Residents are being urged to stay safe and protect themselves and others by enjoying half term responsibly, as Warrington moves into tier 3 restrictions.
Schools across Warrington break for October half term, with some doing so last week, for one or two weeks. The council is urging everyone to play their part to help protect loved ones and wider communities.
Warrington has seen consistently high case numbers of coronavirus, so residents must take extra caution this half term if they are going into the town centre or other public areas.
There are lots of fun, safe activities that can be enjoyed at home, including getting creative by pumpkin carving, having a Halloween themed scavenger hunt, or wrapping up warm and spending time outdoors with your members of your household and support bubble.
Leader of the Council, Cllr Russ Bowden, said: “The guidance and restrictions in place throughout Warrington are to help us drive down the number of coronavirus cases. Moving into tier 3 is one of many important steps we need to take as a town to try and reduce transmission of the virus.
“In Warrington, our case numbers remain stubbornly high, so we need to balance the social and wellbeing needs of our residents, while taking every possible precaution to reduce the risk of transmission.
“We must all continue to adhere to the current restrictions and guidance to stay in control of the spread of the virus – particularly during the half term holiday, but I’m positive that families in Warrington can still enjoy the break from school safely.”
From tomorrow, Warrington will move to Tier 3. This means that as of 00.01am on Tuesday 27 October:
- You must not socialise with anybody you don’t live with, unless you have formed a household or childcare support bubble, in any indoor setting or venue – including homes or restaurants
- You must not socialise with anybody you don’t live with, unless you have formed a household or childcare support bubble, in any private garden, or at most outdoor hospitality venues and ticketed events
- You must not socialise in a group of more than six in an outdoor public space, like parks
- You should avoid travelling outside Warrington wherever possible – only essential journeys, such as for work or caring responsibilities, should be made
It’s also important to remember the basics – wash your hands, cover your face and maintain space from others, and maintain a single, consistent household support or childcare bubble. You should self-isolate if you, or any member of your household, develop coronavirus symptoms, or if you are told to do so via the NHS Test and Trace app or a contact tracer.
Cllr Matt Smith, cabinet member for children’s services, said: “We understand that it’s challenging for parents and carers to keep children and young people entertained and not spend time with their extended friendship groups, but this remains vital to controlling the spread of the virus in Warrington.
“If you have high school aged children who want to be out and about with their friends over half term, please have this difficult conversation with them, explaining why we must not lose focus and that we all need to continue to work together to follow the rules to keep everyone as safe as possible.”
We’ve put together some ideas for low risk activities to keep you and your family entertained during October half term:
Get creative
Break out the felt tips, colouring pencils and crafts and get the kids to have a go at pumpkin carving or creating autumn-themed posters – display colourful pumpkins, or hang a trail of autumnal leaves in your windows.
Bake some treats
Take inspiration from the Great British Bake Off and have a go at baking some of the creations from the show, judging the entries and then enjoy eating the treats you’ve made. Take a look at the Great British Bake Off website for recipe ideas.
Enjoy the outdoors
Make the most of the opportunity to enjoy your garden and Warrington’s many parks and green spaces with your children this October. Get them involved with harvesting autumn fruit and vegetables if you have a veg patch, collecting different autumnal leaves, or teach them the traditional game of conkers!
Autumn is a fantastic time to enjoy the outdoors, particularly as the leaves are turning and there are so many different colours to see in your local park. Find out more about local parks and green spaces on the council’s website – warrington.gov.uk/parks
For more information about the current restrictions in Warrington, visit warrington.gov.uk/coronavirus
