High Peak MP says fight against Covid-19 is far from over

Parts of northern England are under new rules on social gatherings, banning separate households from meeting indoors or in gardens.

Although these new rules do not apply to High Peak, it affects many of us, like me, who have family in these places.

I know how difficult this must be, but these rules are necessary to avoid a second spike in the region.

We are also seeing the number of coronavirus cases in many European countries starting to increase again.

The Government has been swift to act, postponing the further relaxation of the lockdown for certain businesses for at least two weeks.

This has been bitterly disappointing for so many people, and I am especially sorry for those who have been forced to cancel their wedding at the last minute.

But to avoid another national lockdown, it is essential that the Government can act decisively to keep this virus under control.

Since this pandemic began, I have been calling on ministers to learn vital lessons to prepare us for the future.

The Government is putting huge resources into preparing the NHS for this coming winter and I welcome the move to extend free flu vaccinations to over-50s.

It is also good news that testing capacity has increased 100-fold.

A new contact tracing system has been launched, leading to over 184,000 people isolating instead of spreading the virus.

New treatments like dexamethasone and remdesivir are now available to help people recover and save more lives.

We all still have a part to play in containing the virus.

This means washing our hands frequently, wearing a face covering in shops and on public transport, and maintaining social distancing at all times.

If you have Covid-19 symptoms, please get tested and engage with NHS test and trace if contacted.

If people do not behave safely then we will see the return of restrictions.

To overcome this virus, we must continue to follow the rules and build on the progress we have made so far.

Robert Largan is MP for High Peak.