Council staff visiting supermarkets to check on Covid rules compliance
Council officials in the region are visiting supermarkets to make sure coronavirus rules are being followed.
It comes as Wolverhampton Council leader Ian Brookfield urged people to report rule breakers in shops and businesses.
West Midlands Police have said they will only intervene as “last resort”.
Wolverhampton’s Director of Public Health, John Denley, and Chief Supt Andy Beard of Wolverhampton Police have written to supermarkets and other key retailers asking them to review their Covid-19 risk assessments.
It follows a dramatic rise in infection rates locally and nationally, driven in part by a new, more contagious variant of Covid-19.
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Mr Denley said: “We have started to receive more reports from shoppers about Covid-19 rule-breaking within stores being ignored, and being accepted. This is both concerning and alarming given that around one in 40 people in Wolverhampton currently have the virus.
“At this time, our city’s priorities must be to look after our most vulnerable residents, protect the NHS and save lives. We all have a collective responsibility to deliver this. So, we are writing to supermarkets and other major retailers in the city – who have done an incredible job continuing to serve customers throughout the pandemic – outlining the steps they need to take to keep their staff and customers safe.”
Councillor Brookfield has urged local people to report Covid-19 rule-breaking in shops, businesses and workplaces to council enforcement officers.
Stark warning
He has issued a stark warning as Covid cases surge in the city and deaths continue to rise: “obey the rules – or face a fine”.
The number of people in the city’s New Cross Hospital with the virus is now around 300.
Councillor Brookfield said: “We are facing a very grave situation and we need everyone to understand this is serious – families and lives are at stake.
“Premises flouting the rules are risking lives – it’s as simple as that. We need to know about this so that our enforcement officers can work with local police to take action and stamp it out.”
West Midlands Mayor Andy Street has urged people to act now as the situation hospitals are facing with coronavirus is serious and “only going to get worse” over the coming days.
Dudley Council officers and police will be visiting supermarkets together over the coming days.
Stafford Borough Council and Cannock Chase District Council officers have already been visiting businesses including supermarkets.
A spokesman for Cannock Chase said: “At Cannock Chase Council our Environmental Health Officers are already visiting supermarkets every week to support them to do all they can to keep staff and customers safe. This includes staff and customers wearing face coverings, store capacities being monitored, effective cleaning is being done and that staff are isolating when necessary.”
A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: “Retailers and their staff should encourage customers to wear face coverings inside their premises.
“Our involvement should be a last resort for situations where all efforts from retail staff have been exhausted, customers refuse to leave or staff are facing aggression.”
Staffordshire Police said Covid marshalls are already on hand throughout the county and retailers are mainly taking it upon themselves to adhere to the rules
