Covid-19 and healthcare in Watford

During the Facebook live event, you will be able to ask your local GP, or health practitioner any question on general health and wellbeing, and any specific concerns you have for your loved ones. There will be a range of healthcare professionals from GPs to mental health and wellbeing support workers that will be available to answer your questions.

‘Let’s Talk About health in Watford’

• Date: Monday, 14 March
• Time: 7pm
• Hosted by the Elected Mayor of Watford, Peter Taylor

Special guest speakers include:

• Tracey Carter, Chief Nurse Watford General Hospital
• Dr Pearl Onyekuru, Local GP and member of Herts Afro Caribbean GP group
• Dr Asif Faizy, Local GP and Watford CCG Locality Chair
• Herts MIND mental health support workers and colleagues from West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust

Join our Facebook live event 

Send questions to: themayor@watford.gov.uk or ask them during the live session.

Tell us how you feel about living with COVID-19

With recent government announcements on all restrictions being lifted, we’d like to find out how our residents are feeling during this next phase of the pandemic.

Please help us by telling us how you’re feeling about it all so we can make sure we’re giving you the information you need to help you live safely with COVID-19. Please complete the survey and help us shape the future of health in Hertfordshire. The survey closing date is Wednesday 9 March 2022.

Keep protecting yourself and others

Continue to follow safer behaviours to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

• Washing your hands.
• Getting your 1st, 2nd or booster vaccination.
• Opening the windows and letting fresh air in when meeting people indoors.
• Wear a face covering in crowded and enclosed spaces, like shopping centres and public transport.
• Staying at home if you feel unwell.
• Take a test if you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, and avoid other people if you test positive

Staying at home if you test positive

Even though you are not legally required to self-isolate, if you do test positive for COVID-19 it is strongly advised that you do. 

You may choose to take a lateral flow test from 5 days after your symptoms started followed by another lateral flow test the next day. If both these test results are negative, and you do not have a high temperature, the risk that you are still infectious is much lower and you can safely return to your normal routine. Staying at home if you test positive with COVID-19 is the best way to avoid spreading the virus and will help to protect others.

After you’ve done your test, you should report your test at: https://www.gov.uk/report-covid19-result even if it's negative or void. Reporting helps the NHS track the spread of COVID-19 and spot outbreaks faster.

Spring booster for over 75s

The JCVI has advised a spring booster (second booster dose) to people aged 75 years and over, residents in care homes, and people aged 12 years and over who are immunosuppressed.

Unvaccinated pregnant women

Unvaccinated pregnant women risk severe harm from COVID-19 infection to themselves and their unborn babies.

New research by experts at the University of Oxford shows that severe COVID-19 infection in pregnant women, particularly in the third trimester, significantly increases the risk of harmful outcomes for mother and baby. Pregnant women over the age of 30 years, those of Black, Asian or other minority ethnicity and those who are obese or have health conditions, such as gestational diabetes and pre-existing hypertension were identified as being at greater risk of severe COVID-19 infection.

International travel is being made easier

Fully vaccinated travellers and under 18s no longer need to test on arrival to the UK. Travellers not fully vaccinated will need proof of a negative pre-departure test and a PCR arrival test.

Before travelling abroad you should check and follow entry requirements for your destination country. Find out more at www.gov.uk/travel-abroad

Please keep checking for updates on living with COVID-19.