The Government has changed their guidance on travel to the eight areas worst affected by Covid 19. The change of action comes after public calls of confusion following the latest travel update.
Bolton, Blackburn, Bedford, Burnley, Hounslow, Leicester, Kirklees and North Tyneside were put on a ‘no travel’ list last week. Without any announcement, or notification, people were advised to not travel to the worst hit areas, unless absolutely essential.
On Tuesday, the Government amended this advice. The new UK travel restrictions guidance is to minimise travel in and out of the eight hot zones, rather than avoid places all together. This has outraged members of the public forced to cancel travel plans.
Those who live within the hotspots are to only meet outside and retain a two metre distance in an effort to stop the virus spreading.
The Government is facing accusations of “lockdowns by stealth” following the ‘secret’ publication of the new rules. The Government refutes these allegations.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps says the advice “could have been clearer” but that it “was not that complicated”. Seemingly urging people to use common sense, he clarified that “this is not law, it is just some advice. You can do exactly as you can elsewhere in the country”.
UK Travel restrictions lead to ‘contempt’ from the public
Lisa Nandy, Wigan MP and Shadow Foreign Secretary, believes the public has ‘stopped listening’ to official advice. The rebellion is due to confusion caused by the various messages and ever changing rules.
Lisa accuses the Government of treating Bolton, which has been in a lockdown for over a year, as an after thought. On Monday morning, the town found new Government advice on the website, without local authorities receiving any information. This ‘stealth lockdown’ is “how you undermine the publics trust”.
Bolton is amongst the worst affected, with over 425.1 cases per 100,000 people. Bolton Hospital is currently taking ‘urgent action’ to cope with the increase in Covid positive patients.
Infectious disease expert Dr Bharat Pankhania seconds Lisa’s feeling. He believes confused messaging is “leading to a fall in co operation from the public”. Talking to Radio 4’s Today programme, he says that the public are demanding clear communication. Explaining the public want “clear evidence” of when the Government will do X, Y and Z.
Continuing, he believes people will “eventually stop listening” as local authorities keep changing the game plan without telling those it will affect.
On Tuesday, representatives from each area met with the Government. When they emerged, they confirmed there was no restrictions on travel to the area and definitely no new lockdowns. The are, however, starting to increase mass testing. Kirklee is conducting door to door testing to get Covid 19 under control.
MP for Bedford and Kempston, Mohammed Yasin, questions why there was no announcement. “Why publish advice, and then tell people they don’t have to follow it?”.
Yesterday the UK reported just 15 new deaths within 28 days of a positive Covid test. However, the positive cases are still high at 2,493. These figures are often higher on Tuesday due to weekend delays.
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