Arooj Shah: "We all want to get back to normality"

Oldham Council Deputy Leader Arooj Shah says she understands the fatigue of the Coronavirus lockdown.

Oldham has been subject to the most severe restrictions throughout the pandemic, in contrast to many areas who were placed in lesser tiers earlier this year.

"The virus hasn't discriminated at all" Councillor Shah told the Chronicle.

"But I'm proud of the exceptional adherance and compliance from the people of Oldham.

"We need to continue in that spirit for just a little longer. 

"The pandemic has been difficult but we've managed to take communities along with us for the greater good.

"We are continuing to engage and explain, and we've done it really effectively. 

"Flexibility with regular testing and the vaccination rollout, has helped with our battle against the virus. 

"I'm proud of our communities."

Early in the pandemic, Oldham recorded one of the highest infection rates in the country. 

Since then, the rate has fallen, though it remains above the national average.

Katrina Stephens, Director of Public Health for Oldham says she's proud of the work being done in the town.

"It's a combination of a number of things in Oldham," she added.

"We've made sure that we have had good access to testing across the borough and provided support to settings like businesses and carehomes to make sure they're safe.

"We've constantly reached out to the community, and our Engagement Teams have been really helpful in clarifying guidance. 

"We know the advice was particularly complex last year with the Government tier system."

Yet it wasn't just encouragement and advice that has seen a drop in the infection rates. 

Councillor Shah says the authority has had to make some difficult decisions.

She added: "We've had to take action against businesses who were opening illegally or putting the health of the public at risk. 

"That has sometimes meant temporarily closing businesses that were not following the guidelines.

"Personally, I would have introduced the tier system earlier. 

"It's easy to say that in hindsight, but at the time, we were looking to Government for direction whilst we just watched our rates climb higher and higher."

Oldham's current infection rate stands at 146 (per 100,000), down from last week's figure of 188.

Almost 60,000 people have now been vaccinated in the borough.

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