Statement from Mayor of Newham, Rokhsana Fiaz OBE, on Covid-19 Tier 2 restrictions

Mayor of Newham, Rokhsana Fiaz OBE, commenting on today’s announcement that London will be moving to Tier 2, said: “The disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on Newham residents has been devastating, that’s why it’s crucial that we do all that we can to rapidly slow down the transmission of the virus in our communities. Over recent weeks, as we’ve seen the rise in Covid-19 infections in Newham and across London, I’ve been working with other leaders in London to demand that the government give us the resources to boost our test and trace capacity locally and provide Councils with the money we need to support our communities.

The escalation to Tier Two for London is a necessary circuit breaker to reduce infections in Newham, which are now reaching almost 100 cases per 100,000 population along with increases in hospital admissions. But we need more money to avert the economic catastrophe facing our residents and local businesses as we head into further restrictions from midnight on Friday.

The government must also urgently improve its national approach in the fight against Covid-19, as its current strategy has been diabolical and is unravelling. Once again, the government is offloading its responsibility to millions of families facing hardship and destitution, and that’s why a short national circuit-breaker also has to be implemented for to help us bring down the reproduction rate of the virus.

I know that all of us have had to make a lot of sacrifices since the start of the pandemic earlier this year, causing anxiety, especially for the most vulnerable in our communities and for our local businesses. But for the safety of all of us in Newham, let’s continue to work together as we adapt to the new restrictions coming into force this weekend. Self-isolate and seek a test if you have any Covid-19 symptoms; wear a face covering in public; wash your hands frequently; keep two-metres from others, and remember you won’t be able to socialise in any indoor setting with anyone outside your household or support bubble, so please don’t put yourself and others at risk by ignoring this.