Call to remember the basics and respect the rules

Cases of Covid-19 in Carmarthenshire continue to rise in a worrying trend in the run up to Christmas.

On the day that new national restrictions come into force across Wales, Carmarthenshire County Council is asking everyone to make greater efforts to bring down cases of Covid-19 and help services cope over the busy Christmas period.

Cases are now up to 241.6 per 100,000 of the population (as of 1pm on 03/12/20) – an increase on the previous week when cases were 209.2 per 100,000 people.

Neighbouring counties, including Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire, are now also feeling the impact of Covid-19 with a sharp increase in cases.

Whilst welcoming this week’s positive news about the vaccine, council Leader Cllr Emlyn Dole said it should not be a signal to take the foot off the brake.

“This week we’ve had the glimmer of hope we’ve all been waiting for, and it has been very welcome news,” he said. “But we can’t relax just yet – we have to be mindful that the vaccination programme will take time to roll out, and in the meantime we all have a part to play in stopping the spread of this virus that has hit us all so hard this year.
“With Christmas approaching fast, we simply have to remember the basics, and protect ourselves and others within our community who are vulnerable.
“We must limit our contact with people, keeping our distance when we’re out and about and following the basic rules about hygiene and wearing face coverings. We’re almost there, but we’re not out of the woods yet.”

Today (Friday, December 4), pubs restaurants and other establishments will close their doors at 6pm and stop serving alcohol as part of the Welsh Government’s efforts to manage the spread of the virus.

Carmarthenshire County Council enforcement officers will be working with Dyfed-Powys Police to visit premises over the weekend to check that they are complying with the new rules.

In particular, they will be checking premises on Saturday afternoon during the Welsh rugby international which kicks off at 4.45pm, meaning venues will be asking customers to leave whilst the match is underway.

Cllr Dole said he had huge sympathy for businesses in the hospitality industry but appreciates that protecting people’s health must be the overriding priority.

“This is desperately frustrating for the industry but I do hope that the funding package announced by Welsh Government will provide at least some relief,” he said.
“Whilst we can sympathise, we must also understand that this decision is based on the need to protect public health. We are supporting our premises to operate within these rules and will also be continuing our efforts to ensure compliance with the rules. At the same time, we appeal to people to understand the rules if they are planning to visit licensed premises during the day, and to appreciate the regulations that businesses are operating under.”

FURTHER INFORMATION, GUIDANCE AND COVID-19 UPDATES

CORONAVIRUS REGULATIONS FROM 4 DECEMBER: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS