Plea for Wiltshire residents to stick to Covid restrictions over Christmas
Wiltshire Police says new rules are 'upsetting' but we must comply
Last updated 22nd Dec 2020
Boris Johnson's annoucement at the weekend means many residents have seen their festive plans changed.
Tier 2 restrictions remain in place in Wiltshire until Christmas Day when people can see a maximum of two other households.
The Government states that people should:
- Keep their Christmas bubble as small as possible. Two other households is a maximum, not a target
- Not join a Christmas bubble with anyone from a Tier 4 area
- Stop all unnecessary social contact outside their immediate household as soon as possible and for at least five days before they meet other households in their bubble
- Only meet a Christmas bubble in private homes or in a garden, places of worship, or public outdoor spaces
- Only see their bubble on Christmas Day. They should not stay overnight and should keep their visits as short as possible
- Stay local where possible. Avoid travelling from a high prevalence to a low prevalence area
- Only meet people who are not in their Christmas bubble outside their home according to the rules in the tier they live in (unless coming from a lower to a higher tier) and do not meet socially with friends and family that you Do not live with in their home or garden unless they are part of their Christmas bubble
- STEER CLEAR OF TIER 4 AREAS
Residents are also being reminded that they should not travel into a Tier 4 area from another part of the UK, other than for reasons such as:
- travel to work where they cannot work from home
- travel to education and for caring responsibilities
- to visit (including staying overnight with) those in their support bubble - or their childcare bubble for childcare
- to attend hospital, GP and other medical appointments or visits where they have had an accident or are concerned about their health
Deputy Chief Constable of Wiltshire Police, Paul Mills, says it's important that people ensure they understand the new Government restrictions and followed them carefully.
"I am aware that the recent announcements made by the Government will mean that many people will have to change their plans for Christmas."
"Whilst this is upsetting for us all, it is vital that people across Wiltshire and Swindon ensure compliance with the regulations across the festive period. "
"The latest scientific information from Public Health England shows that the new strain of the virus is accelerating at an alarming rate and we must all play our part in helping to stop its spread."
Police and Crime Commissioner Angus Macpherson says "we have to stay focused on the bigger picture" stressing sacrifices now will " help slow down the spread of Covid-19."
SHARP RISE IN CASES
34 schools across the county also have cases, with 1,722 pupils and 74 staff members having to self isolate as the school holidays get into full swing.
Terence Herbert, Chief Executive of Wiltshire Council says we all need to do our bit to keep case numbers down.
"We've seen in other areas how quickly the virus can spread so we need to do everything we can to avoid that happening in Wiltshire. We know it's a difficult moment but every right decision we each make now will ensure 2021 will be a much brighter year."
FINES
Wiltshire Police has issued two fixed penalty notices for breaches of the Covid-19 regulations over the past week.
One was for a woman who failed to self to self isolate after testing poisitve for coronavrius while the other was for man who had failed to wear a face covering at this place of work despite previous warnings.
Since the beginning of the pandemic the force has issued 248 FPNs.
Meanwhile DCC Paul Mills says patrols will continue.
"We will continue to have our dedicated Covid police community support officers patrolling over the Christmas period, who will be working to keep us all safe. Traditionally this is a very busy time for the emergency services and I would ask people to also play their part in keeping themselves and their community safe."