74 at jail have coronavirus

DOZENS OF INMATES AND STAFF AT PRISON TEST POSITIVE FOR DISEASE, BUT DIRECTOR OPTIMISTIC MEASURES BEING TAKEN WILL GET THE OUTBREAK UNDER CONTROL –

LOCKDOWN needs to be tougher to stop the spread of coronavirus – at least that is what readers of our website Staffordshire Live think.

According to our latest survey, which had 771 responses, 75 per cent of readers think lockdown needs to be tougher.

Generally, the feeling is it is not as tough as the one in March, when people were allowed exercise outside just once day and supermarkets had one-way systems in place.

On a scale of one to seven, with one as back to normality and seven as restrictive as March, respondents gave the current lockdown a score of 4.2 on average.

While people think the rules need to be tougher, most (91 per cent) think people need to take more responsibility when it comes to following the existing rules.

One area where most readers (84 per cent) supported more restrictions was in supermarkets.

Among those who support more in-store restrictions, the change which had the most support was no entry in stores without a mask (98 per cent in favour), and people were also keen to see fewer people being let into stores at one time (94 per cent).

People shopping alone would potentially help and is another restriction with support from 78 per cent of Staffordshire Live readers.

However, most (72 per cent) would not want to see rules requiring a minimum spend or number of items on a trip to the supermarket.

Readers were more split on whether the rule allowing individuals from two households to meet up for socially distanced outdoor exercise should stay.

Nearly half (47 per cent) of people were in favour, but 44 per cent were against.

Of those who supported the rule, 70 per cent said those meeting up for exercise should be able to take a cup of tea or coffee with them.

A case in Derbyshire made the national headlines when two women travelled separately by car under eight miles to Foremark Reservoir, near Repton, to exercise while socially distanced and were hit with Covid fines. Their fines were later dropped after police were accused being “over zealous”.

People were also split on whether you should be able to drive for exercise - 60 per cent of those who responded said no and 40 per cent said yes.

The rules say you should stay within your local area for exercise and when it comes to driving for exercise readers agreed – just six per cent said people should be able to go as far as they like.

A quarter (27 per cent) said any distance is too far, with 12 per cent saying people should stay within walking distance (for an averagely fit person), 42 per cent said stay in your local area of a town/city or part of the county, and 13 per cent said stay within your county.

Overall, 86 per cent of respondents said people should not be allowed to travel outside Staffordshire for exercise.

Last week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson went cycling in the Olympic Park in East London, seven miles from Downing Street – two-fifths (38 per cent) of Staffordshire Live readers thought he should have stayed closer to home.

However, 26 per cent said it was fine regardless of whether he drove or cycled there, and 36 per cent said it was OK if he cycled, but not if he got there by car.

According to the survey, a majority of people (67 per cent) want nurseries closed alongside schools.

As well as this, 78 per cent think people should have to wear masks outside in some circumstances.

However, they are more split on the idea of a 6pm curfew, like the one in France – 47 per cent of respondents said no, while 53 per cent said yes.

One area people are not keen to see tightened up is support bubbles, with 76 per cent against scrapping them.