Families urged to keep following the rules and stay safe this half term

Kate Blackburn, Director of Public Health for Wiltshire, said: "The rate of COVID-19 cases reported in Wiltshire has fallen over the last seven days and this is largely due to the fact that local people have played their part and followed the lockdown rules.

"Next week is the school half term holiday and I am appealing to parents, children and young people to continue to follow social distancing guidance (opens new window). I know this will be hard and that many children are missing their friends, but please do not be tempted to break the rules; this will help to contain the virus and so make it possible for children to go back to school and meet up with friends again in the future.

"I am also asking people not to hold sleepovers this half term, as Halloween sleepovers held during the October half term break led to a number of outbreaks last year. By following the rules, you are helping to reduce the spread of infection so we can all get back to normal faster."

During half term, parents can form a childcare bubblefor a child under 14, with one other household, ideally who live locally. The childcare bubble is for childcare only and should not be used to mix with another household for social reasons.

A childcare bubble (opens new window) is different to a support bubble (opens new window) which is a support network linking two households. You can only form a support bubble if you meet one of the following criteria:

• You live by yourself
• You have a child under one
• You're a single adult living with one or more children under 18
• You're the only adult in your household not in need of continuous care
• You have a child under 5 with a disability who requires continuous care
• You're aged 16 or 17 living with others of the same age and without any adults

During half term there are a number of activities available for families:

• The page on the Wiltshire Council website has details of activities and resources for families during half term The resources, activities and ideas support mental health, promote physical activity and ideas to do something new or different.
• The Reading Agency has a Winter Mini Challenge (opens new window) which challenges children to read at least three books by Friday 19 February. If they review the books online, children unlock limited edition virtual badges and a special certificate
• Wiltshire libraries have recording of story times, author talks and craft activities (opens new window)
• A number of Wiltshire Council libraries (opens new window) are offering an order and collect service with bookable computers for essential use
• Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre is setting families a challenge to record their creative activities - a record that could become part of our Living in Lockdown (opens new window) archive.