A senior councillor says people are not following Covid measures correctly as health chief announce Two Omicron Covid variant cases have possibly been found in Southend.

Anne Jones, Labour councillor forCommunities and Housing said people are letting their guard slip.

"One highly probable and one probable Omicron case" have been recorded in Shoebury, Southend Council officials have announced.

The councillor who also deals with Public health said: "I just hope residents keep following the advice from the Government and be responsible with mask wearing and hand washing and sanitising.

"There is an intense testing programme in the borough and people should keep using lateral flow testing and get a PCR test if they have symptoms.

"Things are slipping in terms of people's behaviour and we need stronger messaging about cleaning our hands. I would like to see stronger messages from the Government."

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Earlier in the week Southend’s director of public health Krishna Ramkhelawon joined calls from education secretary Nadhim Zahawi for pupils aged 11 and above to wear masks in communal areas.

Southend Council says whilst the linked cases have not been laboratory confirmed and the authority has taken swift and precautionary action in line with the national process.

Krishna Ramkhelawon, director of public health at Southend Council, said: “One highly probable and one probable Omicron case have been identified in the Borough, linked to international travel to Southern Africa.

“Following detailed contact tracing by the council and in liaison with UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), we are taking a proportionate and precautionary approach. To limit any potential spread, we have directly asked a number of close contacts to isolate other than to attend a PCR mobile testing unit on Monday that is being put in place solely for these contacts."

He said if residents have not been directly contacted by the council’s tracing team do not need to take any action at this time.

He also says it's "critical" that anyone with Covid-19 symptoms isolates and gets a PCR test immediately.

He added: "We also ask that people continue to follow national guidance to stay safe including wearing face coverings in shops and on public transport, getting vaccinated and making booster jab appointments when contacted and acting responsibly by making space and letting air in when indoors.”