Officials urging people to keep Staffordshire safe and open for business
It's as restrictions ease and efforts are focussed on limiting the spread of the Indian variant in the county
As England enters Stage Three of the Government’s roadmap, health chiefs at Staffordshire County Council are advising residents against travel to areas that have high levels of the Indian variant.
The Indian variant is thought to spread even more easily and threatens further progress out of lockdown.
From Monday 17 May the Government allowed limited indoor mixing and overnight stays at hotels and B&Bs. With restrictions easing and travel increasing the Council is advising residents against visiting Indian variant hot-spot areas and to be wary of welcoming visitors from these locations.
Surge testing is being deployed in several areas, including Bolton, Blackburn and some London boroughs to help identify infections from the emerging Indian variant.
Dr Richard Harling, Staffordshire County Council’s Director of Health and Care said:
“Staffordshire has made great progress in reducing the number of cases of Covid and we are looking forward to enjoying the return of some of our freedoms.
“People are advised to continue to take precautions to prevent a resurgence of infections – remember Hands, Face, Space and Fresh Air, get tested twice a week and get vaccinated as soon as you can.
“The Indian variant poses a high risk so we are keen to stop the virus getting a foothold in the county.
“We are advising residents to avoid travel to areas with lots of Indian variant cases – and think carefully before inviting visitors from these locations to Staffordshire. These areas include Bolton, Blackburn and parts of London.”
Tracey Bowen is the landlady at The Unicorn Inn in Hanley. She said:
"Oh yes, we want to be able to continue - and hopefully with everybody safe and sensible and then we can continue like this - so we haven't got to go backwards.
"And then hopefully come June or maybe July we might be able to open fully so we get more people and keep getting a this bit of normality back. We're limited on numbers at the moment but we need to start seeing more again.
"The message is still come in, come in. All the safety regulations are in place and all the guidelines, We have just wanted to continue hopefully - with everybody safe, and sensible and then we can continue like this and grow.
"We just don't got to go backwards. We are just trying to welcome everybody back for a nice time in a safe and secure pub, in a nice friendly atmosphere."
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