There is much anger locally about the swiftness of the measures adopted by the Welsh government regarding our local lockdown-lite (known officially as a local health protection zone and here, the clue is in the name). Here's some reaction, with spelling and grammar corrected where appropriate:
'It's a joke... with most infections created by people going to each others homes... you are less lightly to catch [it] outside anywhere'.
But that's exactly what the lockdown-lite is attempting to do i.e. stop transmission within homes. Virtually all businesses can stay open provided mitigation is in place.
'Does the whole of the county really merit this draconian local restriction or should it be targeted on the actual locations of concern?'
That's the $64,000 question. The Track Trace Protect system was unable to pinpoint a specific area or hotspot. There were several outbreaks associated with schools, one of which was in Llandyrnog, another in Tremerichion, a suspected case in Denbigh High and no doubt others, as well as school cases where you might expect them, in Rhyl; there is a increase in infections among care home staff though not thankfully yet among residents; and a small pub-related cluster. The biggest route for transmission, however, is within households, hence this no longer being an option under lockdown-lite.
As stated, most businesses may remain open.
It's said had we locked down one week earlier this March, the death rate would've been halved
'We don't seem to have anywhere near as many cases as down south. It seems an overreaction in my opinion'
It seems that the four preserved Clwyd counties are heading in the wrong direction. We are approaching a tipping point. We need to learn from the South where the virus is on the verge of being out of control and there is a strong sense of a loss of control. We need to avoid the snowball and mushroom effect. The rules may be unpleasant but then again so is the disease and its consequences.
It seems that the four preserved Clwyd counties are heading in the wrong direction. We are approaching a tipping point. We need to learn from the South where the virus is on the verge of being out of control and there is a strong sense of a loss of control. We need to avoid the snowball and mushroom effect. The rules may be unpleasant but then again so is the disease and its consequences.
'Can say that lockdown before was hard enough on small businesses in town and just as things were starting to look up it back'
Rhuthun/Ruthin remains open for business—but that's at post-virus levels of patronage, productivity and cost. The lockdown is very specific and doesn't affect most businesses any further than the June easing. All shops, pubs, cafés, restaurants, hairdressers & barbers, gyms and the leisure centre can continue to trade and any decision to close will be specifically by those who run their businesses. We may no longer travel to other towns and this will help Rhuthun although, of course, it means others from outside the county should not be coming to us.Or staying with us. This will impact on the hospitality sector but at least the season's almost over. At least they've benefitted from a decent though damp August and an Indian summer (there were some tourists around on September 29th).
That said, there doesn't appear to be any evidence that tourists brought the virus with them (even along the coast where visitor numbers were in the millions).
What can and probably will affect local businesses is the reticence in the face of lockdown-lite on the part of some people to visit any shop and instead divert their expenditure to Amazon.
Tags:
Coronavirus