Council and police urge public to take care during half term

Police and council officials in the county have continued their efforts to tackle the spread of Covid-19, with the force continuing to respond to breaches including household gatherings and people not isolating.

Officers issued a total of 138 fixed penalty notices across Staffordshire in the first week of February for a range of breaches as the force continues to receive a number of reports from members of the public.

As half-term approaches, the force has joined up with local authorities to remind residents of their responsibility to adhere to the current rules and help reduce the number of Covid-19 cases in the county.

Staffordshire County Council leader Alan White said: “Parents across the county have been doing a fantastic job in supporting education at home, and the coming half-term will provide some respite.

"We have plenty of online activities taking place to keep families entertained over the break.

"With people tired and Covid-19 rates falling, it would be easy to let our guard down over the school holidays.

"Staffordshire residents have done a fantastic job in reducing the number of cases and we all want this to continue, but Covid-19 thrives on complacency, so we must keep following the rules if we are to stop this virus spreading."

Superintendent Thomas Chisholm, head of neighbourhood policing at Staffordshire Police, says he is pleased to see the majority of residents in the county sticking to the rules.

He said: "These are undoubtedly very challenging times for everyone but it has been heartening to see the efforts by so many in the county to adhere to the rules and ultimately play their part in trying to reduce the number of Covid-19 cases.

“We can appreciate how desperate residents are for normality to return and we all feel the same.

"But it is vital we continue to follow the national restrictions and not put the health and lives of people at risk."