In response to the government’s announcement that the UK lockdown will be extended for at least another three weeks, Leader of Redbridge Council, Jas Athwal issued the following statement:

“I know many of you will be feeling daunted and perhaps overwhelmed at the prospect of yet another three weeks in lockdown.

“In many cases, this will mean people continuing to remain apart from close family. I know how tough that must be. This has affected us all in some shape or form.

“At the same time, we cannot ignore the stark fact that nearly 14,000 people in the UK have lost their lives to COVID-19. The situation is gravely serious. While I understand people will have been hoping for a relaxation of the rules and a return to normality, we’re are not at that juncture yet.

“Instead, please continue to abide by social distancing guidelines, follow the Government and NHS advice and stay safe and well. If we all continue to follow the guidelines hopefully we’ll able to return to our normal day-to-day lives soon.

“Remember to only leave the house for the following reasons:

“-To buy essential food or medicine

“-To help others in need

“-To travel to work, if you can’t work from home

“-To exercise once a day, alone, or with members of your household

“Please remember that our hospitals and fantastic NHS staff are working extremely hard – and we must do our bit to protect them by staying at home and saving lives.

“This won’t last forever. If we follow this simple, yet essential advice, I know that we’ll all get through this and be stronger for it.”