Cornwall Council urges people to 'think carefully' about Christmas bubbles
There's been a significant rise in the number of cases since the second lockdown ended
Last updated 17th Dec 2020
Cornwall’s director of public health has urged people to think carefully about their Christmas plans to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Rachel Wigglesworth said that while Government guidelines allow people to form Christmas bubbles it didn’t mean that people should.
Under the regulations people are allowed to have up to three households in a bubble over the Christmas period.
She explained that coming out of the November lockdown there were around 14 positive cases of Covid-19 being recorded daily, but two weeks later there are now around 70 cases per day.
“While this is what we expected to happen, and we still have a lower rate than our region and nationally, this is mainly due to community and household transmission.
“It is inevitable and it is not too late to stop the increase but we need everyone to keep doing their part and keeping to the rules to put the brakes on.”
Rachel Wigglesworth, Director of Public Health, Cornwall Council
Turning to Christmas bubbles and the relaxed restrictions she said:
“We should all consider whether it is really necessary (to form Christmas bubbles) – just because you can do it doesn’t mean you should do it.”
That message was supported by Sally Hawken, Cornwall Council Cabinet member for children, wellbeing and public health.
“I don’t want to sound like Scrooge of the Christmas Grinch but while you can do more at Christmas it doesn’t mean you should.”
Rachel added that while people would be able to travel elsewhere to spend time with family at Christmas she said that people should only do so “if it is absolutely necessary”.
Malcolm Bell, from Visit Cornwall, said that accommodation businesses in Cornwall had had a “difficult week” as they tried to prevent people from Tier 3 areas coming to Cornwall.
He said that when businesses called customers to cancel bookings they faced complaints from some saying that it would not be illegal for them to travel.
“Just because it isn’t illegal doesn’t mean they should be coming. Accommodation providers are absolutely right in cancelling the bookings.”
Malcolm Bell, Chief Executive at Visit Cornwall
However he said that some companies had seen people trying to get around the restrictions.
“We have had incidents where people have had their bookings cancelled and then gone back into one of the big travel agents where it is not mandatory to have a postcode and booking there.
“We are lobbying that all platforms should need a postcode to take a booking.”
“It has been a difficult week for businesses, they have had people annoyed they can’t come and people being quite stroppy to be honest.
“What we are saying is that the guidelines are right and businesses are quite within their rights to make reimbursements and refunds for cancelled bookings.”
Malcolm Bell
However, Mr Bell said that if people were visiting Cornwall over Christmas he encouraged them to get outside.
“If it is half decent weather there is no reason not to spend more time outdoors and enjoy the Cornish countryside.”
Mr Bell added that there was no such thing as “wrong weather, but having the wrong clothing”.
He also reminded people that if they had relatives coming to Cornwall for Christmas just because they are visiting someone’s home doesn’t mean they should not follow guidelines.
He urged people that if they had people coming from higher tier areas for Christmas to take care and follow all the advice.
“I know it is upsetting if you have a relative in a Tier Three area, they can come down but they are a high risk.”
Malcolm Bell