Are you thinking of visiting Dorset now? Please think twice
If you are thinking of visiting Dorset’s seaside or beauty spots, we are asking you to be considerate and think about the potential impact of your visit on Dorset’s communities.
Dorset currently has one of the lowest COVID-19 infection rates in the country, thanks mainly to our residents who have followed the Government’s ‘stay at home’ advice over the past few weeks. We are asking people from other areas of the country with higher infection rates not to visit right now and run the risk of spreading the virus to our local communities. Dorset has a large older population and many people have underlying health conditions which make them more vulnerable to the virus.
We are also reminding people that the latest Government guidelines prohibits people from staying overnight at any place that isn’t your main home. We’re asking people not to visit second homes and holiday accommodation right now, to help us continue keeping the virus under control here, to protect the NHS and save lives.
The Government’s health advice has not changed – we all still need to stay at home as much as possible to help stop the spread of the virus.
Please note that council-run car parks and public toilets near beaches and beauty spots, and also our country parks, remain closed at this time. Added to this, many businesses are still not operating and those that are open are only offering limited services.
For anyone considering a visit to the coast, the RNLI has said that lifeguards will not be on beaches and is advising people not to swim.
Cllr Spencer Flower, Leader of Dorset Council, said:
“Our main priority is the safety and well-being of Dorset residents. We are kindly asking people from outside the county and from areas with a higher rate of infection than Dorset to postpone visiting our beaches and beauty spots and help prevent spreading the virus to local people.
“If you are thinking of visiting Dorset from elsewhere in the country, please ask yourself, is this safe? Is this fair? We are looking forward to welcoming visitors back to our beautiful county in the future when the pandemic has passed, but it’s too early to take the risk right now.”
