Dear Resident,
I know the Government announcement at the weekend will have come as heart-breaking news for many families and individuals in Huntingdonshire who were hoping to spend time with loved ones this Christmas period.
Huntingdonshire remains in Tier 2 – although our neighbours in Peterborough, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire are all under the new Tier 4 restrictions, and many of you travel into these areas for work, to buy essentials and to visit family and friends. The planned relaxation of coronavirus rules at Christmas has also changed from five days to Christmas day only. This means three households can still be together on Christmas day but can longer include a household from an area under tier 4 restrictions.
Whilst I appreciate many people will have had to cancel and amend plans at the last minute, the Government believes the restrictions are necessary to combat the rising case numbers. We have reached one of the most dangerous points of the pandemic at one of the most challenging times of the year where even under ‘normal circumstances’ our hospitals are operating at maximum capacity.
We are seeing an increase in people testing positive each week across the district and despite being lower than our neighbours, these numbers are concerning and we all must continue our efforts in keeping ourselves, and each other safe. That means:
- Not mixing with other households indoors (not including the relaxation for Christmas Day)
- Only meeting people outdoors in groups of up to six
- Working from home if possible
- Reducing the number of journeys we make
A full list of what Tier 2 restrictions mean can be found here.
The Council has services in place to protect those who need extra help over the Christmas period, including those who might be isolating and anyone in hardship such as experiencing homelessness. Our customer service telephone number (01480 388 388) will remain available to call in business hours.
I would like to thank everyone who continues to play their part in the fight against coronavirus. I know this is hard – but the best thing we can do is to keep ourselves and our communities safe and look ahead to a better 2021. I wish you a happy and healthy Christmas and New Year.
Yours sincerely,
Cllr Ryan Fuller
Executive Leader of Huntingdonshire District Council