'Stay away from our area', say Northants public health bosses to people of Milton Keynes

Their warning comes after the Citizen revealed today how people from Tier 4 MK were travelling into neighbouring Tier 2 Northants to go shopping and visit pubs and restaurants. See Citizen story here .

Public Health bosses are concerned these people, who are breaking the government regulations, may be "bringing the coronavirus with them".

Government advice is that people in Tier 3 areas are permitted to travel for essential reasons to other tiers, such as for work, education, youth services, to receive medical treatment, or because of caring responsibilities but they should not leave their tiers for other purposes.

Lucy Wightman, Director of Public Health Northamptonshire, said:“Positive case rates In Northamptonshire are already on an upward trend, hospital services are at capacity and case rates amongst our elderly are rising. We need to make sure we are doing everything we can to protect our residents.

“Reports that residents from other areas may be coming to our county from Tier 3 or Tier 4 areas, with the danger that they might also be bringing with them the coronavirus is frightening. Covid-19 has now mutated to be up to 70 per cent more contagious than before and adherence to the guidelines is absolutely vital.”