Scarborough Covid-19 task force aims to curb infections

Covid-19 public health messages in North Yorkshire are being undermined by some people, a councillor has warned.

The warning comes as members of a task force knock on residents' doors in Scarborough and Whitby in a bid to curb high infection rates in the area.

The county is currently in tier two - high alert - and has an infection rate of 263 cases per 100,000 people.

Scarborough Council cabinet member Michelle Donohue-Moncrieff said: "We are too high going into Christmas."

Rising virus rates were "a major concern", North Yorkshire County Council recently said, citing "community and household transmission".

Ms Donohue-Moncrieff said: "We all wanted a respite from a difficult year, but unfortunately we have to come out and keep reminding people.

She added there was "almost a concerted effort by some members of the community to undermine every public health message".

A direct approach was therefore necessary as "people pick up the media in such diverse ways", she said.

A team of 40 people from the police, councils and other agencies is door-knocking in an effort to reinforce the public health message.

It has had a "good response" so far, according to Richard Webb, the county council's director of health.

He said: "The vast majority of people are keeping to the rules, but a small minority are letting the side down and that's where it can spread quickly."

Robert Goodwill, the area's Conservative MP, said "If people sadly keep disregarding the rules, and if they keep spreading the disease by mixing, then we are going to end up in tier three which will be very bad news for business."

Department of Health and Social Care guidance provides information on what people can and cannot do in an area in tier two of local restrictions.

Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].