After covid testing sites were closed by the Government - residents in Falmouth, Penryn, and Cornwall wide are being urged to be cautious over Easter.

'Don't pretend Covid has disappeared,' is the message to Cornwall's residents and visitors ahead of the busy Easter break.

Covid-19 testing sites are now closed as part of the Government's Living with Covid strategy - an end to free testing for the general population.

Some people – including those living and working in health and care settings – will still have access to free tests but the majority will have the option of purchasing them.

Cornwall Council said cases remain "incredibly high" across the region, advising people to take precautions to limit the spread of the virus.

Cllr Dr Andy Virr, Portfolio Holder for Adults and Public Health and Emergency Department consultant at the Royal Cornwall Hospital, said:

"I can't stress enough just how rampant the virus is in Cornwall right now – it is everywhere. There is also a preconception that it is nothing to be feared or worried about, but I can assure people that the current variant is still making a lot of people very ill with the ongoing threat that future variants could be even more harmful.

"This is not just a mild cold for most people and we all need to take it very seriously indeed. So please get jabbed and take precautions to stop Covid spreading through our communities."

Rachel Wigglesworth, Director of Public Health for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, added:

"Please remember the basics – 'hands, face and space', keep a face covering with you, stay at home if you're unwell, and get your vaccines. Only by acting responsibly can we hope to live safely with Covid."

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