'Fed up' folk suffering under 'draconian' restrictions - Hartlepool chiefs fear for town and offer support
It included a ban on people from different households mixing in any indoor setting unless as part of a support bubble.
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Hide AdCouncillors noted although they have to be positive in spreading the appropriate Covid-19 messages and guidelines, many residents will be ‘fed up’ with the situation.
Cllr Brenda Harrison said many residents will not have had people in their homes for seven months and are now being hit with ‘draconian’ restrictions.
She said: “I think we need to address the fact that people are really fed up.
“I think we as a local authority have done an extremely good job throughout this and I think this is just making our job very, very much worse by putting such stringent restrictions on.
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Hide Ad“We have to address the fact that it’s annoying before we actually think about how, yes we get the message across, but in a sensitive way because I think they’re draconian measures.
“I feel that the people who have been doing what they should are now being punished, it’s a very very big problem.”
Cllr Mike Young, deputy council leader, stressed how the latest restrictions will put increased pressure on businesses.
He also noted statistics show 80% of new cases are the result of household visits, which means it is an area which should be targeted.
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Hide AdHe said: “We must be very, very careful in how we interact with businesses because those businesses are under massive stress and massive strain now because of the restrictions.
“We’ve got to look at ways of fixing the problems and solving some of the issues and I think with that in mind we flagged up that the house to house mixing was a key issue.”
Meanwhile, Cllr Stephen Thomas noted residents need to be reminded mental health support is out there and should be accessed at the earliest opportunity if needed.
Similarly people need to continue to access support for other health issues, such as if they present symptoms of cancer.
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Hide AdCllr Thomas, mental health champion, said: “One of the trends that is coming through at the moment is that mental health service providers are picking up a lot of new people to the service, but people presenting with quite developed conditions due to the past six months.
“It’s absolutely vital that we get some of those messages out that it is important, and there are people out there to help.
“The focus is obviously around Covid, but there are so many other things happening around mental health, other conditions, which at the moment I think are equally as important in getting key messages out about support that’s out there and early presentation.”