“Don’t spread the virus to the ones you love”

Cllr Mark Cory, Leader of Colchester Council, has issued the following urgent statement to all residents

“Don’t spread the virus to the ones you love”

After seeing the mounting evidence, the public health advice and hearing the real-life experiences of doctors on the frontline, it is clear we must not visit our mothers and family today.

I love my mum. Of course, I would love to see her and spoil her today. I don’t think I have ever missed a Mother’s Day – but this will have to be the first.

The stakes are now extremely high, and the increasing spread of Coronavirus is very serious. We are following the same pattern as Italy and our NHS simply cannot cope.

I completely understand why people are not yet isolating and withdrawing from their normal lives and habitats; most of us have not seen anyone locally die from the virus or feel the real-life reality behind the rising figures of our dead. But I would seriously ask you to consider your actions today and in the coming days.

If we take the extreme but necessary actions of isolation and lockdown, we may be able to avoid the tragedy unfolding in Italy. Yesterday, 793 people died in just one day. Acting now may even be too late – we are only days behind the Italy caseloads. The truly dangerous symptoms of the virus lag at least 10 days behind the current figures. Not isolating will risk lives. Visiting your family members may risk their lives.

I know we are not like China. We have greater choice and freedoms in our lives, and this is something we celebrate. But we need to make the right choice today. Otherwise, there may be much less to celebrate in the future. China’s lockdown in Wuhan worked. We must learn and act now. Don’t let history repeat itself.

As the Leader of your Council, serving almost 200,000 residents, I ask you all to do the right thing and stay at home. As a fellow resident, a neighbour and as a loving son, I urge you, today, to stay at home.

Mark Cory

Leader of Colchester Borough Council