Divers - Please stay home and save lives
Divers
are being warned to heed Government advice to stay at home this Easter and not
to go out diving over the break. The Government has been clear that during the
coronavirus pandemic, everyone needs to #StayHomeSaveLives.
While
the Easter break might normally be the signal for everyone to get away, this
weekend everyone from sailors to tourists is being told to stay close to home
for their exercise – and that includes divers.
HM
Coastguard continues working hard to keep you safe at sea and at the coast
during the Covid-19 lockdown but you can help us to keep you safe by only
leaving your home when absolutely necessary.
Assistant Director for HM Coastguard Pete Mizen
said: “Leisure diving is not essential. What divers need to remember is that if
they get into difficulty, and the Coastguard is called that creates a greater
degree of risk for us and our service. Every 999 call made could put our
frontline responders at risk of Covid-19.
“It would also put avoidable strain on the NHS services at a time
when it could least afford it. We've been told that decompression chambers are
currently running at reduced levels during this challenging time. You might
think nothing will go wrong while you're out but there is no guarantee that it
won't.”