaces and on public transport, all of which we know helps to stop the spread of this virus.”
Free rapid testing is available at the Civic Centre (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm), the Jamia Masjid Bilal, Newhampton Road (10am to 7pm, daily), and The Hub at Ashmore Park (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 9am to 6pm) and at participating pharmacies across the city.
Alternatively, people can collect free rapid Covid-19 home test kits from the Civic Centre, The Hub at Ashmore Park, Bilston and Wolverhampton markets and WV Active leisure centres, or from selected local pharmacies. Please note, anyone collecting test kits from a pharmacy must register for a collection code in advance, either online or by calling 119.
For details of rapid testing, for people without symptoms of Covid-19, please visit Coronavirus Testing. People with symptoms of Covid-19 must self isolate and book a PCR test by calling 119 or visiting GOV.UK.
Latest figures show there were 335.1 new cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 people in Wolverhampton over the last 7 days. That means 881 people tested positive for the virus in that same period – though the true number of cases will likely be higher.
