Is it too early to reopen Hartlepool's pubs and restaurants? Leaders voice fears as lockdown eases

Earlier this week it was announced pubs, restaurants, hotels and hairdressers can open from 4 July in England, when social distancing rules will be eased.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said people should remain 2m apart where possible but a “one metre plus” rule would be introduced.

However representatives on Hartlepool Health and Wellbeing Board raised concerns it was too early to be taking such steps in Hartlepool given the latest Covid-19 figures.

Dr Nick Timlin, representative from NHS Tees Valley Clinical Commissioning Group, was one of those who raised concerns it was too soon to be easing restrictions and opening venues such as pubs.

He said: “When this first came off it was a bit like a phoney war, we set up all these extra clinics…you had Covid clinics that just weren’t getting filled.

“As the virus has moved up the country, we are now seeing it. My concern would be it’s a bit early for us to be opening the pubs and letting everybody go wild because it’s actually hitting here now really, we were a bit behind the curve.”

The Hartlepool Covid-19 rate per 100,000 of the population has been steadily increasing and had risen to 372 by the 14th June, the 31st highest out of 150 areas in the country.

The Covid-19 death rate in Hartlepool, also calculated per 100,000 of the population, has also been rising and was 100 as of May 22nd, which is the second highest in the Tees area and in the highest 15% in the country.

Councillors on the Health and Wellbeing Board also raised concerns in regards to the easing of restrictions.

Warning that Hartlepool ‘still needs to be aware’ despite fall in...

Coun Stephen Thomas said: “Hartlepool is definitely not out of the woods with regards to this pandemic.

“I really have concerns, given the relaxations that are coming in around social distancing and other measures, about the potential impacts for Hartlepool given where we currently stand with the pandemic at the moment and the way in which we are behind some of the national trends.”

Coun Brenda Harrison said they must keep focused on Hartlepool and not the national picture.

She said: “I personally think it’s far too early to be easing lockdown the way that it is nationally for us in Hartlepool.

“We do not want to see the spike that is unfortunately going to come if we continue in this way, so we really need to do our best I think to keep centred on Hartlepool rather than the national picture.”

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