RESIDENTS and traders in one of worst hit spots in Gwent for coronavirus in recent weeks, have spoken about the impact a spike in cases has had on their lives.
Since the start of the pandemic, Magor and nearby Rogiet have recorded 232 cases, which seems a relatively normal number in comparison to the rest of Wales.
But figures from Public Health Wales shows at least 148 of those have come since November 20, making it one of the highest areas of concern across Gwent.
In the seven days up to December 12 The Elms and Mill council wards recorded 33 and 31 cases respectively, the highest in Monmouthshire.
Resident and former councillor Carole Hopkins, who has been isolating with husband Roger since March, has now been advised to remain in isolation until Easter.
“I felt upset to see the cases go up and you do wonder when it will end,” she said.
“When you live in a village like this and you see those cases going up, you don’t look at them as numbers. They’re people - potentially very poorly people - and it’s awful to think of them struggling.”
On spending almost a year in isolation, she said: “It’s been a difficult year - as it has been for many people in this village. But living here has brought me a tremendous amount of joy - even now.
“I’m constantly getting calls from lovely neighbours. I leave deliveries at the bottom of the garden and someone comes and collects it for me. We’ll not lose that spirit.
“We’re unfortunate Covid has hit us particularly hard before Christmas, but perhaps it’s better it’s happened to a community like ours rather than a place full of one-bed flats.”
Over the summer five new businesses opened in Magor Square in a matter of weeks in a village hailed as bucking the coronavirus trend, but traders on the square said atmosphere has been affected by cases.
Molly Scott, who opened her Village Greens grocery store in June, said: “It’s significantly quieter here, although I still see most of my elderly customers.
“It’s a strange time - it’s all happened so quickly and we don’t know where the cases are coming from. You don’t really expect it to happen to a small village.
“I think parents decided to take children out of school early, so you don’t see as many parents and kids around the square now.
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“People are still supporting us and shopping locally online though. I’m still getting plenty of orders and with Christmas coming we’re expecting those to continue.”
Sharon Franklin, who runs Magor Post Office, works with her daughter and niece, and said she is constantly worried about protecting her staff and family.
“It’s worrying, because if someone gets the virus we’d all have to isolate, and the post office would have to close before Christmas,” she said.
“I don’t feel people have taken it seriously enough. I’m always telling people to put a mask on and socially distance.
“My major concern is to keep serving the community and protect my staff and family, but we need people to follow the rules to allow us to do that.
“Everyone who works here and comes in here is local, so it’s easy to see how it spreads so quickly in a small village.”
Landlord at the Wheatsheaf Inn Dave Hennah - who has shut his pub due to the rise in cases in the area and restrictions on the hospitality sector - said he felt it was inevitable Magor would be affected, and believes it could be a warning to other places in Monmouthshire.
“We’ve got lots of people working in Bristol and lots working in Newport –-so this [rise in cases] felt like it was coming,” he said.
“It shows it can happen anywhere really. You wander around and it feels like same old Magor, but it’s worrying because there are an awful lot of older people in the village. We’ve got to be so careful now.”
Monmouthshire councillor for Magor with Undy, Frances Taylor, said: "Everyone I speak to is doing their very best to minimise risk to themselves, their family and the wider community.
"Businesses continue to work tirelessly to provide Covid-19 secure environments for us to continue to shop local and use local services. We are very grateful to all our businesses and key workers for all they have done.
"Now, more than ever we rely on our sense of community and our local connections.
"None of us know when we will need help. I am confident that if anyone should need assistance there is a wonderful support network. The Pharmacy support group, the Magor Undy Covid-19 team, the Churches and all the informal groups are doing sterling work."
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