Pandemic response ramped up
■ More COVID-19 testing centres to be rolled out to prevent outbreaks
■ Support from Army as fight against infection stepped up across the district
■ Checks for care home workers and residents planned every fortnight
■ Additional powers from Government to help council combat localised threats
■ Road closures to improve safety and aid social distancing for shoppers
SHOPPERS ACROSS Calderdale will have to don a face mask as of July 24.
Wearing a face mask or covering will become mandatory in all UK shops and supermarkets from tomorrow.
The Government has said that shoppers that refuse to wear a mask face a fine of up to £100.
Children under 11 and those with certain disabilities will be exempt from wearing a mask when visiting hops.
Aamir Yusuf, 54, is the owner of the Totally Awesome Toy shops, in Halifax, Hebden Bridge and York.
The shops have set up a sanitation station, and are asking customers to use hand sanitiser as they enter the store. Customers can bring their own mask or purchase one for £1.
They have introduced a traffic system inside the stores, so that staff and customers can keep their distance. Staff have also been equipped with face visors.
“We don’t want the staff to face any confrontation, but we do want to take a proactive approach in order to ensure that all of our customers and staff can stay safe.
“The Government has been sending a lot of mixed messages about what we should or shouldn’t do.
“There’s been a real lack of clarity. Businesses have been left in the dark and some of the guidelines have been very vague.
“The general rule of thumb we’ve been using is going one step further than whatever the Government’s guidelines say. We’d rather be safe than sorry.”
The team made the most of the lockdown closures, by preparing the new York store for its grand opening.
“I picked up the keys for the
‘We should all embrace it as the right thing to do for everyone’
new shop on April Fools’ Day, which when paired with the fact the country was in lockdown, was quite unnerving.
“However a silver lining of lockdown for us, meant that we were able to dedicate a lot of time making sure the new shop was totally ship shape for when we were allowed to open our doors.”
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