Residents urged to keep following Hands, Face, Space in Council buildings

From 19 July 2021, wearing a mask is no longer the law and down to personal choice, but we would like people to help protect themselves, our staff and others by wearing one while in Council buildings and on public transport.

Social distancing will also still be encouraged to keep everyone safe.

We are determined to protect our staff as even when people are vaccinated, they can still get the virus, and those with underlying health conditions are still likely to be affected. 

Mark Ansell, Director of Public Health, said:

“We know that everyone wants life to return to normal as soon as possible but we need to consider the health and safety of our frontline staff.

“We need support from our residents to help keep our staff safe and to ensure that we do not have to close or cancel services due to Covid 19 outbreaks.

“Case numbers are increasing and Covid hasn’t gone away. If we don’t all continue to do our bit, we will see more people catching the virus, spreading it and having to self-isolate.

"If that happens, some of the places we want to visit may have to close and some of the things we want to do over the summer might not be possible.

"This could also have a big impact on our staffing levels – meaning we may have no choice but to temporarily close or reduce frontline services. 

“My team of public health professionals will be helping the Council carefully risk assess our services in light of the current spike in coronavirus infections before making any changes.

"We will be helping businesses in the borough to do the same 

“As legal restrictions ease – I encourage everyone to be careful and considerate by keeping up the hands, face, and space guidance while out and about.

"Remember being vaccinated is the best way to protect ourselves and others. If you haven’t had your vaccination yet, please get one as soon as you can and don’t forget to book in your second jab when it’s time.”