More fines handed out by Gloucestershire Police to people breaking Covid-19 rules
Nearly 50 people were stopped by officers at the weekend
Nearly 50 people have been stopped by Gloucestershire Police in recent days as the force continue to crackdown on those breaching lockdown rules.
Over the weekend (Saturday 9 and Sunday 10) 11 people were fined and 38 people were warned for breaking the current coronavirus restrictions.
Fines for breaking Covid-19 rules start at £200 for the first offence but are lowered to £100 if paid within 2 weeks - they're then doubled for further and continued offences.
The force did not specify whether fines were for first offence or otherwise.
A spokesperson for the Constabulary said they would issue Fixed Penalty Notices to those who "show flagrant disregard for the legislation".
"This is part of the four Es approach around the legislation, which means engaging, explaining and encouraging people to follow the law but enforcing through fines where necessary.
"As we have said previously, we can and will move to enforcement more quickly where we believe someone has shown a conscious disregard for the law.
And, as the National Police Chiefs’ Council has added to their guidance, if an individual or group does not respond appropriately, then enforcement can follow without repeated attempts to encourage people to comply with the law. "
The Constabulary have been focussed on targeting large gatherings in private and public spaces, as well as those who breach self-isolation rules.
They've urged people to read the full coronavirus rules and regulations on the Government website.
What is Covid-19?
Covid-19 emerged as a virus in December 2019 as the first cases are reported in Wuhan, China. Scientifically known as SARS-CoV-2, the virus created a global pandemic as it began to spread around the world. Symptoms can range from very mild to severe, causing death in some cases. Some people are completely asymptomatic and do not realise they even have the virus.
Has there been a virus like this before?
The SARS pandemic in 2003 was similar to Covid-19 in that it was also caused by a coronavirus. SARS stands for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. The global outbreak of SARS lasted from 2002-2003, infecting over 8,000 people and killing 774. Covid-19 and SARS are both respiratory illnesses, but SARS was much more deadly and less infectious.
What are the main symptoms?
The NHS say the main Covid-19 symptoms are a high temperature, a new and continuous cough and loss or change to taste of sense or smell. NHS advises people with Covid-19 to take plenty of rest, drink lots of fluids, and take paracetamol for a high temperature.
What was the Government reaction?
The UK Government announced the first of several lockdowns in March 2020. By the end of the month, more than 100 countries around the world introduce full or partial lockdowns, preventing people from going to work, restricting everyday tasks and affecting the livelihoods of billions of people globally.
Which countries have been worst hit?
During the first year of the pandemic, the US recorded the highest number of Covid-19 cases in the world and the most deaths, reporting an unprecedented 100,000 new cases in one day on November 4th 2020. Thousands of new cases were recorded on the same date in India (46,000+), the United Kingdom (22,000+), Brazil (17,000+) and Mexico (5,000+), while Ireland records less than 1,000 (578). Hundreds of other countries also reported a high rate of infection.
How have vaccines fought against Covid-19?
Vaccines began being approved for use across the globe. By January 2021, the UK approved the use of three different vaccines. The Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine, Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine and the Moderna vaccine are rolled out to the public, with older people and those with greater health concerns getting priority. In April 2022, just under 53 million people had received at least one dose of the vaccine.
What are new Covid variants?
Four new variants of Covid-19 were discovered around the world. Beta was found in South Africa, Gamma in Brazil and Delta in India, while the Alpha variant was first located in Kent, UK. New variants are not likely to make someone more seriously ill than Covid-19 would, but variants like Delta have a higher infection rate, meaning it can be more easily spread.
The Omicron variant was first detected late 2021 in South Africa. Since then, it has become one of the most dominant variants in the world, with its own sub strains - BA.4 and BA.5.