ALMOST half of people in the city are concerned about minimising contact when shopping due to fears of spreading Covid-19, a survey has revealed.

The research by Shift, an online moving marketplace, found that 48 per cent of people in Brighton said they would prefer to use a service that limits contact between buyer and seller, while coronavirus affects the country.

The city's concern about spreading the virus while shopping was the fifth highest in the UK, with Norwich placing first with 56 per cent.

Those aged 55 years old or over were the most anxious about minimising contact.

Neil Carrol at Shift said: "With the Omicron variant transmission rates a major concern for many people across the country, it's not surprising that shoppers are concerned about the number of contacts they have to make when buying a product or gift when out shopping this Christmas.

"This could be a trend we see in the future as buyers continue to change their shopping habits due to the pandemic and look for reliable and smarter ways to book pick-up and delivery of goods which minimise risk to their health and safety."

The survey's findings come as Brighton and Hove report its highest number of daily cases since the pandemic started, with almost 600 cases reported on Wednesday.

While Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have all announced new restrictions that will come into force after Christmas, no plans for extra restrictions to slow the spread of coronavirus in England have been announced as yet.

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