Sacrifices will help save lives
City’s director of health urges residents in tier 4 to abide by restrictions to prevent ‘larger spike’
THE city council’s director of public health insisted that ‘making sacrifices now would prevent a larger spike’ in Covid-19 after Portsmouth, Gosport and Havant were all placed in tier four ahead of Christmas.
Helen Atkinson said: ‘I know that people were looking forward to being able to see a limited number of family or friends over Christmas but we’ve been put into tier four restrictions as the rate of the infection is increasing rapidly and we can’t put any further pressure on the NHS. Making these sacrifices now could prevent an even larger spike of cases in January and February.’
THE public have been urged to make ‘ sacrifices now’ to ‘prevent an even larger spike of cases’ as most of the region was plunged into tier four.
Helen Atkinson, director of public health for Portsmouth City Council admitted the dramatic announcement that Portsmouth, Gosport and Havant, had been moved into the new high risk tier was ‘disappointing and upsetting’ but insisted it was necessary amid a surge of coronavirus cases.
Saturday night saw prime minister Boris Johnson announce that tier four restrictions will be in place across London and much of the south east until December 30 at the earliest.
The restrictions close in-person shopping at non-essential retail stores during the busiest time of the year for many small businesses.
The move has led to criticism from MPs and traders exasperated and worried about the future.
But Ms Atkinson said the decision was vital: ‘I recognise that this government announcement will be disappointing and upsetting for many residents, including some business owners.
‘I know that people were looking forward to being able to see a limited number of family or friends over Christmas but we’ve been put into tier four restrictions as the rate of the infection is increasing rapidly in the city and we can’t put any further pressure on the NHS.
‘Making these sacrifices now could prevent an even larger spike of cases in January and February, keeping us all safer until we can get vaccinated.’
The leader of Portsmouth City Council, Gerald VernonJackson, said: ‘I understand the government needs to take action. But their system hasn’t worked. It’s nuts that a pub in Portchester can be open but a pub in Portsmouth is shut – both of them are served by the same hospital.
‘The government has made complete chaos of this. They need to get a grip – they could have given people more notice.’
However, small businesses owners have said the sudden announcement leaves them facing large stock purchases made in anticipation of festive trade.
Caroline Adams, who has managed Strawberry Lemonade clothes boutique in Copnor Road for the last seven years, said: ‘ We have done a lot of buying for this period. We have spent thousands of pounds on stock for this weekend and next week.
‘I’m just really shocked. I’m feeling let down. We could have been told sooner. It’s just awful, and I just hope we can survive.’
Ann Salt, who has run Fratton Model Centre with her husband Brian for more than 30 years, said: ‘He should have shut us down ages ago – instead he just waits to the last minute and then we’re in a lockdown.’
Shaun Palmer, who has run comic book store Room 237 in Albert Road for more than seven years, is now worried about the changing his stock orders.
He said: ‘Normally we would sell stuff within a month -– some customers I only see once a month for periodicals.
‘And we have minimum order obligations with some stock providers.
‘So that’s worrying. It’s the not knowing whether we will open in a two weeks.
‘More notice would have been useful.’
Matt Styler, joint owner of Don Styler’s Physical Training Centre in Monks Walk, Gosport, added: ‘It is disappointing news. We have a few weeks open and then they close us again.
‘Each time we close down less customers back as they lose momentum or cannot be bothered, probably because they think we will close down again.
‘I think the government
I’m shocked. It’s just awful. I’m feeling let down. I just hope we can survive. Caroline Adams
will keep doing this until spring now they have created a new tier.
‘It is a way of having a lockdown without calling it a lockdown.
‘It’s horrific. Any grant you get is taken out of your earnings and you pay tax on it.’