The Government must provide help for Plymouth businesses that are unable to re-open as the city remains a Tier 2 High Alert area, Council Leader Tudor Evans says.
Many pubs and bars will have to remain closed as in High Alert areas alcohol can only be served with substantial meals.
Councillor Evans, who chairs Plymouth’s Local Outbreak Engagement Board, said: “This year has been an incredibly hard year for everyone and I know many people have been hoping to see a relaxation of the tier restrictions, not least those businesses that are hit hardest by them.
“We are very aware that many businesses are fighting for survival due to the current restrictions. They need help to keep going through what would usually be their busiest time. We are calling for the Government to ensure they receive the support they need to help them stay afloat.
“While, the announcement will be disappointing for many, especially as Plymouth has been successful in getting the number of cases down compared to many other areas of the country, the virus still poses a very significant risk in our city.
“The number of cases can rise very rapidly, as we saw last month. We need to take full advantage of the current measures to keep the number of people getting coronavirus to a minimum while we wait for the vaccine to be rolled out. This will help continue to save lives and protect the NHS.
“There is light at the end of the tunnel with the vaccinations now starting to be given to the highest risk groups but this process is going to take several months. In the meantime, it is as important as ever that we all do our bit to keep ourselves, our families and our community safe.”
Ruth Harrell, Director of Public Health for Plymouth, said: “Plymouth has done a great job so far in reducing the spread of coronavirus and we are fortunate that the rate of cases in the city is currently below both the regional and national averages. However, the Government’s decision to keep Plymouth as a Tier 2 High Alert area reflects its assessment of the level of risk the virus still poses to our community.
“While the number of COVID-19 cases in Plymouth has fallen since reaching a peak in mid-November, the virus is still very much with us and the numbers have started to rise again in recent days.
“This shows that now is not the time to relax our guards, especially as the Christmas holiday period will bring greater risks as families and friends will want to get together indoors. We must remain very cautious and do the right thing to protect our families, carefully considering the risks before mixing households, especially if we have family members who are potentially vulnerable.
“Now is also not the time to relax on the measures we are now so familiar with: washing our hands frequently for 20 seconds, wearing face coverings in confined public spaces and keeping our distance from others. These really do make a huge difference to whether the virus spreads or not.
“I would urge everyone to take care and have a safe Christmas break.”