Appeal to stay at home

Devon health director urges caution

Devon’s public health chief has urged everyone to pull together and to follow the new national lockdown restrictions and to ‘please, stay at home and only go out when you need to’.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson last night announced a national lockdown in response to rising case numbers across the UK.

In his address to the nation this evening, Mr Johnson instructed people to stay at home and only to leave their house for essential reasons, including shopping, working (if not possible to work from home), exercise, and medical assistance.

Primary and secondary schools and colleges are to move to remote learning, except for children who are vulnerable or whose parents are key workers, and people identified as being clinically extremely vulnerable must begin shielding.

While cases in Devon have not risen as sharply as elsewhere in the country, and at an Upper Tier Authority level, only Torbay and North East Lincolnshire in England have a lower infection rate, Devon’s rate has risen to 152.4 per 100,000.

At a Lower Tier level, six of Devon’s eight regions, plus Torbay, are in the bottom ten for infection rates. Torridge has the lowest infection rate in England, with Torbay second, North Devon third, West Devon fourth, Teignbridge sixth, South Hams seventh and East Devon eighth.

Steve Brown, Director of Public Health Devon (Designate) said: “Devon residents have done well over the Christmas and New Year period to help prevent the sharp rise in positive cases that many other parts of the country are currently experiencing. While case numbers here in Devon are relatively low compared to many parts of the country, we are still seeing cases rise.

“The new strain of coronavirus is exceptionally good at spreading between people, which is why the government is imposing new national restrictions requiring everyone to stay at home as much as possible and to minimise their time with others, except those in their immediate household or bubble.

“The vaccination programme, although now starting to be delivered to priority groups, will take a time to reach everyone. While its arrival and roll out is very positive news, we must not wait for it, nor rely on it alone.

“Right now, I ask everyone to pull together and to follow the new national lockdown restrictions, the details of which we will learn more about over the next day or so.

“Please, stay at home and only go out when you need to, and minimise your contact with other people. If you must be outside, please continue to follow social distancing rules, wear a face covering in public places, and wash your hands properly and regularly.

“For parents of school-age children and college students, please look out for guidance from your schools or colleges regarding their plans for remote learning.”