'Let's not blow it now', urge North East leaders

‘Let’s not blow it now’ – that’s the message from North East leaders as they welcomed the Government’s ‘cautious’ approach to easing lockdown.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson set out his road map out of Covid restrictions to MPs in the House of Commons yesterday, starting with reopening schools on March 8, with gradual easing to allow more mixing and more businesses to open spread out in stages into the summer months.

The LA7 group of North East councils, which includes Sunderland, South Tyneside, County Durham, Northumberland, Newcastle, North Tyneside and Gateshead, described the move as ‘sensible’ but in need of ‘constant review’ and urged households to stick to the rules as lockdown restrictions began to gradually lift.

"We have lived with restrictions for almost a year now – there are still a tough few weeks ahead – but thanks to the incredible efforts of our NHS, key workers, volunteers and the North East public we are as close as we have been since this pandemic began to finding a way through it,” the council leaders said in a joint statement.

“Let’s not blow it now. Thank you for everything you are doing to beat Covid.”

The Prime Minister has outlined four steps which will see different elements of society reopen – with at least five weeks between each step, so the impact of each tranche of easing can be reviewed.

The LA7 leaders also called for the Government to ensure those businesses continuing to be affected by Covid restrictions received enough support.