Warrington health chiefs on two-year Covid lockdown anniversary

On March 23, 2020, shops and hospitality businesses were forced to close, parents became teachers as schools shut down and workers were told to stay at home.

New parents were not able to introduce their babies to the wider family, or get the additional support they would have liked.

Meanwhile, residents lost loved ones to the awful disease of Covid-19 and were then not able to say goodbye in the way they wanted to.

Two years on, Warrington’s health leaders have been reflecting on the pandemic, offering their upmost gratitude to key workers who kept the country going and to residents for following the rules to keep each other safe.

Cllr Maureen McLaughlin, Warrington Borough Council’s cabinet member for public health and wellbeing, said: “The pandemic has been an extremely difficult time for everyone.

“Many of us have been directly affected by coronavirus, either by being ill ourselves or being unable to be with our family and friends when they were sick, in hospital, or living in a care home.

“We had many of the everyday things we took for granted taken away from us through the various lockdowns and restrictions which forced us to stay at home and businesses to close.

“I would like to thank everyone who stuck to the rules and sacrificed so much to help keep themselves and others as safe as possible.

Today marks two years since the first coronavirus lockdown began

“I would also like to thank the amazing staff who worked on the frontline under immense pressure, including staff across the council – from care home workers and those working in social care and wellbeing services, to our waste and recycling and benefits teams – and of course our public health and public protection teams.

“They all worked tirelessly to provide care and support to our residents while keeping crucial services running.

“NHS staff worked incredibly hard to provide care to the most vulnerable people and save lives while working under huge pressure, and every one of those staff members deserve our deep and heartfelt thanks.

“We must also thank everyone who supported the vaccination programme to ensure people were protected against the virus.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the various voluntary, third sector and community groups that were on hand to provide direct support to those who needed it most.”

While we can now start to look forward to a brighter future as restrictions are removed, we must remember that the pandemic is not over, and coronavirus has not gone away.

We must therefore be kind and respectful to one another, as we have been over the past two years, remembering that some people will naturally feel slightly anxious now that the restrictions have ended.

This was echoed by Warrington’s director of public health, Thara Raj, who commented: “Coronavirus cases are currently increasing in Warrington, and this trend is also seen in other local authority areas, regionally and nationally.

“Our NHS and social care system is under significant pressure. Covid-19 is not just like catching a cold, a number of our residents have become very poorly very quickly and are taking a long time to recover.

Thara Raj, Warrington's director of public health

“We know how to reduce transmission of the virus by washing our hands, keeping our distance from others and meeting in well-ventilated places, wearing a face covering in crowded or enclosed public spaces, getting vaccinated, and self-isolating if you have symptoms – a high temperature, a new continuous cough, a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste.

“Following these measures will help to keep people in Warrington safe and well.”

The best way we can keep each other safe is to ensure we are vaccinated against the virus, and this is the call being issued by Dr Andrew Davies, clinical chief officer for NHS Warrington Clinical Commissioning Group.

He added: “The second anniversary of the first national lockdown is another opportunity to mark the tireless contributions to the pandemic response made by NHS staff, GPs and other primary care staff, our public and third sector colleagues and a significant number of volunteers.

“It is also a chance to thank the people of Warrington for supporting the NHS by following the safety measures that were place. You all played a vital role in fighting Covid-19.

“Since the start of the pandemic, 123,389 people – or 75 per cent of those aged 18 and above – have had both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine and a booster across Warrington.

“I am extremely proud of everyone involved in the vaccination programme, including all the volunteers, health and care providers and wider stakeholders for the vital work they have done – and continue to do – to keep people safe.

“Covid-19 is still here, so it is important that we all continue to take precautions and adhere to measures where they are still in place.

“If you have not been vaccinated yet, I would encourage you to come forward as soon as possible, as it is never too late and the sites will offer you a warm welcome.”