After all this time, travelling up and down to London, working in Westminster and being wholly engaged in the life of our town, I was laid low myself by Covid last week and have been subsequently bound by the requirement to self-isolate for 10 days.
I’m now on the mend – helped by my double jabs – but this meant I could not vote on the Covid restrictions brought in to combat the new Omicron variant that has worried the experts and the Government. It is doubling every two days.
With Christmas on the horizon, so important a time for families and to our hospitality sector, the timing of this wave of new infection has magnified its impact. The restrictions proposed were in themselves modest. There was no vote to impose vaccine passports – something I would not support - and no mandatory vaccination for the population mandated either.
The Prime Minister has a difficult balancing act to achieve. If he did too little to try and halt the variant’s advance, he would be criticised for it and if he does too much, he imperils people’s livelihoods during the vital Christmas period and faces criticism for that too. With precautionary event cancellations, I am concerned for our businesses.
I welcome the Government’s ambition to booster jab all adults by the end of this month.
In Eastbourne we have recently been ahead of the national picture with getting booster into arms and I hope this continues. The NHS is now ramping up capacity across East Sussex and I thank all those involved: the nurses, GPs and volunteers who are making a huge difference to our town by stepping forward to get this job completed.
Our DGH will also be a vaccine hub, open to the public and on the national booking centre.
Omicron is a serious setback but this time last year was an incredibly tough time and we are not in that same position. The vaccines we have look to be effective against it and we have new treatments too that are helping to cut hospitalisations and deaths from the virus.
Losing a loved one at any time is heartbreaking and at Christmas, that loss can feel especially painful, even years on. I know it has been for me, thinking of my Dad and of the baby girl I lost.
This is why each year the Tree of Light down at the Congress Theatre is so important.
Organised by Rotary Clubs of Eastbourne, this is an important focal point for many during the Christmas season.
I tied a ribbon for my loved ones and it is always incredibly moving to see many others come forward to tie their own.
Huge thanks to Mel and all the team for organising this event which means so much to so many people in our town.
And despite Omicron - and with all the well-established safety measures in place - there are festive treats to be enjoyed in town this year. I am very much looking forward to life beyond self-isolation again.
Take especially good care and keep in touch.
