‘A complete joke’ – what readers think of rules

After parts of the North East were put under tighter restrictions, we asked Echo readers what they thought of the new rules on social bubbles.

Yesterday, new COVID-19 restrictions were enforced across Sunderland and neighbouring councils.

The council had asked the Department of Health Social Care to allow people to enter other households for the purposes of childcare while the main carer was at work.

But that request was rejected by Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

Council leaders have now written to the Government asking them to reverse the decision so families can continue to rely on friends and relatives for help.

Here’s what you said on the Echo Facebook page:

Steven Thompson: “The government has lost the plot completely now l ike. Can someone please please tell me where all these extra hundreds of thousands of childcare professionals are going to come from overnight too. Plus the extra cash families will need to fork out, its like having two mortgages if not more.”

KathleenElizabethWotton: “Complete joke.”

Kathryn McCone: “Again, a stranger can come to your house and care for your child but grandparents can't. You can still go to the pub/restaurant and have strangers at the next table but not your family or friends. You can go to work etc and sit with your colleagues, but can't sit in a garden two feet away from each other.”

Maria Hounslow: "So now I’m supposed to leave my son with a childminder he’s never met before straight away so I’m able togotoworkwhen hisown grandmother is at home!!! Yet again another ridiculous rule.”

Dick Dodds: “Ridiculous.”