Halifax Courier

Keep your ‘social distance’ appeal

- Ian Hirst

WEST YORKSHIRE Prepared, together with leading health organisati­ons, is calling on people in the region to be vigilant in their response to the coronaviru­s pandemic.

The region’s Local Resilience Forum, along with Public Health England and West Yorkshire and Harrogate Healthcare Partnershi­p, is reminding everyone of their responsibi­lity to understand how the changes affect them and their families and ensure they know what to do to keep safe and reduce the risk of COVID-19.

After July 4, lockdown relaxation­s include the managed reopening of pubs, cafes and restaurant­s, hotels and B&Bs, cinemas, visitor attraction­s and hairdresse­rs if they can do so safely.

Other public places such as libraries, places of worship and outdoor playground­s will also be able to open and people will be able to meet in groups of up to two households in any location, indoors or outdoors, providing social distancing remains in place.

Robin Tuddenham, Chief Executive of Calderdale Council and co-chair of West Yorkshire Prepared, said: “While this will be welcome news to many in West Yorkshire, as people are wanting to get back to some kind of normal, it is vitally important everyone remembers the COVID-19 virus is still with us and we cannot simply go back to life as it was before.

“It is incredibly important people continue to follow the two metre social distancing rule where possible.”

The forum said the ‘one metre plus’ rule has not replaced the two metre rule, it is just for occasions where social distancing at two metres is not possible. Where it isn’t possible, robust mitigation measures need to be in place, such as wearing a face covering, installing screens where possible, making sure people sit/stand side by side or behind other people rather than facing them, and providing extra handwashin­g facilities.

“It is incredibly important people continue to follow the two metre social distancing rule

 ??  ?? RULES: Social distancing in Halifax town centre
RULES: Social distancing in Halifax town centre
 ??  ?? WARNING: Calderdale Council chief executive Robin Tuddenham
WARNING: Calderdale Council chief executive Robin Tuddenham

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