Last week Prof. Jonathan Van-Tam, England’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer, warned that the current very high Coronavirus rates in the UK mean that there are hard months to come, with the winter months potentially posing problems.

He said that while cases appeared to have stabilised, they are very high, and above most of Europe. He also said deaths were rising and there were signs infections were starting to “penetrate” older age groups.

Prof. Van-Tam has urged caution, particularly when meeting with other people, and enforced the importance of vaccinations including those for COVID and the flu as these will be a big determinant between what happens now and the darkest months of the winter.

We wanted to take this opportunity to share Prof. Van-Tam’s words with you, as they are another important reminder for us all to remain vigilant as the pandemic is not over.

In particular, please pay attention to his words around vaccinations – we strongly encourage all employees who are eligible and have not already done so, to book their COVID jabs. Additionally, many will be eligible for a booster, such as those who are over 50 years old or are a main carer for someone at high risk from COVID-19. To find out more about the booster vaccine, including how to book, click here

Finally, be sure to book your flu jab if you have not already done so. If you are not eligible for a free flu vaccine from the NHS, they are available from a variety of retailers including Boots, Superdrug, Tesco and ASDA. Please keep the receipt for your vaccine and the cost (up to £15) can then be reimbursed through payroll, by emailing the receipt with your details to: gb-hrcentraladmin@cemex.com

If you would like to view Prof. Van-Tam’s full interview with the BBC, you can do so here