COVID-19 update: a message from Councillor Hamida Ali, leader of the council

Following today’s government announcement, from midnight tonight Croydon, like the rest of London, will be subject to tighter Tier 4 restrictions with the planned relaxation of rules for Christmas cancelled.

As I said in my message yesterday Covid-19 cases are rising extremely rapidly in Croydon, as are the numbers of people being treated in our hospital and in intensive care. Once again, we are seeing residents lose their lives to this virus and I cannot stress enough how serious the situation is.

I know how disappointing today’s announcement will be for all of us who had planned to see friends and family over the holiday period, but the most important thing is that we keep those we love safe, so that they see another Christmas. Sadly, we know that the only way we will do that is by limiting our social contact, immediately, to prevent the virus spreading, protect our NHS and save lives.

It is vital that we all now follow the new Tier 4 rules when they come into force at midnight. This means staying at home as much as possible, apart from limited exemptions set out in law.

  • People must work from home if they can, but may travel to work if this is not possible, for example in the construction and manufacturing sectors.
  • People should not enter or leave tier 4 areas, and tier 4 residents must not stay overnight away from home.
  • Individuals can only meet one person from another household in an outdoor public space.
  • Non-essential retail, indoor gyms and leisure facilities, and personal care services must close.
  • In England, those living in tier 4 areas should not mix with anyone outside their own household at Christmas, though support bubbles will remain in place for those at particular risk of loneliness or isolation.

I fully understand how incredibly difficult this is for us all at a time when we are already tired and hoping for some respite from all the implications of this pandemic.

I want to reassure you that as your council we are working closely with all our partners in health, in business and in the voluntary sector to keep Croydon safe and be there for our communities in this time of need.

If you are struggling, there is a wealth of support available from us and our partners locally – do not suffer in silence. Stay connected with those you love – if not in person, by phone or online – and if you are feeling isolated, there are local services that can help. Find out more on our webpages at www.croydon.gov.uk/coronavirus

Once again, I want to thank all those who are working tirelessly for our borough throughout this pandemic and everyone, who is doing their bit to keep Croydon safe in the most challenging of times.

If we all pull together as we have always done before, I know we will get through this.

Please stay safe,

Councillor Hamida Ali, leader of the council

2020-12-19T19:49:17+00:00 December 19th, 2020|Recent news|