A WEST Yorkshire council leader has urged people to "not give up hope" as covid-19 restrictions are reintroduced across Bradford, Calderdale and Kirklees in a blanket approach.

From Tuesday, September 22, there will be a ban on socialising with other people outside of their own households or support bubble in private homes and gardens.

Some wards across each of the local authorities were removed from local restrictions in August but they will now be subject to the ban once again.

In response to the announcement, the Leader of Calderdale Council, Cllr Tim Swift, said: “We understand residents’ frustration and concern following this news, and we really feel for everyone affected. For Halifax residents it means more time away from loved ones, and for those in the Calder Valley, another change to their lives. 

“This is not the news we would have wished for, and we know this is difficult to hear for many people, but we do understand that the safety of our community must always come first.

“Sadly, infection rates are rising significantly across the whole of Calderdale and throughout the country. We can all still make a difference by following guidance, washing our hands, social distancing, wearing face coverings and limiting time with other people. COVID-19 will unfortunately be part of our lives for months to come, and these are the things we all need to keep doing together to protect each other.

“It’s also vital to get tested if we have symptoms of COVID-19. We recognise that people may be concerned about the national issues with test availability at the moment, but as the infection rate is increasing, it’s really important to book a test and stay at home for 10 days if we have symptoms, as this will stop the virus spreading further.

“The Council, our partner organisations and our communities continue to do all we can to control COVID-19. Our local contact tracing system is working well, helping us to understand the local situation in more detail and contain outbreaks. Our fantastic contact tracing team is using local knowledge to get extra insight into how the infection is spreading in Calderdale. We are not finding any single cause for the spread of cases in our area, but as we learn more about local cases we’ll be able to continue to take targeted action where it is going to have the most impact.

“Let’s not give up hope, let’s not blame anyone, let’s stay kind and compassionate. Together we can beat this.”