Burnham-On-Sea businesses have been praised for their pro-active approach to safety after a customer tested positive for Coronavirus at the weekend.
The owner of Burnham-On-Sea’s Lighthouse pub has temporarily closed the pub after a customer tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday.
The Saagar Indian takeaway has also closed due to concerns that their delivery driver may have come into contact with the person – and Vape Escape also temporarily closed and performed a deep clean due to the person visiting them in Burnham’s Chapel Street.
The Lighthouse Inn’s manager Jess Green, pictured, took the decision to close to “protect staff and customers”. She approached the dozens of customers who had been in the pub on Saturday to advise them what had happened, and all her staff were tested – with negative results.
Trudi Grant, Director of Public Health at Somerset County Council, said: “We’d like to thank the businesses affected in Burnham-On-Sea who responded quickly to prevent the further spread of Coronavirus. This is a reminder that Coronavirus still circulates in our communities, and it’s important we all follow government guidance such as social distancing and washing our hands frequently.”
“We’d like to reassure you that anyone identified as a close contact of any positive case will be contacted by the NHS Test and Trace service and advised to self-isolate for 14 days, even if they have no symptoms. Anyone who visited the Lighthouse Kitchen and Carvery over the weekend does not need to self-isolate unless they are contacted by the NHS Test and Trace service.”
“When you visit a place such as the pub or restaurant, you are now asked to provide contact details to enable us to get in touch with anyone we may need to advise on isolating or getting tested. In this instance, we are working with the pub, Public Health England and NHS partners to provide public health advice and to help stop the spread of the virus.”
“Businesses, including pubs, have been asked to take certain measures to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, including ensuring staff can maintain social distancing wherever possible and are able to regularly wash their hands for 20 seconds with soap and water, and cleaning frequently touched surfaces.”
“The pub has been advised to take appropriate public health measures to ensure it is safe for other staff and customers to attend as normal. However, if anyone does develop symptoms, which include a new continuous cough, high temperature or loss or change to their sense of taste or smell, they should self-isolate straight away.”
“It’s important to note that if you’ve been in close contact with someone who has tested positive, you are not showing any symptoms and take a test which then has a negative result, you still need to self-isolate for 14 days, just to be sure. You may unknowingly still be incubating the disease, which the test will not have picked up at that stage.”
Mike Wade, Deputy Director for Health Protection at Public Health England South West, said: “We are working with the pub, Somerset Council and NHS partners to provide public health advice and help stop the spread of the virus. People who have been to the pub do not need to isolate unless they are contacted by the NHS Test and Trace service. When people go to pubs now, they will be asked to provide contact details to enable us to get in touch with anyone we may need to advise on isolating or getting tested.”
“Businesses, including pubs, have been asked to take certain measures to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, including ensuring staff can maintain social distancing wherever possible and are able to regularly wash their hands for 20 seconds with soap and water, and cleaning frequently touched surfaces.”
“The pub has been advised to take appropriate public health measures to ensure it is safe for staff and customers to attend as normal. However, if anyone does develop symptoms, which include a new continuous cough, high temperature or loss or change to their sense of taste or smell, they should self-isolate straight away.”
Also see:
Video: Health Secretary praises Burnham-On-Sea pub for closing after Covid case
