As the Gazette goes to press this week, the country remains on an emergency footing as we tackle the Covid-19 crisis. With the death toll continuing to rise sharply, my message to everyone remains the same: Stay at Home, Protect the NHS, Save Lives.
The Prime Minister has written to all 30 million households across the country to outline the guidance everyone should follow and the measures the Government has put in place to fight the virus and to support business and workers. The NHS has been contacting those who are particularly vulnerable and need to be shielded and directly supported by government – and those households have started to receive food parcels. The army has stepped up to guarantee supply of protective equipment and other supplies to our hospitals. And in Brentwood, the Borough and County Councils have been out in force helping the local community.
One of the good news stories of recent days has been the Government’s campaign to recruit volunteers across the country to support the NHS. The response has been overwhelming – 750,000 people have signed up in less than a week, a true testament to public spirit. So successful has the campaign been that it has been temporarily paused in order to allow the system some time to process applications. But if you have not yet signed up and would like to, please keep checking.
Please follow the national guidance. Work from home if you possibly can. Do not travel unless you absolutely have to. Stay 2m apart from everyone who is not in your household. Wash your hands. Do not buy more food or supplies than you need – doing so will mean others go without. Not sticking to these rules endangers other people’s lives. The country is starting to show the national spirit of which we can all be proud. Please do your bit. Stay at Home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives.
You can find additional information on the Brentwood Borough Council website www.brentwood.gov.uk, on the UK Government website www.gov.uk, and on my own website www.alexburghart.org.uk, through which you can also contact me if you need to. Take care.
