A health boss is urging people to not break lockdown rules during next week's half term.

James Williams, Medway's director of public health, said he understood the challenges parents were going through, but stressed there was still a way to go before we could get back to normal.

James Williams is Medway's director of public health

He said: "The challenge we all have is to recognise that we're still in a national lockdown and the problem with that is people need to abide by the regulations. That means stay inside unless you need to go out for a medical appointment or essential things like shopping and that type of thing.

"So it gives you additional challenges. I'm a parent myself and I understand the challenge that all other parents out there, I'd expect, are going to go through.

"What we suggest is, you've got to try and think about maintaining your well-being and in doing that you can go out and exercise once a day, try and get out as a family if you can, use the online tools that we've got on our website, particularly Medway council, where we've got loads of things that people can do as a family, we've got activities, exercise and cookery classes, trying to find a routine that gives you a break from that home-school type approach to some family time.

"Take some time out to read and do new things.

"Normally people would be out and about doing stuff but, unfortunately, we are still in a national lockdown so people have got to try and find ways in which they can still engage and enjoy that time together and do that productively, but also safely.

"By doing that we will drive down those infection rates, we'll be able to make sure that we can normalise our situation as soon as we can."

Mr Williams also said that if families were planning on going out during the break, they should stay local.

He added: "We do recognise the challenges we've all had in lockdown, the rates in Medway and Kent are going down - as they are nationally - but they are still higher than where they should be.

"My message is that we have still got to keep doing that [abiding by the regulations] and the more we do it, the more likely it is that when those national decisions are made, the rates in our particular locality are such that we're able to avail ourselves of whatever freedoms that are then provided to us at a national level.

"We've still got some work and way to go to get those rates right down across the country, but I do believe that everyone in Medway has been doing their bit and thank you to them."

Mr Williams was speaking as statistics reveal cases in Medway and the rest of the county are continuing to fall.

"There's a bit more for us to do, if we just keep sticking to the course, do what we've been doing for such a long time, we will get out of this."

Mr Williams said the vaccination programme in the towns had been going "really well" and everyone who was eligible for vaccine in the top four priority groups would have been offered the jab by tomorrow's national deadline.

"Our NHS colleagues are working extremely hard to deliver that ambition," he added. "I would urge everybody when you are offered the vaccination, please take up that offer.

"The more people that we get vaccinated in Medway, the better it will be.

"The sun is starting to shine, we have gone a significantly long way throughout this pandemic, there's a bit more for us to do, if we just keep sticking to the course, do what we've been doing for such a long time, we will get out of this."

Some people are hoping this half term will be the last before schools reopen for all children.

It is being reported the Prime Minister will make the reopening of schools on March 8 a priority when he sets out his route map for easing national restrictions later this month.

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