West of England Mayor launches pro-mask campaign

Mr Norris has said he will take out pro-mask adverts in local papers

A mayor has launched a mask-wearing campaign following a spike in Covid cases across the West of England.

West of England Combined Authority (WECA) Metro Mayor Dan Norris, said he will send businesses pro-mask posters and will put adverts in local papers.

He has written to the Health Secretary to gain extra funding for the efforts.

Bath and North East Somerset currently has the highest Covid rates in England, with false negative results PCR tests likely to be behind the big rise.

"Through no fault of the NHS, local civic leadership, local businesses, or local people, infections continued to spread unchecked within our region," he said.

"Now we face a hugely difficult situation."

Mr Norris warned that the NHS is facing a looming crisis which could bring it "to its knees".

'Hugely difficult situation'

The south west of England has seen a huge spike in cases, with some of the blame being laid on errors at a lab in Wolverhampton which told many people who had the virus that they were Covid-free.

Mr Norris warned that the NHS is facing a looming crisis which could bring it "to its knees".

"The last thing I want to see is more death and heartbreak," he said.

Instead, he asked the public to give the NHS the best possible present this Christmas by wearing a mask, getting vaccinated and washing their hands.

It comes after the region saw a rise in cases, with Bath and North East Somerset seeing 1,079.7 cases per 100,000 people, according to the latest government data up to 19 October.

This compares with the England-wide average of 482 per 100,000.

Meanwhile, South Gloucestershire has 931.5 cases per 100,000 and Bristol has 763.7 per 100,000.