‘Genuine concern’ of new Covid-19 spikes: GP

Dr Tom Black says people need to remain vigilant to the very real dangers posed by the virus.

He has issued a particular warning to those thinking about travelling abroad.

“Everyone needs to consider carefully whether or not they should travel as advice and guidance can change at very short notice,” he said.

“Everyone’s individual circumstances are different - some people will be able to work easily from home if they need to quarantine but, for others, that would be very difficult or impossible.

“If you do choose to travel, you need to make sure that you know and follow the guidelines in the country you are visiting in relation to mask wearing and social distancing.

“It goes without saying that you should also not travel if you are feeling ill. Also, remember to bring any medication you currently take with you, try to travel as a ‘bubble’ with members of your family and make sure you are contactable when you are away.”

Dr. Black, who is also chairman of the British Medical Association (BMA) in NI, says that, most importantly, everyone needs to have a plan in place in case they do need to isolate when they come home.

“If you do feel ill when you return, you must self-isolate immediately,” he says.

“While we have been successful in managing this first phase of Covid, there are genuine concerns that we will see a rise in cases over the next weeks and months.”

Dr Black’s warning coincides with news that several countries are seeing a higher proportion of new coronavirus infections - particularly among the young.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), young people could be driving spikes in coronavirus cases across Europe.

To date, there have been nearly 16.7 million confirmed cases globally, and around 660,000 deaths.