I hope that you were all able to have a peaceful and relaxing Christmas last week, even if you may not have been able to celebrate it in the usual way. The week between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day can often be a relaxing time for many, and I hope that you have had the opportunity to take some time to switch off after what has undoubtedly been an unprecedented year.
Whilst many may be at home, I recognise that many key workers will have been working just as hard in the last week as they do all year round, to keep essential services going and looking after those in need. I want to say thank you to them for their hard work and dedication.
As we leave 2020 behind and turn our attention to the new year the challenges of Covid 19 will remain with us but, as we have seen in the last few weeks, there is reason to be hopeful. Watching the rollout of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine begin has been very encouraging, particularly with Feldon Lane Surgery in Halesowen becoming one of the first GP practices in the country to administer it. I know that many people will be keen to be vaccinated, but we should remember that it is being rolled out according to vulnerability. Please don’t contact the NHS but wait for them to contact you.
The vaccine offers us our best chance of beating Covid 19 and gives us the light at the end of the tunnel that we have all been waiting for. However we are not yet at the end of the tunnel, and the tier system remains in place, so I would encourage everyone to keep following the rules. I appreciate that the restrictions are tough and that we are all missing out on socialising with friends and family in the normal way, but the recent review into the tiers has shown that areas can move down the scale aswell as up. That should give us encouragement to keep doing the right thing.
For those of us in Parliament, 2020 has meant having to change the way we have worked too. Many of my meetings with local residents, businesses and organisations have had to take place virtually, although I have been able to carry out some visits in a Covid-secure way. I look forward to hopefully having more opportunities to get out and about in Halesowen & Rowley Regis in 2021 as and when it is safe to do so.
I would like to finish by wishing you all a very Happy New Year and as ever, if there is anything I can do to support you or your organisation in these challenging times, please do get in touch with me at james.morris.mp@parliament.uk
This article first appeared in the Halesowen & Dudley News on 31st December 2020.