A message from Darrell Gale, Director of Public Health for East Sussex

“We’re seeing a worrying rise in Covid infections in parts of East Sussex. We must act now to change this trend, or our lives will get much more difficult.

“The number of people with new cases of Covid has doubled in the Hastings area in recent days and is climbing sharply in Rother. We aren’t seeing the same rises in other parts of the county yet, but that could change quickly.

“The good news is that we can control this situation together. We need to do all these things:

• Don’t meet anyone indoors unless they’re part of your household (or a support bubble).
• Reduce social contact where you can. The fewer people we see, the less the virus spreads.
• If you must go out, avoid crowded places. For instance, pick less busy times if you need to go shopping
• If you get Covid-like symptoms, even a mild cough, self-isolate and book a test – they’re easy to arrange at a site near you
• Think carefully about your Christmas socialising. Up to three households will be able to meet in a ‘bubble’ from 23-27 December. But could you manage with less contact just for this year?

“If we all choose to take these actions (and keep washing hands and covering faces), we’ll be able to put the virus into reverse in East Sussex. We’re in the medium tier (high alert) of Covid restrictions but the Government will review this next week.

“The actions you, your family and your friends take will decide what happens next. None of us wants tighter restrictions.

“We can change this, together.”