Tameside residents warned to ‘ACT NOW’ to avoid full lockdown

A STARK warning has been issued that Tameside is heading towards a full Leicester-style lockdown unless residents heed the Covid-19 restrictions recently introduced for the whole of Greater Manchester.

With the R-rate of infection in the borough increasing almost seven-fold in the space of three weeks from 5.3 cases per 100,000 to 37, there is concern that more stringent measures might need needed to curb the spread of coronavirus.

Though nowhere as serious as neighbouring Oldham which has the highest infection rate in the country at 108 cases per 100,000, the recent spike is a concern.And to reinforce the message for the public to remain vigilant, specifically relating to not visiting the homes of other families, Tameside Council held a Skype meeting for media to convey the gravity of the situation

Dr Jeanelle de Gruchy, Tameside Council’s director of public health, admitted: “We are getting into that area where other actions may be needed to be taken.

“We want to avoid having to close pubs and having more restrictions, but people are not abiding with the rules and households are mixing.”

Dr de Gruchy urged residents to “stick to the basics” of two metre social distancing – one metre with mitigation – washing hands and wearing face masks as they are fundamental to conquering Covid.

She added the latest restrictions focusing on different households mixing is a “real concern”.

Dr de Gruchy said: “Social mixing between households is a concern because of the situation with Covid.

“Once one person in a household is infected, everyone is more at risk of becoming positive as it can get transmitted quickly.”

Dr de Gruchy added it is important anyone showing symptoms should immediately self-isolate and get tested.She also pointed out Covid-19 is in the working age population which is why hospital admissions and death rates are not rising.

Dr de Gruchy is in regular contact with other directors of health within Greater Manchester, Blackburn, Darwen and Leicester to share knowledge and learning and to support once another and make sure their messages are clear and consistent.

Dr Asad Ali, Tameside and Glossop Clinical Commissioning Group co-chair, warned: “Covid is still here, though the perception with some people is that it has gone away. The community needs to take it seriously.

“I want to appeal to the residents of Tameside to follow the rules or we will have a more stringent, rigorous lockdown.”

Sharon Smith, Tameside Council’s head of public protection, explained that firm action will be taken against businesses breaching lockdown restrictions.

“We don’t want a local lockdown but, unless people listen, that’s where we will end up,” she said.

She added ever-changing guidelines are often confusing which is why they are keen to keep putting out the message.

“There are national changes and then in small print not where there is a local lockdown. It is about reminding people what they can or cannot do”, she said.

Cllr Allison Gwynne, Tameside Council’s executive member for neighbourhood services, admitted it would be a “catastrophe” for the borough’s businesses to have a full lockdown imposed.

She added it was important everyone “plays fair” which is why swift action was taken against two licensed premises which broke restrictions.

“If we find serious breaches, we will ask the licensing panel to have a look and, if serious enough, for them to remove the license,” she said.

7 Replies to “Tameside residents warned to ‘ACT NOW’ to avoid full lockdown”

  1. Does this mean i cannot visit my holiday home. To just have a change of scenery. I have shieled for months.

  2. It’s totally unfair. It should be regulated town to town. Denton is abiding to all the regulations, public as well as businesses. I am concerned though that the awful smell that is circulating in the air of Tameside (Cllr Alison Gwynne can confirm this) & has been for over a week is going to cause respiratory problems for a lot of people & this be misconstrued as a symptom of Covid, which on paper will look like a spike & figures will reflect on a decision of a lockdown.

  3. Shut the car boot /flea market down on a Sunday for a start.
    Socially distancing does not exist
    Everyone mingling around each other
    ,not wearing masks.
    Needs patrolling and people fining.
    They might start learning then.

  4. It’s absolutely ridiculous that we can all go into pubs, without wearing masks and mix with people from many households , but not with a family member from another household who we have been seeing for the past few weeks.
    This lockdown has never been managed properly from day one!!!!

  5. I don’t have the energy anymore to try and figure out why some people think they are above the regulations in place.Im not really surprised by the sanctions imposed on our boroughs in greater Manchester. I myself have witnessed people just doing what they want.Parties in gardens,kids hanging about shops in groups of more than 6..no social anything…If we are not going to do such a simple thing asked of us ALL…then I guess many of us( grandparents, who have to shield ) will be stuck in this loop for a lot longer.Can these people have any idea what it is like..I don’t think so….

  6. We have people visiting from other areas and staying for the week end, totally unacceptable, that’s the problem people just ignore the advice. No surprise there’s a surge.

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