Following the Prime Minister’s announcement yesterday that plans to relax restrictions over Christmas have changed, Warwickshire County Council’s Leader has ...
Following the Prime Minister’s announcement yesterday that plans to relax restrictions over Christmas have changed, Warwickshire County Council’s Leader has called on residents to keep on doing the right thing and to follow the new guidance.
In yesterday’s (Saturday 19 December) briefing to the nation, the Prime Minister announced that previous plans to allow up to three households to mix indoors from 23-27 December have changed.
His advisors also highlighted the added threat of the new strain of the virus, which appears to be spreading quickly. The new directive from Government is that Christmas bubbles can only now be formed on Christmas Day (25 December). A maximum of three households can mix with no overnight stays. However, the fewer contacts we have, the safer we will be.
The briefing also announced that, while Warwickshire remains in tier 3, a new tier has been introduced and has come into play across London and large parts of the south east. Travel is not allowed in and out of tier 4 areas.
Speaking after the Prime Minister’s announcement, Cllr Izzi Seccombe, Leader of Warwickshire County Council said:
“The announcement that we will now have our Christmas restricted is disappointing. After all of the sacrifices that people have made in not seeing their friends and their families to hear that we cannot see more of our nearest and dearest for longer is heart-breaking.
“The severity of the restrictions reflects the gravity of the situation faced by the entire country, indeed world. With rates of transmissions rising and the new strain of the virus bringing an increased threat, everybody, everywhere is having to change plans and make still more sacrifices.
“I am deeply saddened by this, as I know how hard the year has been for everyone. But now is the time to redouble our efforts. We must limit our contact with our loved ones, however hard that is.
“I have always said that we are in this together and, so far, we have done a fantastic job in Warwickshire. Our schools, for example, have consistently had fewer children having to miss school due to the measures put in place and our readiness in Warwickshire to stick to them. We have shown that we can do this.
“This has been an extraordinarily challenging year for everyone. But I have been overwhelmed by the acts of kindness I have witnessed and the community spirit that has characterised the county of Warwickshire. I know you will continue to look out for those who are lonely over the holiday season.
“But at the moment, the kindest thing that we can do is to follow the guidance, limit the number of people we see and make sure that we are safe when we do so. It is an incredible challenge of our fortitude but one that I know we can and will face together.
“My Christmas message to you is different this year but has never been more heartfelt. I want to thank every one of you for all you have done over the year and to ask you, please, to keep on thinking of others. We will get through this, and I firmly believe we will be stronger at the end than we have ever been. But for now, it is time for us to keep on pulling together and to keep on doing the right thing. Have a safe Christmas so that we can have a better 2021.”
Anybody who has recently travelled to Warwickshire from London and the South East should consider getting a lateral flow test. Details on how to arrange this quick test which provides a result within hours can be found here.
For further information on the tier system and Christmas restrictions, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/making-a-christmas-bubble-with-friends-and-family/making-a-christmas-bubble-with-friends-and-family