Supermarkets are the most common places that people have visited in the days leading up to a positive coronavirus test reported to the Test and Trace app in England, according to new data collated by Public Health England (PHE) between 9th and 15th November.
PHE collated the data using the NHS Test and Trace app, which means that the figures were based on members of the public who had the app and had tested positive for COVID-19.
While pubs have been and will continue to be, following yesterday’s announcement by Boris Johnson, subject to the harshest restrictions on trading during the pandemic, it’s supermarkets where people seem mostly likely to contract Covid-19 in the UK.
More than 18% of those who had contracted coronavirus in the UK had been to a supermarket in the days ahead of the positive test result.
According to data released by Public Health England (PHE) last week, based on information from the NHS Test and Trace app, supermarkets, not pubs, are the most common places visited in the days before a positive coronavirus test.
As first reported by Sky News, the new findings revealed that supermarkets are the “primary setting” where those who have contracted the virus have recently been, followed by secondary schools, then primary schools, hospitals, and care homes.
In contrast pubs come in at ninth place in a list of places visited ahead of the positive test.
While the data does not prove where people contracted the virus, however by analysing the contacts, and reviewing the movements of the 128,808 people who had tested positive for Covid-19 between 9 to 15 November, PHE has been able to show the most common locations visited by those with the virus.
The result is that over 18% of those who had contracted coronavirus had been to a supermarket in the days ahead of the positive test result, while less than 2% had visited a pub or a bar.
This data supports the hospitality and on trade’s assertion that the sector is being disproportionately punished when it comes to measures being used to attempt to slow the spread of the virus.
As reported in CLHNews yesterday https://catererlicensee.com/curfew-changed-to-11pm-and-new-tiered-system-imposed-which-will-kill-christmas-says-sector/
Leading industry figures believe that the government’s new restrictions will destroy the sector, Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, said: “Our sector has been singled out by these new measures which unfairly target pubs. The additional restrictions will destroy our sector if they go ahead as proposed. Whilst the review of curfew is overdue the relaxation of the 10pm curfew is meaningless if most pubs are rendered unviable or forced to close under tiers two and three.
PHE results below showing the most frequent places visited leading to a positive Covid test:
- Supermarket – 18.3%
- Secondary school – 12.7%
- Primary school – 10.1%
- Hospital – 3.6%
- Care home – 2.8%
- College – 2.4%
- Warehouse – 2.2%
- Nursery preschool – 1.8%
- Pub or bar – 1.6%
- Hospitality – 1.5%
- University – 1.4%
- Manufacture engineering – 1.4%
- Household fewer than five – 1.2%
- General practice – 1.1%
- Gym – 1.1%
- Restaurant or cafe – 1.0%
