BRADFORD residents have been urged to stay at home - despite the Government this week relaxing the conditions of lockdown.

Public health experts today called for people living across Bradford District to observe the strict lockdown for longer - going further than the Government's current message merely asking people to "stay alert."

Bradford Council has joined other local authorities across West Yorkshire in encouraging residents to put their own and others’ safety first due to new figures reveal that the "R value" in Yorkshire and the North East is the highest in England.

One further covid-19 related death recorded in Bradford

Bradford’s public health experts say it’s important not to divert from the original “Stay Home” message until the region starts to see a bigger decline in the spread of Coronavirus infections.

New figures have revealed that the R value – the rate at which the virus is transmitted - for Yorkshire and North East is the highest in England (0.8), double the number for London (0.4).

The bigger the number, the faster the virus is spreading in the community.

This week saw a number of car parks at beauty spots in the Bradford District open for the first time since lockdown, as well as the re-opening of several local tips.

As stated in the Prime Minister's public broadcast on Sunday, the Government's repeated objective has been to get the rate of infection below 1.0, before any revisions of lockdown would be considered.

Bradford’s Director of Public Health, Sarah Muckle said: "We are determined to take whatever proactive steps we can to protect our community and keep people safe and well, and that includes maintaining our ‘stay home’ focus.

“We were concerned that some people may interpret this week’s gradual relaxing of lockdown measures to think that lives have gone back to normal - but they have not.

“Stay home as much as possible, and stay safe, remains very much the right message for our community right now.

“It is a clear message that is commonly understood, and puts us in the best possible position to continue to reduce the health risk from this infection.

“It is vital that we all continue to follow it, especially with the forecast of a dry and warm week ahead, and work together to lower the risk of people spreading or catching the virus.

“To protect our community, it’s a message that will stay in force until our infection rate starts to come down to the levels that other parts of the country are now witnessing.”

Acting on advice from its local public health, the Council has reinforced six key actions that residents are being urged to continue to support:

• Work from home if you can

• Avoid public transport if possible

• Local parks and green spaces are available for your daily outdoor exercise

• Always keep your distance in public (at least 2 metres apart)

• Wash your hands regularly

• And if you or anyone in your household has Coronavirus symptoms, you must all self-isolate