What does it means to exercise ‘locally’ in Rutland during lockdown?
There's calls for clarification on what exercising 'local' means for people in Rutland during lockdown.
The current restrictions allow you to leave home for exercise once a day but discourage you from traveling outside your local area.
However, Rutland’s small size has led to people questioning what is meant by this.
National guidance from the government states you can exercise in a public outdoor place:
By yourself
With the people you live with
With your support bubble (if you are legally permitted to form one)
In a childcare bubble where providing childcare
With one person from another household, if you live alone
Now, public health bosses in Rutland are encouraging people to only exercise in the town or village where they live, not the whole county.
Mike Sandys, Director for Public Health at Rutland County Council, said:
“The government’s latest COVID restrictions permit outdoor exercise but also say you should avoid travelling outside of your village, town or the part of a city where you live. In a small place like Rutland, it’s easy to consider the entire county as one ‘local area’.
"However, we feel this goes against the spirit of the government’s guidance, as it was intended, and that travelling between different parts of the county for exercise risks spreading the virus.
“To try and keep the infection rate down in Rutland, we urge everyone to start and finish their daily exercise in the town or village where they live, if at all possible.
"Making a point of getting in the car and travelling to another area to undertake exercise should really be reserved for people who have no outdoor open space where they live. Starting and finishing your daily exercise at your front door will help to avoid crowds at popular parks and open spaces and could make all the difference in helping us to bring the virus under control, locally.”