Disappointed, not surprised – your reaction
RESPONSE ON THE STREET TO ANNOUCEMENT
THERE was disappointment but little surprise as people in the county learned they would be stuck in Tier 3.
The whole of Leicestershire will emerge from the national lockdown into the highest level of restrictions.
Oliver and Alexander Sibbick are both students in Leicester and live in the city centre. Oliver, 19, said: “I had hoped pubs would be able to open again.
“It’s made life very different – this is my second year and last year was a lot better before the lockdown began.”
First year student Alexander, 18, said he had only met a few new people all term.
He said: “It’s a shame things can’t reopen because I’d been looking forward to things getting better.
“I’m on a course with 300 people and I’ve only met a couple of them.”
Jamie and Natasha Moore live in Market Harborough and have both had Covid-19. They miss their old lives.
Jamie, 48, said: “It’s a shame for people living in the county areas where the rate is low. My brother owns pubs so this is very disappointing for him.
“But it has been bad around
THERE were 15 Leicestershire areas where more than 80 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in the run up to the tier decisions.
The latest verified data, relating to the fortnight before November 21, show that Thurmaston had recorded the highest number of new infections.
The data is broken down into here, so I’m not surprised we are staying in lockdown.
“My wife and I have both had Covid. We’re fit and healthy but it wasn’t nice.”
Natasha, 47, said: “We miss going out for a meal and going to the shops. Our children haven’t been able to come home from university all term.”
John Conroy, 25, of Oadby, was resigned to weeks or months of more restrictions.
He said: “I’m not really one for going out much but I did used to go out with my missus to restaurants and we can’t do that any more.
“I think people are breaking the rules but people can’t sit at home round the clock. I’m worried about the affect this is all having on depression and suicides.”
Ellen Pendergast, 67, of Loughborough, said: “I think a lot of the reason for this is that students have been gathering. So now the government has done this.
“You notice lots of people going about together and people aren’t being tested enough.”
Irene Kaloyan, 34, who lives in Leicester’s Narborough Road, had planned to spend 2020 travelling the world but is instead locked down in Leicester.
She said: “It’s stressful. I had really wanted it to be normal by Christmas because that’s the only fun we really have in the winter.
“If you can’t mix with your family and friends, it’s stressful.
“I think people are failing to follow the rules – mixing and not wearing masks – so now we’re locked down again.”
Mark Stevenson, 62, who lives in Humberstone, Leicester, had been prepared for today’s news, saying: “It’s got to be done and I’m not surprised we’re in Tier 3.
“I’m just hoping people don’t break the rules at Christmas and cause it to spread even more.”
Dorothy Smith, 60, lives in Great Glen and said she was missing socialising and going to the theatre.
She said: “It’s a shame if it has to be done. I was looking forward to going back to the Curve and that will have to stay closed now.
“It’s a shame not being able to meet up and socialise.”
Gemma Naylor, 37, lives in Leicester’s West End and is firmly behind the tougher rules.
She said: “I think it’s important and necessary – we shouldn’t be coming out of lockdown.
“I think the government needs to take responsibility. But it’s weird being in Leicester where we’ve all been in lockdown for so long.”
Queen’s Park, 107; Loughborough University, 92; Loughborough Shelthorpe & Woodthorpe, 90; Blaby Village, 90; Enderby and Glen Parva, 89; Whetstone, 86; Wigston Harcourt and Little Hill, 84; Melton West, 83; Melton North, 83; Castle Donington, 83; Kibworth and Great Glen, 82; Houghton, Thurby and Scraptoft, 82.