Council vehicles show council safety message to stop spread of Covid
Hundreds of council vehicles are displaying vital Covid-19 safety messages across Walsall in a bid to help stop rising cases in the town.
Liveries with the key advice now adorn Walsall Council’s 250 plus fleet of vehicles, in addition to the existing messages that were placed on the authority’s bin lorries earlier this year.
Earlier this week, figures revealed Walsall now had one of the highest rates of confirmed coronavirus cases in the West Midlands.
Councillor Stephen Craddock, portfolio holder for health and wellbeing, said he was disappointed at the apparent “complacency” being shown by some people in the town ignoring the rules.
The authority is ramping up communications to hammer home the message of what people need to be doing such as washing hands, wearing face masks and maintaining space.
Councillor Oliver Butler, portfolio holder for clean and green at Walsall Council said, “As we battle the second wave of the virus we have updated the liveries on our fleet to reflect the updated message of hands, face and space.
“This time the message is been added to all 250 plus vehicles in the council fleet as well as supplementing the existing messaging on our bin lorry fleet.
“I would like to thank Phil Dutton and his team in fleet along with Dave Roberts who are making this roll out happen swiftly.”
“Residents need to understand very clearly that Covid-19 is present in every Ward in Walsall, it is here now and this thing is real, it could happen to you.
“To often I see residents around Walsall ignoring this advice and going about their business seemingly without a care in the world for others, particularly their elders.
“It is becoming increasingly apparent that we all face a very difficult Winter ahead of us and are now at a critical juncture. More people are now in hospital with Covid-19 than before the March lockdown.
“Although the virus may not kill younger residents evidence is now emerging as to the debilitating effects of long Covid on younger people.
“Latest government advice indicates that the virus is now spreading from the young who are then passing the virus to the older generations, who are most as risk from Covid-19.”
