Covid-19 briefing note – get boosted, build antibodies, stay safe

If you haven’t had your booster yet, please get boosted as soon as you can.

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Dose interval reduced for 12 to 17 year olds Plan to ease alert level two protections announced Support your school Testing and isolation Indoor testing unit in Plas Madoc from Monday (January 17) – providing PCR tests How to get extra lateral flow test kits

Just two doses of Covid-19 vaccine doesn’t offer strong protection against symptomatic infection with Omicron.

So please get that booster and build-up your antibodies.

The local HNS health board is texting people to encourage them to attend drop-in clinics as soon as possible.

Dose interval reduced for 12 to 17 year olds

The minimum second dose interval for 12 to 17 year olds has been reduced from 12 weeks to eight.

If you’re in this age category and it’s been eight weeks since your first dose, please don’t wait for an invitation for your second.

Check out which local drop-in clinics are offering jabs for your age-group, and come forward as soon as possible.

Plan to ease alert level two protections announced

A plan to return Wales to alert level 0 measures will today be set out by First Minister Mark Drakeford.

The move comes as the latest public health data suggests cases of coronavirus have started to fall back from their very high levels.

Support your school

Please support your school by following current guidance from Welsh Government.

If your child is in secondary school, encourage them to use lateral flow tests three times a week, follow school rules on face coverings and wash or sanitise hands regularly.

And if you or your child are eligible for vaccination and haven’t taken up the offer yet, please get fully jabbed as soon as possible.

Testing and isolation

You’re probably aware of recent changes to testing and isolation arrangements in Wales, but here’s a quick reminder.

If you don’t have symptoms…

If you have a positive lateral flow test but don’t have symptoms, you’ll no longer be advised to have a follow-up PCR test (unless you’re in a clinically vulnerable group).
You’ll be asked to self-isolate for seven days. On day six, you should take a lateral flow test and another test 24 hours later. If both are negative, you’re probably no longer infectious.
If you’re identified as a contact of someone who’s tested positive, you should take a lateral flow test every day for seven days (known as ‘daily contact testing’).

If you do have symptoms, you’ll need a PCR test.

Indoor testing unit in Plas Madoc from Monday (January 17) – providing PCR tests

Available to all local residents who have symptoms.

An indoor testing unit will be deployed to Plas Madoc Leisure Centre to make it easier for people living in the area to get a Covid-19 test.

The easy-access testing facility will offer pre-booked PCR tests from January 17 to January 30, and will be based in the sports hall between 9:30am and 4:30pm.

You must pre-book your test online (please don’t call the leisure centre).

When you arrive, use the entrance directly into the sports hall (please don’t use the main entrance / reception area).

Remember…if you test positive and self-isolate, you’ll help stop the virus from spreading.

The work at the testing unit is being co-ordinated by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Wrexham Council, UK Health Security Agency and Splash Community Trust.