The following article by Depute Leader Cammy Day was published in today's Edinburgh Evening News:
We find ourselves in very strange times and as we adapt to these significant changes in our day to day lives, I want to give my thanks to all of you who have taken this seriously and are abiding by the guidance. There’s been a great response from the people of Edinburgh to help our great city through the pandemic and your kindness, generosity and willingness in these difficult times is a reflection of all that is best about this city and its people.
It was a sad but positive sight to see our streets so empty at the weekend, and as the bank holiday approaches I urge you to please continue, Please stay home and stay safe this Easter Weekend.
I want to thank residents for respecting social distancing measures in our parks and greenspaces, we’ve found our parks to be largely quiet and being used responsibly.
However, the Easter Bank Holiday weekend may tempt people to venture out. Normally, the Easter holidays would include catching up with family and friends and spending time outside in the many parks and greenspaces in Edinburgh. Please, I urge you, to stay at home – we must follow the advice from experts. We must protect ourselves, protect our family and loved ones, protect the NHS and help to save lives.
We’re all longing for our routines and a sense of normality. But right now, our main priority is to protect our local communities. Remember your daily exercise needs to be within walking distance of your home so please explore the parks and greenspaces you can reach from your own doorstep. Cars should only be used for essential journeys only.
When out, please observe social distancing protocols by staying at least 2m away from other people and avoid touching surfaces and use gloves or hand gel if you need to open gates. Don’t stop to eat or drink, keep dogs on a lead or under close control and don’t let them approach other people and please take your litter and dog poo bags home with you.
Thanks everyone for working with us – this is a collective community effort and I’m incredibly proud of the positive Edinburgh response and how we’ve adapted to significant changes in our day-to-day lives.
I believe we will all be altered by this period in our lives – for many it will be a new appreciation for things we took for granted and sadly for others, lives will be forever changed due to the direct impact on our loved ones. My thoughts are with them and their families.
As a Council we are completely focussed on preparing for what lies ahead over the next days, weeks and months in the Capital. Several service changes have been implemented by the Council to help limit the impact of the coronavirus outbreak including the closure of culture venues and establishing Local Council Resilience Centres. We’re doing everything we can to keep vital services running and keep residents informed and supported.
As we all adjust to these new measures, it has been reassuring to see how well people have adapted to quite unique and challenging circumstances. And I want to thank you for that. There has been a monumental community effort being made to tackle the effects of coronavirus and the need to look out for each other now more than ever. Being a good neighbour and taking care of those who need help in your building, street or immediate community is going to help get us through - Volunteer Edinburgh has advice and information on how you can help.
There is no denying it, it’s hard going but I honestly feel that by doing the hard bit now – the quicker we’ll be on the other side of this. Please keep safe and strong together.
Further information on services, support and how to report any concerns can be found on the Council website. If you’re experiencing an emergency or critical situation, please call 0131 200 2000.
This article was published in the Edinburgh Evening News on Wednesday, 8 April.