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Nottinghamshire people urged to play their part during national lockdown

England has entered a national lockdown for at least six weeks. The Government made this decision due to the significant number of coronavirus cases rising rapidly across the country, including Nottinghamshire. 

The Government is urging everyone to stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives. You must not leave your home except for essential circumstances which include to:

• shop for basic necessities, for you or a vulnerable person
• go to work, or provide voluntary or charitable services, if you cannot reasonably do so from home
• exercise with your household (or support bubble) or one other person, this should be limited to once per day, and you should not travel outside your local area.
• meet your support bubble or childcare bubble where necessary, but only if you are legally permitted to form one
• seek medical assistance or avoid injury, illness or risk of harm (including domestic abuse)
• attend education or childcare - for those eligible

As part of the national guidance, colleges, primary and secondary schools will remain open only for vulnerable children and the children of critical workers. All other children will learn remotely until February half term. Early Years settings remain open. Higher Education courses will remain online until mid-February for all except future critical worker courses.

Jonathan Gribbin, Director of Public Health for Nottinghamshire said: “The lockdown announced last night is a necessary measure to address the threat caused by COVID-19 and the new variant which is driving an increase in rates in many parts of the country. We are also seeing sharp increases across Nottinghamshire and these will result in severe pressures in our local health and social care system. Bringing the rates under control requires these strict measures and for all of us to follow them. In doing so, we keep people in Nottinghamshire safe and enable all our children and young people to get back to school as soon as possible.

“The new measures last for at least six weeks so my challenge to the people of Nottinghamshire is to see this as an opportunity to do all you can to protect yourself, your family and local people you may not even know by staying at home as far as possible and sticking to the Hands, Face and Space rules. It really is as simple as that. Doing so will help bring down the rates just as we did when we worked together in the first lockdown in the spring of 2020.”

Find out more about the national lockdown rules. 

During these difficult times, it's more important than ever for everyone to look after their mental health and wellbeing. If anyone is looking for emotional support or information, you are encouraged to visit the Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust website for mental health support.  Alternatively, call the mental health advice line on 0300 555 0730 (9am-11pm, 7 days a week) or crisis line on 0808 196 3779 (available 24/7).