COVID-19 cases across Dacorum

Hertfordshire’s Public Health team have shared the following important message.

There are a significant number of positive COVID-19 cases across Dacorum, with a specific rise in Hemel Hempstead.

Existing self-isolation and testing measures have not contained this local outbreak amongst a group of young people (17-19 years old) in a small number of pubs and cafes in the Tring and Berkhamsted area. This has raised the importance of continuing to self-isolate when you are a known contact, even if you have recently tested negative.

Hertfordshire Public Health needs all Dacorum residents to pay close attention to this serious issue of the spread of COVID-19 locally. If you think you may have come into contact with someone with COVID-19, you should self-isolate for 14 days. If you are feeling unwell, you should call 119 or book a test at www.gov.uk/coronavirus.

Local councils are:

• Keeping under close watch any new cases in the Dacorum area, on a daily basis, and if necessary, deciding whether to enact local powers (eg an enforced local lockdown)
• Putting in place additional surge capacity for local Contact Tracing for priority cases, in addition to the national Test and Trace
• Writing to specific premises with linked cases asking them to contact customers
• Writing to all cafes, pubs and restaurants warning them of the imminent threat to their businesses, of a local lockdown if they don’t follow stringently the existing guidance, especially keeping customer contact details
• Ensuring that that every ‘significant contact’ of an infected person who needs to self-isolate is given clear, written guidance on what they must do
• Promoting the existing twice-weekly mobile testing sites in Hemel Hempstead, as well as the other nearby testing sites
• Trading standards will carrying out spot checks on licensed premises and Hertfordshire police will be using its enforcement powers at unlawful events.