The leader of Essex County Council (ECC) has said the new lockdown is "essential" and described how NHS staff in the county are "working day and night" to keep services going in the midst of the crisis.

Responding to news of the national lockdown announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson last night (Monday, 4 January), Cllr David Finch, Leader of Essex County Council, said:

"The lockdown announcement will not have been the news anyone wanted to begin the New Year on. But equally, it is absolutely essential to protect the NHS, and all of us, from the new variant of coronavirus.

"In Essex we have witnessed the growing pressure on our NHS acute hospitals and the wider health system during the past few weeks. Last week a major incident was declared. We are not yet through these pressures and we and our colleagues in the NHS are working night and day to ensure the viability of our health services."

He also spoke of the impact on families with schools now closed until at least mid-February, adding:

"The new lockdown restrictions will impact families particularly as schools will now move to remote learning, with the exception of vulnerable children or children of critical workers.

"We will continue to do everything possible to ensure all children and families have the equipment they need to access remote learning."

But Cllr Finch also spoke of the new hope brought by the vaccine rollout.

He said: "Today, however, there is also cause for optimism. The Oxford Astrazeneca vaccine is with us, with the first doses being administered in Essex over the next week. All being well, by the time we reach the end of the February, we will have turned a corner with the most vulnerable, because of age or medical condition, and essential workers in the NHS and care homes having received the vaccine.

"We have come a long way, but the end is in sight. While we travel that final distance , we must all remember to play our part, follow the rules, and protect ourselves, those around us, and the NHS."