To the residents of Blaenau Gwent,
I said in my message last week that things can move and change very quickly in the Covid world, and I was certainly right about that!
I spoke last time about local restrictions being introduced in other parts of Wales to try and help contain the spread of the virus, and at the start of this week it was announced that Blaenau Gwent would also be subject to further measures which came into force at 6pm on Tuesday. A recent increase in the rate of infection in Blaenau Gwent, and in particular a cluster of cases in the Brynmawr area, has been causing concern and as a local authority we are supportive of the additional measures that Welsh Government has considered necessary.
We join our Gwent counterparts in Caerphilly and Newport in being subject to the additional measures. In Caerphilly, this appears to be having a positive impact as the number of infections per 100,000 of the population is starting to decrease. This is very encouraging, but needs to see a sustained fall to have been successful. I am confident that by doing our bit here in Blaenau Gwent we too can make a difference, and help to fight off any second wave of this dreadful virus in Wales.
To help with this a temporary mobile testing unit has been set up in Nantyglo until at least next Wednesday for residents of the borough to use by booked appointment. You can find more information on this here - https://www.blaenau-gwent.gov.uk/en/story/news/temporary-mobile-testing-unit-opens-in-blaenau-gwent/
I know it feels like Government at all levels has asked so much of you over the past few months, and that now we are having to ask for more. This isn’t the total lockdown that we were faced with back in March and which continued for many weeks, however I do understand that what we have to do will limit our daily lives to some extent. I hope that you can all get on board and do what’s needed, so that we can get things under control and hopefully avoid a tougher lockdown.
We’ve done it once before and I know we can do it again!
So, the main things to remember if you live in Blaenau Gwent are:
• Do not travel outside of the borough unless it’s necessary & for the reasons allowed
• Keep to your local area as much as possible
• Do not meet indoors with anyone outside of your household
• Maintain Hand hygiene
• Keep your distance & stay 2m apart from people outside of your household
• Wear a face covering in indoor places, whilst shopping and on public transport
• Work from home if you can
The First Minister for Wales also announced some further nationwide measures, in particular around the sale of alcohol. We have unfortunately seen that some of the recent increase in transmission is due to activity at licensed establishments and following the consumption of alcohol, especially a breakdown in social distancing. The First Minister for Wales has confirmed that pubs and restaurants will close at 10pm and must offer table service only. Shops will also not be able to sell alcohol after this time.
Nobody wants to stop people from enjoying these things, especially after a difficult few months, but I would appeal to you to please do it in a safe and considerate manner, and follow the rules that are in place for the safety of everyone. Remember also, that by adhering to the rules you are helping out a local business owner who, after a tough few months, is doing their best to comply with what is expected of them.
Another consistent message from the Welsh Government is for people to continue to work from home where they can, and for employers to support this where possible. As a Local Authority, we have been a strong advocate and actively promoted home working amongst our staff at this time, seeing it as a key component in keeping communities safe and slowing the spread of the virus. Not everyone can work from home of course, and our frontline workers are out and about, providing essential services to the community, and in particular those most vulnerable. They are doing a fantastic job in some difficult circumstances and I continue to be proud of each and every one of them.
It is important now that we all stay as local as possible, minimise contact as much as possible and think about if what we are doing is essential or not, or it really can wait for another time. Please also adhere to the advice in relation to testing and self-isolation as this is an effective way of breaking transmission, more on this here – https://gov.wales/coronavirus
If we do all this, then hopefully we can turn the tide and see our local restrictions lifted.
For more information about the local restrictions and some frequently asked questions go to - https://gov.wales/blaenau-gwent-county-borough-lockdown-frequently-asked-questions
Please let’s work together to #KeepWalesSafe.
Thank you.
Councillor Nigel Daniels
Leader Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council
You can keep up to date with the latest Council service information here – https://www.blaenau-gwent.gov.uk/en/resident/emergencies-crime-prevention/coronavirus-covid-19-latest-information/
You can also follow our social media accounts which are updated with relevant information:
• Facebook – @blaenaugwentcbc
• Twitter - @BlaenauGwentCBC
The latest advice & guidance can be found here:
• https://phw.nhs.wales/
• https://gov.wales/
• https://www.gov.uk/