The new national lockdown is “absolutely necessary in order to save lives” according to Surrey County Council’s leader.
Councillor Tim Oliver addressed the new lockdown laws, which were announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday evening.
Under the new restrictions, schools will move to remote learning for most students, expect for vulnerable children and the children of critical workers.
Surrey’s Community Recycling Centres will stay open under the new restrictions, but the ‘Revive Reuse’ shops will close.
Councillor Oliver added: “While this news is not wholly unexpected, it has a huge impact on all our lives and it is not the start to 2021 that we had hoped for.
“However, it is clear from public health data and the pressure across our National Health Service that these measures are absolutely necessary in order to save lives.
“I want to reassure everybody in Surrey that the County Council will continue to do everything we possibly can to guide our residents and businesses through this latest stage in our response to COVID-19.
“We have been at the forefront of the response here since the first UK transmitted case was reported in Surrey in February last year.
“Together with our partners of the Local Resilience Forum, we have worked tirelessly to protect residents and equip our frontline services.
“We will step up support to the most vulnerable, frontline services, and work with our education providers over the coming days, and continue to communicate openly with residents.
“We will not stop. And together, we will endure again and get through to better days ahead.”
Primary schools, secondary schools and colleges in the county have moved to remote learning with immediate effect and school and college buildings remain closed to all other pupils.
Vulnerable children and children of critical workers will continue to have access to face-to-face learning at school, college and nursery.
If you are a critical worker, talk to your existing provider or school in the first instance to arrange your child’s schooling.
Nurseries and early years education remain unaffected by these announcements, although you should continue to look out for information from your local provider.
Special schools and pupil referral units are expected to remain unaffected by these announcements. Continue to look out for information from your local provider.
A Surrey County Council spokesperson added: “Some schools, colleges and early years settings may be affected by staff availability and capacity. In these circumstances, robust risk assessments will be used determine whether vulnerable learners, children of key workers and early years pupils can attend in person. Schools, colleges and nurseries will communicate directly with parents in this eventuality.”
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