Residents who have travelled from Tier 4 urged to get tested

The new strain is thought to spread more easily, so if you've travelled from London and the south east, you may have Covid and not even know it. If you have any doubts at all Lancashire County Council is urging you to get a test.

Angie Ridgwell, chairman of the Lancashire Resilience Forum (LRF), which is coordinating the county's response to the pandemic, said: "If you have travelled from a Tier 4 area, or recently mixed with someone from those areas, the last thing you'd want this Christmas is to put your family and friends at risk so please be extremely cautious.

"If you have any concerns at all that you may have coronavirus you should book a test."

The LRF is also advising that anyone who has travelled from Tier 4, or who lives with someone who has, should keep any contacts with people outside their household to an absolute minimum.

Angie added: "You must think carefully about all of the risks and only form a bubble on Christmas Day if you absolutely need to.

"Wherever possible choose alternatives to meeting in person. We know that this has been a difficult year, and people want to spend time with their loved ones, but mixing with others is incredibly risky.

"Everyone can minimise their chances of catching Covid, including the new strain, by fully sticking to the guidance."

Keep at least two metres away from people you don't live with, wear a face covering, wash your hands frequently and stay in well-ventilated places. And if you’re inside, good ventilation is key. Try to open the windows for at least 15 to 20 minutes every hour.

Visiting other households significantly increases the risk of passing it on. So it's really important to protect yourself, your family and friends and avoid this wherever possible.

Remember, if you have travelled from Tier 4, the Tier 4 rules follow you and you should abide by the stay at home restrictions.

You can book a test through www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test, call 119 or use the government's NHS Covid app.