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SHETLAND’s police chief has added his voice to calls for people to act responsibly over the festive period and beyond by adhering to the new tougher Covid regulations coming into force on Boxing Day.
As yet another new strain of the Covid virus has been discovered and more counties in England are placed under the toughest restrictions in the country, the rules imposed on Shetland are – at least at the moment – significantly more lenient.
However, a new case of Covid-19 has been confirmed today (Wednesday) that is linked to the case identified earlier in the week.
Area commander chief inspector Lindsay Tulloch said: “We recognise the significant sacrifices people have made this year but the Chief Constable [Iain Livingstone] has made it clear that we continue to ask people to take personal responsibility to do the right thing.
“Please follow the regulations and guidance, and remember the purpose of these measures is to aid the collective effort to stay safe, protect others and save lives by preventing the virus from spreading.”
As part of the level three measures, which will be in place from Saturday, household visits will be banned, although meeting friends and family will still be possible outside and, in a restricted fashion, without alcohol and only until 6pm in cafes and restaurants.
On Christmas Day up to eight adults from no more than three households are allowed to come together to celebrate, plus children under the age of 12 from these households. This is now law and not just advice.
Once Shetland has moved into level three the following rules apply for visits to care homes:
- essential visits continue;
- indoor visits with one designated person for up to four hours once a week;
- garden visits with six max people from no more than two different households 60 minutes once a week.
Meanwhile, Royal Mail has confirmed that postal services to Europe have been suspended in the light of the coronavirus variants in the UK. Post offices will not accept any mail destined for Europe.
A spokesman said: “This is a fast-moving situation and we are monitoring things on an hourly basis.
“We are working to keep as many international mail services running as possible given the ongoing restrictions around air, road, ferry and train movements to and from the UK.
“Royal Mail has temporarily suspended all mail services to Europe, with the exception of the Republic of Ireland. We are keeping the situation under close review with a view to reinstating services.
“Customers should check our website for regular updates. There may also be delays on mail services into the UK as a result of the current restrictions.”
Below is a summary of the level three measures.
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