Six weeks ago, the future looked daunting. We were beginning our battle with an unknown and unseen enemy, the biggest threat our country and communities have faced in decades.
We have seen that COVID-19 is indiscriminate in who it targets, and I am so pleased that our Prime Minister has recovered and is now back in Downing Street leading efforts to defeat the virus. It’s clear that my feelings are shared by many Rutland residents who got in touch to express their warm wishes for his speedy recovery.
As time has passed, we have learned huge amounts about COVID-19. It has not been easy, but thanks to the efforts and sacrifices of people in Rutland and across our country, we’ve reduced the spread of the virus, flattened the peak and stopped our NHS from being overwhelmed. All those who needed critical care received it. This was our primary goal, and a lesson taken from other countries where we saw heart-breaking and sobering scenes.
I am pleased that we have extended COVID-19 testing to a significantly wider group of frontline workers including prison staff and frontline benefit workers, as well as their families, which can be booked through their employers or on the Government’s new dedicated website. This not only recognises the immense debt of gratitude we owe all our frontline workers but bolsters our national response to virus by allowing them to return to work safely.
While you have been home saving lives, the Government has also been working with the brightest medical and scientific minds in the country to support them in creating a vaccine and defeating COVID-19, with the UK’s first clinical trial starting last week in Oxford.
I could not agree more with our Prime Minister that now is not the time to lessen the lockdown and stop protecting our families, communities and country. We have come so far in the last few weeks, at great cost, and to do so would put too many people at great risk and negate what we have already achieved.
I am also concerned that if we lift the lockdown too early, we may have to re-impose lockdown measures later which would cause worse further harm to our economy.
We will get the British business engine revving again – but for now, we must continue in our collective resolve to stay at home and defeat this virus until guided otherwise by the best scientific and medical advice. In the meantime, I am pleased that significant and targeted government business support has been delivered so efficiently by Rutland County Council, who has been a pillar of support for Rutland’s businesses during the pandemic.
This week, I am proud to recognise Little Angels Childcare in Uppingham as our Unsung Heroes. The team headed by Lucy Lewin have been creating free arts and crafts packs for kids in and around the area. Their kind venture embodies the civic spirit that will ultimately see our country through this pandemic.
