Community urged to go further than the guidelines and wear masks in busy outdoor spaces

• MAYOR of London Sadiq Khan has declared a major incident in the capital as coronavirus Covid-19 cases continue to surge with the arrival of a new, significantly more infectious, strain.

In London one in 30 is thought to be infected, and this rate increases to one in 20 in some boroughs. The situation could not be starker and our hospitals and heroic NHS staff have been pushed beyond breaking point.

Urgent operations are being cancelled, ambulances are stuck queueing outside hospitals, and critical care is under intense pressure.

This is why it is absolutely vital that we stay at home and only leave our front doors for essential reasons. Each bit of unnecessary contact we have puts ourselves and others at risk.

I am also encouraging members of the community to go further than the guidelines and wear masks in busy outdoor spaces, such as supermarket queues and town centres.

While we play our part in containing the virus, the government must immediately increase the support available for those who need to self-isolate, increasing statutory sick pay so it is equivalent to the London Living Wage; and abolishing NRPF, no recourse to public funds.

MURAD QURESHI AM
Labour Londonwide Assembly Member