Scarborough Council and police thank residents for staying home and enjoying 'a different type of Easter'

Both Scarborough Borough Council and North Yorkshire Police have expressed gratitude to the public for adhering to the lockdown restrictions even as warm weather gripped the country.

Mike Greene, Scarborough Council’s chief executive paid tribute to those who stayed home to help fight the spread of the Covid-19 virus and called for continued restraint.

He said: “Working with our partners, we issued a strong message to our resident and visiting communities to spend Easter at home and help to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

“I am pleased to report that people listened to our call and acted responsibly. Thank you to all those who did the right thing and enjoyed a different type of Easter this year.

“As our country continues its fight against the virus, I urge everyone to carry on resisting the temptation of the fine weather. Please stay at home, protect the NHS and each other and save lives.”

North Yorkshire Police also reported a “much quieter” Easter weekend than normal but did say that there had been a small minority of people who had ignored the restrictions.

Mike Walker, North Yorkshire Police’s Assistant Chief Constable and Gold commander leading the response to the outbreak, said: “North Yorkshire’s roads, beautiful national parks, coastlines, beauty spots and picturesque towns and cities would usually be bustling at this time of year – but we were very pleased to see the county so quiet over the long weekend.

“It’s humbling to see so many local people are listening and doing the right thing by staying home, protecting the NHS and saving lives and I once again want to thank each and every person who is following the Government’s guidance and is taking it seriously.

“Our officers were on patrol across the county and reported people, for the most part, complying with the guidance and engaging with them positively, showing support for their efforts to stop the spread of Covid-19.

“Unfortunately, a small number of people deemed it appropriate to continue with their plans to see people from outside their household – be it BBQs or visiting friends or relatives – and I would reiterate to this minority that by ignoring the guidance, you are putting the lives of vulnerable people at risk, and not least your own friends and family members.

“Our approach has always been to engage, explain and encourage members of the public to adhere to the guidelines and only use enforcement if we have to.

“We are incredibly grateful to our local communities. We appreciate their patience, resilience and respect and ask them to simply continue in that same manner. And please remember that policing continues and we are here for you if you need us.”

The Covid-19 restrictions in the UK could be extended this week with a decision on the original three-week time frame announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson due by Thursday.

It was announced today that the 778 people had died in UK hospitals in the last 24 from the coronavirus, bringing the total number of deaths to 12,107.