Coronavirus: Shropshire residents urged not to travel to Tier 4 areas
Shropshire residents are being strongly urged not to travel to Tier 4 areas – and vice-versa – for the festive break.
The plea comes after a new and more contagious strain of coronavirus was discovered, which has been prevalent in London and parts of the South East and East of England.
On Saturday, these areas were moved into a new Tier 4, with travel into and out of these areas now illegal.
Christmas arrangements for the whole of England have now been changed so that even outside these areas you can only meet on Christmas Day.
Telford & Wrekin Council is urging anyone that has recently travelled from a Tier 4 area or from Wales to self-isolate for at least 10 days and get a rapid test.
Rachel Robinson, Shropshire Council’s director of public health, said:
“The concern is that this version of coronavirus can spread more easily. Even though Shropshire is not in Tier 4, our cases are increasing and there is a strong chance that the new variant is circulating in the area.
“It is not unusual to see a virus mutate. The new version of the virus was spotted after a very, very rapid increase in cases in Kent and the South East and the change to the virus has been – and continues to be – analysed by scientists.
“After what has been a challenging 2020, I know many people were hanging on to the hope of spending time with their loved ones this Christmas. However, the greatest gift anyone can give this Christmas and New Year is keeping yourself and your family safe.
“If you were planning on travelling to a Tier 4 area, please don’t and remain at home. If you are currently in a Tier 4 region and were planning on returning to Shropshire for Christmas, please stay at home and protect your loved ones.
“We are asking anyone who has travelled to the region from any Tier 4 areas or Wales, to assume they have the new variant of COVID-19 and self-isolate for at least ten days when they arrive. This means remaining inside the house where they’re staying for the whole ten days. Other people who live in the house do not need to self-isolate unless anyone gets symptoms, but no visitors should be allowed in that house at all, even on Christmas Day.”
