COVID-19 (Coronavirus) update 28th March.

We must all follow the new measures during this national health emergency.

The Prime Minister announced to the country this week the new measures to reduce our day-to-day contact with other people, effective immediately.

The measures are:

· People must stay at home, except for very limited purposes 

· Non-essential shops and community spaces will close

· All gatherings of more than two people in public will be stopped

More details can be found on the Government website here.

Every citizen must comply with these measures and the police are to be given the powers to enforce them.

Assistant Chief Constable Andrew Slattery, the Chair of the Cumbria Local Resilience Forum, said:

"Earlier this week the Prime Minister issued direct instructions to the public to follow the new social distancing measures. These instructions are in place to protect the NHS and our most vulnerable members.

"We are all living in a national health emergency and we are all in this together. I would ask anybody running a business at the moment to consider whether it is really essential in the national effort to fight this virus. If it is not, then I’d ask that they consider closing for the next three weeks to protect their workforce and the public from spread of the virus.

"I strongly urge people to follow the Government's instructions. Social distancing will save lives and everyone in Cumbria should ask themselves whether they are limiting themselves to only essential travel. 

"These measures are in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus and I expect everyone to comply with them.

"Police officers in the United Kingdom police through the consent of the community and will give advice to people where necessary.

"But where people are wilfully ignoring these instructions and refusing to engage in the nationwide effort to fight the spread of coronavirus, officers will take action.

"You will see increased patrols around the county in the coming days and weeks as our officers carry out their duty to protect life and improve safety and well-being for all."

The Lake District is closed

As we approach the weekend, police in Cumbria have a clear message for anyone considering travelling to the county to spend the weekend – the Lake District is closed.

The message follows scenes last weekend which saw thousands of tourists descend on the Lake District.  This weekend we do not want to see the same.

Temporary Chief Superintendent Rob O’Connor said: “Last weekend we saw significant amounts of tourists travel to the Lake District, and my message is really simple, the Lake District is closed.

“Pubs, cafes and restaurants are closed, and we do not want to see people travelling to the Lakes in caravans and camper vans or driving many miles in their cars to go walking on the fells.

“The Government guidance is really clear in relation to personal movements to limit the spread of coronavirus.”

Under the restrictions, people must stay at home and only leave for the following reasons:-

• to exercise once a day – either alone or with members of your household
• shopping for basic necessities, although this should be done as little as possible
• medical need or to provide care for a vulnerable person
• travel to or from work but only where this is absolutely necessary

Temporary Chief Superintendent Rob O’Connor said: “It is really clear that people should not be travelling unless there is an essential reason to do so. It does not mean on nice days you can drive into the Lakes and go walking, or ride your motorbike to Devils Bridge at Kirkby Lonsdale.

“I still want my officers to engage, explain and encourage the public in relation to the restrictions that are in place. There is now legislation that means people can be fined for breaching the restrictions, but my preference is that my officers do not need to resort to doing so, and that the public show common sense and do not travel into the Lakes.

“Over the weekend people will see my officers in the Lakes and the Kirkby Lonsdale areas, and they can expect to be stopped and asked whether their travel is essential.

“As we saw on Thursday evening there was an outpouring of support nationally for the NHS, and people need to ensure they follow the Government guidance and restrictions in these unprecedented times to ensure we do not overburden the NHS.”