New campaign launched to 'keep the North East open' after research reveals nearly half of residents are still concerned about Covid

A new campaign has been launched to urge people to do ‘all they can’ to curb the virus to ensure the North East ‘remains open’ after research reveals how people across the region feel about covid.
Business owners Mark and David Potts-Brown of Woofs n Scruffs who feature in the new campaign aimed at helping to Keep the North East Open.Business owners Mark and David Potts-Brown of Woofs n Scruffs who feature in the new campaign aimed at helping to Keep the North East Open.
Business owners Mark and David Potts-Brown of Woofs n Scruffs who feature in the new campaign aimed at helping to Keep the North East Open.

A ‘Keep the North East Open’ campaign has been launched today, Thursday, June 24 after research to find out how residents across the North East feel about coronavirus has been revealed.

The latest research found that 44 percent of North Easterners are still concerned about the seriousness of Covid in the local area and 75 percent agree that even with restrictions relaxing over recent weeks, they don’t want to rush into doing things.

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The findings also revealed that 72 percent of people are worried that the pandemic restrictions will have a long-lasting negative effect on local jobs and the economy, while some optimism was found with only one in five questioned believe that the situation will be worse than it is now in six months time.

The research, conducted at the beginning of June, involved a sample of residents from County Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland, South Tyneside and Sunderland.

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Now, a campaign backed by the seven local councils and businesses across the region along with Northumbria and County Durham Local Resilience Forums has been introduced to urge people to continue to ‘curb the virus’ following a surge Delta variant cases across the region.

Mark and David Potts-Brown, co-owners of Woofs n Scruffs, at STACK Seaburn, said; “We wanted to be part of the campaign and thank local people for all they are doing to curb Covid infection rates in our area, and remind them to stick with the government guidance, so we can keep the North East open."

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Director of Public Health for Sunderland, Gerry Taylor added: “While the Prime Minister has pressed pause on the final phase of reopening, this new research shows that the majority of residents will support the move, because 75% of them remain cautious about rushing back into doing things again.

"I do believe that by pausing now, ultimately we can get back to where we want to be more quickly in the longer-term, rather than rushing and risking more hospitalisations, and ultimately more deaths and lockdowns.”

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