Mayor calls for caution

BRISTOL mayor Marvin Rees has criticised the Government’s approach to Freedom Day and urged caution amid a “sharp and persistent” rise in Covid in the city.

The mayor (pictured) said the Conservative Government’s “July 4th branding” did not encourage the level of caution needed when all lockdown restrictions are lifted on Monday.

He said Covid-19 could still cause death, even among vaccinated people, and asked residents to consider continuing to wear masks for the sake of others.

Mr Rees said at a cabinet meeting: “We are now on a sharp and persistent increase in the number of cases.

“The overarching message ... for us in Bristol is to continue to be cautious, to engage in Covid-safe behaviours and, I would say, to continue to be gracious.

“I will just share a little bit of my frustration with the approach of national government. I think some of the imagery around Freedom Day could have been a little bit more sober and a little bit more measured.

“We do want the ability to interact with people, we do want to support businesses to open up, and we want to support jobs, but I think this kind of July fourth branding that’s gone on has not been helpful for the kind of caution that we need people to be engaging with.”

Bristol currently has 534 cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 people, compared with a UK average of 319 per 100,000, Mr Rees said in the last seven days alone, 2,476 new cases have been recorded in the city. Some 70 per cent of adults have had at least one dose of a vaccine. Mr Rees expressed concerns for frontline workers such as shop assistants and bus drivers, and for people with pre-existing health conditions for whom Freedom Day is a “time of real concern for their own health”.

He said: “Please do not be surprised if someone approaches you and asks you to consider putting a face covering on. That may not be coming from a desire to offend anyone, it may be coming from a position of fear, concern and anxiety for themselves or someone else.

“So please do not act adversely if that happens and can we say, treat it a bit like passive smoking at this time.

“It might be worth just considering if it’s appropriate, or whether it would make other people feel uncomfortable if you want to take off a face covering, particularly in inside venues. “Please can you consider other people.”