Reminisce Festival goers urged to be COVID safe before and after attending event

Free testing for COVID-19 ended in April, so we have seen a reduction in the numbers of cases, but people are still being admitted to hospital with COVID-19 which can disrupt NHS services. There are likely to be many people getting infected who have no symptoms as people gather in large crowds at festivals and events taking place across the country during the summer.

We are therefore asking residents planning to attend the Reminisce Festival to try and stay home and avoid contact with other people if they have a high temperature, or feel generally unwell and have any of the symptoms below:

These symptoms include the following:

• a new, continuous cough - this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours
• a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
• shortness of breath
• feeling tired or exhausted
• an aching body
• a headache or sore throat
• a blocked or runny nose
• loss of appetite
• diarrhoea
• feeling sick or being sick

If you do show any of these symptoms and have a high temperature or do not feel well enough to go to out or do your normal activities, you should avoid going to the event and ideally stay at home away from other people for at least five days. You should try and stay away for 10 days from those people who are at high risk from COVID-19. 

Anyone who has a positive COVID-19 test should try and avoid contact with other people for five days, starting from the day after doing the test.

Festival goers are also being asked to take extra care when travelling to and from the event, particularly if using public transport.

Councillor Anthony Burns, St Helens Borough Council Cabinet Member for Wellbeing, Culture and Heritage said: "The full return of live festivals and events this summer is good to see, but we would urge festival goers to stay safe and think about protecting themselves and others, particularly with the colder winter period now approaching.

 "Although we want people to enjoy festival events, please do think of others both before you set off and when you return. If you do have any COVID or flu like symptoms stay at home and avoid contact with others if you can. It's especially crucial that we protect more vulnerable residents in the borough at a time when we will shortly be moving into the winter period."

Ruth du Plessis, Director of Public Health at St Helens Borough Council, said: "With formal testing now ended, it's important that we all do our part to keep everyone safe in the borough, particularly at large events like this where it is possible to pass on or contract the virus very easily without realising.

"COVID-19 is still spreading in the borough, so it's important that we all we do what we can to limit the spread of the virus, especially to vulnerable family members and friends.

"If you do feel unwell or show any COVID or flu like symptoms, either before or after attending the festival, we would strongly encourage you to stay at home for at least five days or until you no longer feel unwell. This way you can best protect yourself and others."

Ruth adds; "Whilst at the event we would also encourage festival goers to follow good hygiene by washing or sanitise your hands regularly."

Any residents who have concerns regarding noise management or other issues during the festival should contact the Reminisce Festival's residents contact number on 07399 132 187.

A spokesperson for the Reminisce Festival said:  "We take the safety, health and well-being of our customers extremely seriously and urge everyone to follow the COVID Safety Guidelines. There are also plenty of hand sanitisation areas available and qualified first aiders who can assist you if you feel unwell on site.

"However, in the first instance please do not attend the festival if you have tested positive for COVID, feel unwell or have symptoms that would indicate you may have it."