Council leader's message to the people of Harborough as we move into a new lockdown

Harborough council leader Phil King is today imploring everyone – we have to unite now to defeat Covid-19 and escape this new national lockdown as soon as we can.

Cllr King made his heartfelt rallying cry as Prime Minister Boris Johnson closed all primary and secondary schools until the February half-term while ordering all non-essential shops, retailers and hospitality outlets to shut.

Cllr King told the Harborough Mail: “This new lockdown was fast becoming inevitable so I’m not surprised.

“Now we all have to do everything in our powers to push this crushing pandemic back and get out of this lockdown.

“The vast majority of people across Harborough are observing all the guidance.

“But there is a minority of people who are still flouting the rules – and amazingly there are still people out there who don’t believe this is real.

“It is real, it is deadly, this kills people and we all have to get into line now.”

The Conservative council chief spoke out as daily Covid-19 cases in Leicester and Leicestershire hit a new all-time high of almost 850 on Monday.

The figure included 82 new cases across Harborough as the district’s infection rate per 100,000 people climbed to 400.8, the second highest in Leicestershire.

“The good news is that we are starting to roll out vaccines and people are being vaccinated against the coronavirus across Harborough as we speak.

“But we have to vaccinate people faster.

“We should be pulling out all the stops to give people the new life-saving shots seven days a week, as many hours as we can every day,” declared Cllr King.

“The vaccines are clearly our way forward out of this 10-month national crisis.

“But I come back to the basics.

“We all have to wear face coverings, properly wash our hands several times a day and keep our social distance.

“I’ve gone into supermarkets in Harborough and seen people not wearing masks or using the hand sanitiser provided.

“Why would you do that?

“Why would you blatantly abuse the rules?

“It might be annoying or irritating to sanitise your hands before walking up and down the aisles or spraying your trolley or basket.

“But would you rather get Covid and fall very ill?

“And don’t socialise or mix with other people either.

“Don’t be tempted to invite your boyfriend or girlfriend over for a drink – or to pop in and see your Aunty Joan.

“Stay at home and reduce social contact – the fewer people you see the less chance of being struck down.”

Cllr King said he understood anger among thousands of furious local parents and teachers after a screeching Government U-turn over schools.

“I’ve got three children myself so I can understand parents’ concerns on this issue and fully empathise with them and teachers.

“There has been a lack of clarity on children going back to school after the Christmas break.

“It’s not been the Government’s finest hour,” admitted Cllr King.

“I can’t imagine how much aggravation and anguish has been caused for kids not knowing what they are doing – and it looks as if exams are being cancelled again.

“So let’s all work and pull together to get out of this lockdown as soon as we can and get schools totally reopened as well as our high streets, businesses and shops.”

Harborough MP Neil O’Brien told the Mail: “Boris Johnson had no choice but to act – and I’m fully behind this new move.

“The Prime Minister had to do this because the coronavirus data is moving very fast the wrong way.

“A quarter more people are dying now than a week ago.

“The number of Covid cases has gone vertical.”

The Conservative MP said closing schools again was a “terrible thing to do” but drastic action had to be taken.

“Our hospitals in Leicester and Kettering are full.

“The NHS are still treating a lot of patients from the autumn coronavirus wave here,” said Neil.

“The new variants are now heading this way from London.

“When they get here we’ll see a new spike in the number of hospital admissions.

“So, unfortunately, it will get worse here in Harborough and the East Midlands before it gets better.

“We won’t see the rate of Covid deaths falling for a while yet.

“This is exactly why we need everybody to step up and adhere to the rules while the pace of vaccinations is stepped up urgently.”

Cllr Phil Knowles, who leads the Liberal Democrats on Harborough council, said he backs the new Covid crackdown – but insisted it’s been imposed “far too late”.

“Regrettably the new lockdown has to be brought in as cases of this killer virus go through the roof.

“But the Government has left it far too late before finally acting.

“These new measures should have been brought in before Christmas,” said the veteran health campaigner.

“The figures were already starting to rocket and the virus’s dangerous new mutations were already starting to hit us.

“We desperately need absolute clarity and certainty from this Government.

“Children were looking forward to going back to school on Tuesday and their parents were getting them ready as staff prepared to reopen schools,” said Cllr Knowles.

“They had been told just on Sunday that they should return to school.

“But then just hours later that was all ripped up as Boris Johnson imposed the new clampdown, shutting all schools.

“That’s very unhelpful and very frustrating, to say the least, for everyone concerned.

“We’ve seen over a third of a million new cases in the UK in the last week alone.

“The secret to beating this terrifying virus is literally in our own hands.

“We all have to work flat out, day in day out, to follow the rules, stay well and not risk infecting anyone else.

“So let’s all support the fight to conquer Covid, vaccinate people as quickly as possible and defeat this devastating disease once and for all.”