A cheeky pint cost one boozer a whopping £1,000 after she was fined for going to the pub – less than half an hour after being told to self-isolate by Covid contact tracers.
The unnamed woman was told to isolate by a Track and Trace official in Barrow, Cumbria, but ignored the instructions and headed to a pub in a taxi 25 minutes later.
Investigations were carried out by Track and Trace to confirm the breach and the woman was handed the hefty fine by Barrow police officers for her “blatant breach”.
The woman, who was branded “selfish” by a council chief, had been told she would need to isolate as she had been a close contact to a positive case.
Superintendent Carl Patrick said: “This was a blatant breach and put all those this woman came into contact with at unnecessary risk.
“This shows police and our partners will work together to protect the public by ensuring people are showing the necessary personal responsibility to keep their communities safe.
“The Covid-19 virus continues to spread rapidly across our county.
Responsibility
“It is up to everybody to show personal responsibility and to be careful to follow the guidance and rules in place to keep everyone safe.
“The vast majority of people in Cumbria have stuck to the rules and made many personal sacrifices over the past few months to keep themselves, their families and our communities safe.
“We must all continue to stick to the guidance and regulations and all do our bit to protect ourselves, our families and our communities.”
Councillor Ann Thomson, the leader of Barrow Borough Council, said: “It saddens me deeply that someone would disregard an instruction to self-isolate from a member of our Track and Trace team.
“This selfish action could knowingly place other people at risk.
“Cases of coronavirus are spreading rapidly across our area. Please take this situation extremely seriously and stay at home if you are told to self-isolate.
“Ignoring this instruction will not only land you with a fine, it could put those you come into contact with and others in grave danger.”
Related: Over 1,000 Deloitte consultants on test & trace with some charging daily what a nurse earns a month
