I: Roadmap

From 16th August, further restrictions on self-isolation and school students have been lifted. The Government’s latest strategy and focus on Covid are:

• Reinforce the country’s vaccine wall of defence through booster jabs and driving take up
• Enable the public to make informed decisions through guidance, rather than laws
• Retain proportionate test, trace and isolate plans in line with international comparators
• Retain contingency measures to respond to unexpected events, while accepting that further cases, hospitalisations and deaths will occur as the country learns to live with COVID 19

Changes to close contact self-isolation policy

• From 16 August 2021, Double-jabbed individuals and under 18s who are identified as close contacts will be exempt from the requirement to self isolate, but NHS Test and Trace advise the person who is identified as a close contact should take a PCR test as soon as possible to check if they have the virus and for variants of concern. Order a PCR home test online or by call 119, or go to a test site.
• Fully vaccinated adults are those who received their final dose of an MHRA approved vaccine in the UK vaccination programme, at least 14 days prior to contact with a positive case.
• Unvaccinated adultswho are notified of a positive close contact will continue to be asked to self isolate.
• Anyone who tests positive will still need to self isolate regardless of their age or vaccination status a legal duty will still be in place.
• Individuals should also continue to self isolate immediately if they show COVID 19 symptoms.

Changes to the Education Sector:

• Removing self-isolation for under 18s for the autumn term – a crucial step to reduce disruption to education and keep children in the classroom.
• The ‘bubbles’ will end for all children under 18, social distancing will no longer be required, and schools will not need to stagger start and finish times.
• Two onsite tests should be taken by each secondary school and college student on return, followed by twice weekly testing at home.
• The Government will review testing requirements by the end of September.

Opening up is not without risk, COVID-19 has not gone away so it’s important we remain cautious. By practising key behaviours we can continue to protect ourselves and others and help stop the virus spreading.

In addition to taking a PCR test, you may also consider:

• limiting close contact with other people outside your household, especially in enclosed spaces
• wearing a face covering in enclosed spaces and where you are unable to maintain social distancing
• washing your hands with soap and water or using hand sanitiser regularly throughout the day
• limiting contact with anyone who is clinically extremely vulnerable
• continuing to take part in regular asymptomatic testing
• staying at home if unwell to reduce the risk of passing on other illnesses onto friends, family, colleagues, and others in your community

II. Vaccinations

So far, more than 47 million people have had a first vaccine dose. 87% of over 16s and nearly 41 million 75% of over 16s have had both doses.

Researchers say they are seeing some waning of protection against Covid infections in double-jabbed people.

The real-world study includes data on positive Covid PCR test results between May and July 2021 among more than a million people who had received two doses of Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccine.

Protection after two shots of Pfizer decreased from 88% at one month to 74% at five to six months. For AstraZeneca, the fall was from 77% to 67% at four to five months.

Although some breakthrough infections may be happening, vaccines are still doing a very good job at protecting people against severe Covid illness and deaths.

Government is also considering a booster scheme which could start sometime in late Autumn. It remains unclear whether the booster scheme will be for all adults, or just some, more vulnerable groups.

III. Antibody tests offered to public

Antibody tests are to be widely offered to the UK public to find out more about how much natural protection people have after getting coronavirus.

The government scheme will offer tests to thousands of adults each day. Anyone over 18 will be able to opt in when having a PCR test from Tuesday 31st August – of those who test positive, up to 8,000 will be sent two home antibody tests.

The first of the finger-prick tests would have to be done as soon as possible after the positive result, so the body would not have time to generate a detectable antibody response to the infection.

The second would be taken 28 days later and measure antibodies generated in response to the infection.

每月疫情更新：2021年8月

I. 疫情解封路线图

从 8 月 16 日起，政府进一步取消了自我隔离和在校学生的疫情限制。

政府应对新冠疫情的最新策略和重点包括：

• 通过加强疫苗接种和鼓励民众接种疫苗，建立国家疫苗防御墙
• 对于疫情防护，政府将不再通过法律强制民众，而是通过疫情指引让民众自己做出明智的决定。
• 保留符合国际标准的适当检测，追踪和隔离计划
• 保留应急措施以应对突发事件，在新冠病毒尚未消除之前，新冠病毒会与我们一起共存，这也意味着，将继续会有更多感染病例，住院病例和死亡。

新冠密切接触者自我隔离规定更新

• 从 2021 年 8 月 16 日起，被确定为新冠密切接触者，但已经接种了两剂疫苗的个人和 18 岁以下的人士，将不需要进行自我隔离。同时，NHS检测与追踪部门建议被确定为密切接触者的人士应立即进行PCR核酸检测，以尽快检查自己是否也感染了新冠病毒，进行核酸检测也可以帮助政府了解有关新冠病毒变种的情形。家庭核酸检测包可在线预订或致电 119 预订，您也可以直接前往检测点进行核酸检测。
• 完全接种疫苗的成年人是指：已经接种了第二剂新冠疫苗（由英国药品和健康产品管理局MHRA 批准的疫苗），并超过至少 14 天以上的人士，同时在接种第二剂疫苗后的14天之内，未接触过新冠确诊阳性的人士。
• 被告知是密切接触者，未接种疫苗的成年人将继续被要求立即进行自我隔离。
• 作为法律义务和规定，任何新冠检测呈阳性的人仍然需要进行自我隔离，无论他们的年龄或疫苗接种情况如何。
• 如果个人出现新冠症状，也应立即进行自我隔离。

教育部门疫情限制规定的更新

• 从秋季学期开始，18 岁以下儿童将取消居家隔离的措施—这是减少教育中断，保障学生在校学习的关键措施
• 所有 18 岁以下在校学生的“安全泡泡”将被取消，校内不再需要保持社交距离，学校也无需采用错峰入学和离校的安排。
• 每名中学和大学生返校后应参加两次新冠快速检测，然后每周在家进行两次自测。
• 政府将在 9 月底前评估学生检测的措施。

取消疫情限制措施并非没有风险，新冠病毒尚未消失，因此我们仍需谨慎。通过行为的改变，我们可以继续保护自己和他人，并帮助阻止病毒的传播。

除了进行 PCR核酸检测外，建议您：

• 限制或减少与同居所以外的其他人士密切接触，尤其是在封闭空间
• 在封闭空间，以及无法保持社交距离的地方佩戴口罩
• 定期用肥皂和水洗手或使用洗手消毒液
• 限制与临床上极度脆弱的人士的接触
• 定期进行新冠快速检测
• 如出现身体不适时，请呆在家里，以减少将疾病传染给朋友、家人、同事和社区其他人的风险

II. 疫苗接种

到目前为止，已有超过 4,700 万人（16 岁以上）接种了第一剂新冠疫苗, 占成人总人口的87% 。近 4100 万人（16 岁以上）接种了两剂新冠疫苗，占成人总人口的75%。

研究人员发现，随着时间的变化，疫苗的防止新冠病毒感染的保护效力会有所减弱。

这项研究数据是通过 2021 年 5 月至 7 月期间，对超过 100 万人，在接受过两剂辉瑞或阿斯利康疫苗后，进行新冠 PCR核酸检测呈阳性的人士。

辉瑞两次注射后的保护从一个月的 88% 下降到五到六个月的 74%。 对于阿斯利康，从一个月的77%，下降到四到五个月内的 67%。

尽管对防止新冠传染会发生一些突破性感染，但新冠疫苗在保护人们免受严重的新冠疾病和死亡方面仍然做得很好。

政府也在考虑，可能在秋季开始实施第三剂加强疫苗的接种计划。 目前尚不清楚加强疫苗计划是否适用于所有成年人，还是仅适用于一些易感染人群。

III. 向公众提供大规模抗体检测

英国官方将向英国公众提供抗体检测，该计划旨在调查更多关于人们在新冠疫情期间随着时间变化还有多少自然的免疫保护。

政府计划每天向数千名成年人提供抗体检测。从8月31日开始，任何18岁以上的人士在进行新冠PCR核酸检测时都可以选择参加。在核酸检测呈阳性的人士，政府将每天寄出超过8,000个两次抗体检测包。

抗体检测的第一次指尖检测必须在阳性结果出现后尽快进行，保证身体没有足够时间产生可检测的抗体反应。

第二次则是发生在28天后进行，测量康复后因为感染而产生的抗体。

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No time to read Covid-19 Monthly Update ebooklet? We have it on audio to read out to you. In Cantonese.
沒有時間閱讀電子月刊？我們用聲音播放出來給您聽。廣東話。