Go back to home working if you can urges B&NES Council leader
Kevin Guy says the current situation at the RUH is "alarming" and we must act now
The leader of Bath and North East Somerset (BANES) Council says we need to do all we can to bring Covid infections down.
The infection rate here is currently higher than it has been at any previous point during the pandemic, at 1061.3 per 100,000 people.
Meanwhile the Royal United Hospital (RUH) says it is treating 60 people with either confirmed or suspected coronavirus; a six per cent increase on the week before.
On Monday (25 October) Kevin Guy released a statement urging everyone across BANES to wear masks when out in public.
Now, speaking to us, the Liberal Democrat has gone a step further.
"We've got over 1,000 members of staff that work for BANES Council and we've already instructed them where possible, they should work from home," he told us.
"So there should be 1,000 plus people working from home that are BANES employees just for the next two weeks, we've been very clear on that time frame, just to bring the Covid numbers down.
"I would encourage all other employers, if they can allow their members of staff to work from home productively then they should do.
"The least amount of travel possible in and out of work will help reduce that R number and in turn reduce the pressure on the NHS."
The stance in central government remains that the vaccine programme on its own is doing enough to keep cases at an acceptable level, but speaking during a press conference last week Health Secretary Sajid Javid admitted a "Plan B" of reintroducing some restrictions was possible.
That could include, he said, making masks mandatory in public again and encouraging people to work from home.
NHS chiefs have already warned some restrictions must come in immediately if we're to avoid a Winter crisis and Councillor Guy says the government is again acting too slowly.
"What we've had out of central government is a string over the last year and a half of dithering indecision," he said.
"They locked down slightly too late, they don't close down schools quick enough and this is another prime example of where Boris Johnson and his government have automatically told everyone 'you don't need to wear masks anymore, we're all ok', and actually that goes against the scientific evidence, it goes against the medical evidence that we're all being given, so all I'm asking for is clear, decisive instructions from the government to say please wear masks for the next two or three weeks to reduce our R number."
As we said the RUH is currently treating dozens of coronavirus patients.
Councillor Guy says the situation in the hospital at the moment is "alarming".
"The messages coming out of the NHS in general are very alarming," he said.
"They are at breaking point.
"We haven't yet even got anywhere near the Winter peaks of flu etc and it's extremely alarming, the amount of time that's being taken up by unnecessary Covid cases that are flowing through the RUH at the moment.
"If we as a community keep social distancing, put our masks back on, we can significantly help reduce the pressure on the local hospital and the NHS in general."