Relaxing of restrictions from 19 July 2021
Lead of the Council, Cllr Joss Bigmore, said:
“Thank you all for continuing to play your part in following the government guidance and keeping your loved ones and neighbours safe. The pandemic is far from over but thanks to our incredible vaccination programme we are able to cautiously take steps to freedom. Monday’s milestone sees all legal restrictions ease and will provided us with hope as we move in the right direction . However the number of cases in our borough, county and country are rising and I urge everyone to exercise social responsibility and as the government suggests please do continue to wash your hands, wear a face covering in crowded places and keep a distance from others. Please also use the free lateral flow testing kits twice a week and if you have symptoms please book a PCR test on the government website. Coronavirus (Covid 19) is something we must learn to live with now.
“I also encourage all adults over the age of 18 to get vaccinated. You can book a vaccination through the NHS booking service. Getting vaccinated reduces the chance of infection leading to hospitalisation and death. According to Public Health England vaccines have already saved around 27,000 lives.
” From 29th July until the end of August, the GP-led vaccination service based at G Live managed by local GP Federation, Procare Health will re-locate to George Abbott School in Guildford. The re-location is timed with the easing of lockdown restrictions and the phased return to hosting events at G Live, which is run by HQ Theatres on behalf of us. There are some brilliant shows coming up, which you can see on the G Live website.
“To help protect residents from Coronavirus (Covid-19) Surrey County Council have set up a mobile testing unit in Guildford, at Sutherland Memorial Park on select days from Friday 23 July. Appointments can be booked the night before, with some extra afternoon slots made available at lunchtime on each day. You’ll find more information on our website. “Now that more than half of the population have been vaccinated, the government has confirmed that legal restrictions are being lifted. Again, we although not a legal requirement, there are a number of ways we can continue to keep our loved ones and neighbour safe.
Meet in well-ventilated areas where possible, such as outdoors or with indoors with windows open. Wear a face covering where you come into contact with people you don’t normally meet in enclosed and crowded spaces. Continue to wash your hands frequently with soap and water or use hand sanitiser. Cover your nose and mouth when you cough and sneeze, stay home if you are unwell. Use regular rapid testing, particularly when you are returning to your workplace or spending time with more vulnerable people Consider your own risks, such as you vaccination status and if you have any clinical vulnerabilities. “It is fantastic that we can begin to look forward to a life more as we knew it before the pandemic but we must be cautious and move forward steadily. For us the past 16 months has seen our Future Guildford Transformation Programme modernise and improve the way we work to not only make much needed sizeable savings of £8m but to better need your needs. You can now register for your own MyGuildford account on our website to access service, pay bills and much more.
He added: “There is so much to do across our borough especially in summer. Visit one of parks or green spaces or heritage sites, take a dip in our free paddling or dive into our Lido. There are also lots of events across our borough including on our very own High Street to look forward to this summer, see our Business Improvement District Experience Guildford website for details . Please enjoy the summer but do continue to stay alert and take responsibility for our own actions while we respect the decisions of our neighbours.
“We thank everyone who has played a part in tackling this virus, our amazing NHS colleagues and everyone who has kept us safe and who continue to work hard to do so.”
