Last warning for Luton in 2020: 'Stay indoors and don't mix for New Year celebrations'

The United Kingdom is registering a record number of cases and a new mutation - while not considered to have a more serious impact on health - is described as "significantly more contagious".

Luton Borough Council’s director of public health, Lucy Hubber, is urging residents to stick to the following rules:

> Stay at home as much as you can and reduce contact with other people;

> Remember Hands-Face-Space rules whenever you go;

> Self-isolate at home if you or anyone in your household is displaying symptoms or tests positive for Covid-19;

> Get a Covid-19 rapid test, even if you don’t have symptoms.

It is believed that one in three people who have the virus will not have any symptoms, but they can still pass it to others. It is extremely important to minimise social contact with others. Even if members of the public feel well, they may still have the virus and could unknowingly pass it to others.

Those who live, work or study in Luton and do not have Covid-19 symptoms (and are not self-isolating) can acces rapid lateral flow tests at three sites in the town, open from 8am to 8pm. These tests do not require a laboratory and return rapid results within 45 minutes.

> Lewsey Community Centre, Landrace Road, LU4 0SW

> Farley Community Centre, Delphine Close, LU1 5RE

> Luton Central Library, St George’s Square

No appointments are necessary but all three centres are closed on New Year's Day.

Residents should not leave their homes or gardens unless they have a good reason to do so. A full list of these reasons can be found on the government website but includes: work, where you cannot work at home; essential shopping; education as well as exercise and recreation.

Councillor Khtija Malik, portfolio holder for public health, said: “The presence of this highly contagious strain of the virus means we must continue to be on our guard.

"There is encouraging news regarding another vaccine becoming available, but as we await its roll out throughout the country we cannot afford to become complacent.

"The message is clear and simple. In order to save lives we must stay at home as much as possible and obey the guidelines and rules.”