Don't waste the sacrifices you've all made, says Scarborough Council as infection rate falls and Tier 2 restrictions start

Scarborough Council said that it did not want to see the “sacrifices” made to reduce the area’s infection rate wasted.

On November 11 Scarborough’s seven-day infection rate stood at 609 cases per 100,000 people, which was the second-highest rate in England.

As of this morning, the infection rate now stands at 128, below the national average.

Along with the rest of North Yorkshire and York the borough has been placed into the middle Tier 2 High Alert restrictions, which limits household mixing but allows pubs and restaurants to reopen, though alcohol can only be served with a meal.

Cllr Michelle Donohue-Moncrieff, Scarborough Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Sustainability, gave thanks to everyone who helped to reduce the borough’s infection rate.

She said: “We are very pleased that people responded to the call we and our partners made to stay at home. Your actions have made a huge difference and we would like to thank everyone who made an extra effort to follow the rules to the letter.

“As we move into the high alert level of restrictions we don’t want to waste the sacrifices people have made in recent weeks. The challenge is to keep our transmission rates low by proceeding with caution and sticking rigidly to the Tier 2 restrictions.

“All the restrictions will play an important role in helping to control the spread of the virus in the days and weeks ahead.

“Most importantly, you must not meet people from outside your household indoors or car share, and you must not travel into Tier 3 areas unless for work or education.

“It’s also critical to wash your hands regularly, wear a face covering and maintain social distancing.

“Looking beyond the borough, we will continue to work with our partners to target messages at our visitor markets subject to tier three restrictions, reinforcing the importance of not travelling outside their local area and saving their visit to the coast for a time when it is safe to do so.”

With all retail now able to re-open the council is also encouraging residents to shop local and support the borough’s businesses in person or online, especially in the run-up to Christmas.

Cllr Donohue-Moncrieff added: “This year has been a really challenging time for local businesses and they really need our help.

“If you are in a position to spend this Christmas, please try to buy as much as possible from businesses in the borough’s towns and villages.

“More often than not, you’ll get a much greater personal experience by shopping locally and you’ll find gifts, experiences and festive produce that you won’t be able to find elsewhere.

“If you’re a little bit anxious about heading out, that’s completely understandable.

“For a more relaxing experience, try to shop at less busy times and be assured that businesses have worked hard to be Covid-19 secure by implementing a wide range of measures to keep you and their staff safe.”

The Scarborough News is running a #supportScarborough to encourage people to buy local and support our shops and businesses.