As I write we are halfway through the Government’s second Lockdown, and it is too early to see if it has worked. Cases have continued to rise locally since then and the number of people in Bedford Hospital with coronavirus has reached an all-time high.
The Council has been supporting businesses including pubs, restaurants and non-essential shops that have had to close by administering the latest Business Support Grants. The Council is also encouraging residents to support our local businesses by shopping online with them where they can.
After the current restrictions it is expected that the country will return to the approach of medium, high and very high localised tiers. We need local residents to take urgent action to stop the spread of Coronavirus.
Wherever possible residents are asked to stay home and limit their contact with people, other than those they live with or have formed a support bubble with. By limiting the contact you have with others you limit the opportunity for the virus to spread.
If you do have to go out, following the hands, face space advice is key to driving down the virus levels protecting each other and reducing the threat of further restrictions.
Christmas will be very different this year and we all want to get back to a situation where shops, pubs and restaurants are able to re-open. We all have a part to play if we are going to achieve this.
Though there is some good news on the horizon with regard to vaccines we need to continue to take action to reduce the spread of the virus, and protect the NHS, or we could see further restrictions in place locally affecting what we do and who we are able to meet up with.
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