A DORSET health chief has warned that “we are not out of Covid” and moved to remind residents “it’s not behind us”.

Last week most of the rules introduced under Plan B ended, with people able to return to work and face masks no longer being compulsory.

However, infection protection controls will remain in hospitals across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole until additional scientific guidance is published.

Professor Alyson O'Donnell, chief medical officer at University Hospitals Dorset (UHD), said that although rules have changed in “the outside world, things will not change immediately inside the hospitals”.

Hopeful but cautious, Professor O’Donnell said: “The government is making out like, yes there’s green shoots and there’s light on the horizon but we are not out of Covid.

“Anybody who says that this is now something that’s behind us … It’s just not.

“Yes Britain's in a good place because we’ve got so many people who are vaccinated - that’s what saved Dorset in this wave.

“All we need is vaccine escape or another variant and we will be taking a big step backwards again.”

Read more: Covid case rates starting to rise again across BCP and Dorset

Looking ahead towards the outlook for the next year at UHD, Professor O’Donnell said: “I think it’s going to be busy and I am worried if we get another variant of Covid that causes another spike and outbreak because I think people are really tired.

“My biggest fear is actually the welfare of my staff because they are really really tired.

“They’ve been at this for two years.”

Though coronavirus restrictions have eased in England Professor O’Donnell warned people that hospitals would continue to implement Covid-protocols.

“Although a lot of these measures are disappearing in the outside world, we will still be asking people to gel their hands, to socially distance and to wear masks within the hospitals,” she said.

“In terms of hospitals we’re still in that position where it’s a little bit difficult to predict exactly where covid is going to go because of course we’ve seen it escape before.

“We began to think it was going okay and then Omicron came out and it almost felt like we were back to square one again.

“I certainly don’t want to frighten people but I would really encourage people to still be sensible, be vigilant and just continue to protect themselves and their loved ones.”

In terms of hospital visitation Professor O’Donnell said: “There are still some restrictions on visiting and that will change almost certainly in the next little while.

“It has been relaxed from where it was at the height of the pandemic but it’s certainly not a free for all yet.”