MAYOR DAN JARVIS RESPONDS TO GOVERNMENT LIFTING OF PLAN B RESTRICTIONS

Published 21 January 2022 at 5:10pm

Speaking about the changes to Covid-19 guidance Mayor Dan Jarvis said:

"From this week Government will remove all Plan B restrictions, including the legal requirement to wear a face covering on bus, tram, and train.

While COVID cases are declining, they remain very high at around 100,000 a day. Hospital admissions are around 1,800 a day – higher than the peak a year ago – and we are still seeing around 300 deaths a day. The NHS is under greater pressure than ever.  

We are on a positive trajectory, but there is a real question whether the lifting of some of these restrictions – especially the mask mandate – reflects the reality of the continuing public health risk.   

We will continue a cautious approach on our public transport network across South Yorkshire. While the government has removed the formal requirement to wear a face covering, in order to protect the NHS and the people who rely on our public transport network, we continue to strongly encourage their use on busses, in our interchanges, and indeed any confined public space."