As Coronavirus infections rise significantly across the country, the people of Cumbria are being urged to respond positively to the Government’s new measures to help save lives.
The Prime Minister announced new measures yesterday (22 Sept) which include the closure of licensed premises between 10pm and 5am, mandating that people in hospitality and retail, as well as taxi drivers, wear face coverings, and calling on people who can work from home, to work from home.
You can find more details on the changes on the Government website here.
Cumbria Constabulary’s Assistant Chief Constable, and Chair of Cumbria’s Strategic Co-ordinating Group, Andrew Slattery, said: “I welcome the latest measures which were announced yesterday by the Prime Minister.
“Cases are now rising dramatically across the country, hospitalisations are rising and we are starting to see an increase in deaths. The situation which has been developing in recent weeks meant that continued release of lockdown was no longer sustainable and measures had to be taken to apply the brakes. Hopefully these measures will have the desired effect but more stringent restrictions may need to come into force if they do not.
“The vast majority of people in Cumbria were fantastic in respecting the restrictions earlier this year. People not only protected their own health but protected the well-being of others, including close family members, which resulted in greatly reduced infections and provided relief for the NHS.
“We are now asking you to do the same and I am confident Cumbrian people will again meet the challenge and adhere to the new regulations.
“For the minority who do not, my message is that we will not hesitate to take enforcement action against those who show a wilful disregard for the health and well-being of themselves and others. Refusal to adhere to the regulations is not your individual risk, it is a collective risk for all in our communities. Cumbria Constabulary issued hundreds of fixed penalty notices over the summer months to those who broke the rules and non-compliance with the new measures is unacceptable and will result in newly increased penalties.
“The new measures include the closing of licensed premises at 10pm and Police officers will patrol areas where licensed premises operate to ensure the regulations are being respected, and to prevent people from congregating in the street afterwards. If you are out socialising then please go home as soon as the pubs and takeaways close at 10pm.
“The activity of the multi-agency Strategic Co-ordinating Group was scaled back as the regulations were relaxed over the summer. However, we are now increasing this activity, with all authorities and partners meeting regularly to ensure the pandemic is tackled effectively, locally.
“This is a critical point. I urge people to think about why these new measures are necessary and what will happen if they are not adhered to. If people respond positively to the new measures, we can once again curtail the rise in infections which will, ultimately, save the lives of people in our community.
People are reminded to continue to take the three simple actions which can help reduce the spread of infection – wash your hands, cover your face and make space.
Whilst the regulations set out a framework for the minimum you must do, it is a matter of personal choice how much you socialise. The fewer people you have contact with, either at work or when socialising, the lower your risk of infection so please act now and protect yourselves, your families and the vulnerable in our communities.
