With East Lothian now being in COVID-19 Protection Level 2, the importance of doing the right thing is being highlighted by Council and Police leaders.

The recent progress which has been made in curbing its spread is fragile – which is why everyone must continue to follow the various rules, including those on travel, in order to keep ourselves and others safe.

Key points:

  • People should not travel from Level 2 areas into Level 3 or 4 local authority areas, unless it is essential.
  • Edinburgh and Midlothian are local authority areas which will remain in Level 3 at this time.
  • People should not travel from Level 3 or 4 areas into East Lothian if their journey is unnecessary.

You can read more about Protection Level 2 on the Scottish Government website.

There is also a page with specific travel advice. 

Chief Inspector Neil Mitchell, East Lothian Area Commander, said:

"We recognise the significant sacrifices people have made over the past few months and know that the new restrictions will continue to have an impact on the way we live our lives.

"The Chief Constable has made it clear that we are asking people to take personal responsibility to do the right thing and remember the purpose of these measures is to aid the collective effort to stay safe, protect others and save lives by preventing the virus from spreading.

"We know that public confidence in our policing approach is high and the vast majority of the public have continued to comply with the law.

"Our approach throughout the pandemic has been to engage with the public, explain the legislation and guidance, and encourage compliance, using enforcement only as a last resort, and that will continue."

Depute Council Leader Norman Hampshire said:

“Although the move from Protection Level 3 to 2 is welcome, we are by no means out of the woods.

“The last thing we want to see is a return to more severe restrictions in the weeks and months ahead, which would be damaging for public health as well as East Lothian’s businesses.

“It’s essential that everyone continues to follow health advice including the wearing of face coverings where appropriate, avoiding crowded places, cleaning hands regularly, keeping to 2m social distancing and self-isolating and seeking a test if experiencing symptoms such as loss of taste or smell and developing a new cough.

“I would strongly urge people from East Lothian not to travel into Level 3 or 4 local authority areas, where there may be higher numbers of people carrying the virus, unless it’s absolutely essential. 

“Edinburgh and Midlothian remain in Level 3 at this time. That means East Lothian residents should not enter Edinburgh or Midlothian for non-essential purposes.

“Also I’m afraid that people from Level 3 or 4 areas cannot visit East Lothian for non-essential reasons at this time. We look forward to giving you a warm welcome as soon as it is safe to do so and Government rules allow it.

“I would encourage people from East Lothian to make use of local shops and businesses. As highlighted by our ‘Stay Safe, Support Local, Love East Lothian’ campaign, there is a wide variety of fantastic products and services available to purchase locally – whether it’s essentials for at home or Christmas presents.

“I’d like to thank the people of East Lothian for their patience, understanding and co-operation – this is what has made the difference in reducing the infection rate in the county. We need your ongoing support to make further progress in the weeks and months ahead.”

Published: Tuesday, 24th November 2020