During the pandemic people were encouraged to show their support for the NHS by clapping on their doorstep at 2000 on a Thursday evening. Following a suggestion on the village Facebook page a resident produced 3 designs for a ‘thank you’ banner to be place on the village green. Following the vote another member of the community printed the banner which is still on the village green in 2023.
COVID 19 arrived and spread rapidly through various countries of the world including the UK. The NHS came under tremendous pressure as a number of those infected required intensive care therapy.
To reduce the spread of the infection the Prime Minister announced a complete lockdown starting on 26th March, 2020 requiring people not to mix, work from home, home schooling and just go out for an hours exercise once a day. Restrictions started to ease on 1st June with phased re-opening of schools, non essential shops on 15th June. Because numbers were still high in October 2020 a 4 tier system of restrictions were introduce, tier 4 being the greater limitation on activity and mixing. Hambleton was Tier 3.
A second national lockdown came into force on 5th November and changed to the 4 tier system on 2nd December but on 19th December the planned 5 day bubble was reduced to just Christmas and Boxing day only. On 4th January, 2021 a third national lockdown was announced. Schools were reopened on 8th March, followed by non-essential shops in April and in May the numbers able to meet outdoors was raised to 30 and indoors to 6. The 8th December saw the return of compulsory facemask wearing in public indoor facilities other than hospitality. The COVID rules were scrapped in England on 24th February 2022 .(inews.co.uk)