A HEALTH boss has reminded people to 'play it safe and keep Oxfordshire open’ after a ‘small minority’ break Covid-19 rules over Easter weekend.

Residents are being urged to keep their distance, wear face coverings, wash their hands and use hand sanitiser while out and about at shops, hairdressers and pubs as the county adjusts to reduced restrictions in line with the Government’s roadmap.

Ansaf Azhar, Oxfordshire County Council’s director of public health, said: "We have all seen the media images and footage of people outside pubs, queuing up, looking for bargains in shops and having their hair cut.

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“The Easter break has provided the opportunity for many to meet up with family and friends and enjoy the sunshine.

“However, a small minority has not done this safely or followed the basic rules that keep people as safe as possible.

"We are acutely aware that people will have heard us urge people to wear face coverings, keep a safe distance and wash their hands many, many times over the last year.

"The reason we keep doing that is because those behaviours are the foundation of what keeps the virus at bay."

Mr Azhar added that the number of new cases has declined due to lockdown and the vaccination programme but he pointed out that the virus has not disappeared and neither has the risk.