Government needs to support businesses and employees affected by Covid, says health chief

Director of Public Health Greg Fell said people were trying to do the right thing with self-isolating but they needed support.

He told a meeting: "The government has not been clear about the support for businesses and my other concern is the support to employees.

"I'm fine as I can work from home but if you're a self employed bricklayer you can't. People are doing the right thing but the government has to address this.

"We have been told it's been considered at the highest levels of the Treasury for at least a month but there are no answers for employees or a business that is closing.

"The last thing we want is companies going out of business for doing the right thing."

Mr Fell also said Sheffield should receive extra funding now it was getting enhanced support from the government.

Covid rates in the city are stubbornly static, they are going down but not fast enough.

He added: "The Secretary of State for Health swung his attention to Sheffield so the advice was to develop an enhanced strategy.

"The Secretary of State made a snap decision to say Sheffield needed enhanced support and the data didn't quite support the gravity that was put on that.

"We are currently working with the government on what enhanced support means. We have the right strategy and operating arrangements in place so enhanced support has to be over and above what we already have and has to be an investment of cash."

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