Leader of Angus Council, Councillor David Fairweather today reiterated the council’s support to combat the rise of COVID-19 across Angus and reduce the pressure on the NHS in Tayside.
Cllr Fairweather said, “On an official call with the Chief Executive and Scottish Government officials, I made a case for Angus to remain in Level 2 in order to support local businesses while at the same time acknowledging the crucial role that Angus must play in saving lives and supporting the NHS through the Coronavirus response.
“The Chief Executive and I were concerned about the economic impact of moving up a level as the council is committed to doing all that we sensibly and realistically can to support businesses across Angus. However, the safety of the people of Angus is absolutely our number one priority.
“When we scrutinise all the data and understand the potential impact on the NHS as numbers continue to climb, we agree that Angus must move into Level 3.
“COVID-19 is in our community. I believe that everyone in Angus can be reassured that cases are reviewed daily and the situation assessed weekly.”
While these decisions are being taken on a council by council basis, there are some indicators that apply across health board areas. This is because people in Angus are reliant on the same ICU facilities as other parts of Tayside, so a regional approach is necessary.
Dr Emma Fletcher, NHS Tayside’s Director of Public Health, said, “The extra restrictions announced across all areas of Tayside are vital to stopping the infection spreading further. We really need everyone to play their part to make sure we all follow the rules.
“We are already seeing an encouraging improvement in Dundee’s position since the Level 3 measures came in last week and we are hopeful that we will see similar results across Tayside over the coming weeks.
“Our priority is to reduce the direct impact of the virus on our health, to reduce the number of people who will experience long-term effects from the infection and to save lives. If we can suppress the virus, our other health and social care services can also continue.
“Please follow the FACTS rules, keep to physical distancing at all times and do not visit each other's houses.”
or further information contact Communications@Angus.gov.uk
Remember FACTS:
Face coverings
Avoid crowded places
Clean hands regularly
Two metre distance
Self-isolate and book a test if you have symptoms
Angus Council
Angus Council works to create strong secure communities, an enterprising workforce, and sustainable development over the range of public services for which it has responsibility. We are a customer and citizen focused organisation and work to deliver accessible, effective and efficient services for the county\'s population.
