71 more people test positive for coronavirus in the Harrogate district

A further 71 cases of coronavirus have been reported in the Harrogate district, according to Public Health England figures.

The total for the district since the start of the pandemic stands at 2,371.

This afternoon, Boris Johnson is holding a conference where he is expected to announce further restrictions for England. It is reported he could be putting the country into a second national lockdown.

The district’s seven-day case rate up to October 27 has dropped to 239 per 100,000 people. However this remains above the national average of 225.

North Yorkshire remains in tier one restrictions, it is now the only county in the region not to have moved up to a higher tier.

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Harrogate retailer says second lockdown would be ‘devastating’

A Harrogate retailer has raised their concerns saying “there will be casualties for sure” if another national lockdown is introduced for England.

The Prime Minister is reported to be considering a month-long lockdown for England in an attempt to curb the rising number of coronavirus cases.

The lockdown is expected to keep schools, colleges and universities open but the retail industry could be hit once again.

Bob Kennedy, owner of G23 and Porters has said another national lockdown would be “devastating” for the sector. Without customers being allowed into shops he is worried about the long-term impact on his own business and others.

He said:

“We are in for a long, hard winter. It will have a devastating impact on businesses. There will be some casualties for sure.”

“But we’ve got to do whatever it takes to combat this virus. We didn’t qualify for grants due to our rateable value. My business rates are high because of my location but I am still a small independent so I think that is something that needs looking into.”

The chief executive of Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce, Sandra Doherty, has also raised her concerns for the impact on local businesses.

Sandra said:

“The economic crisis which is looming, not just on the high street, but more worryingly the self-employed who have not been identified in any of the government’s grants, will be further exacerbated.

“Balancing the nation’s physical health with its economic health is a difficult choice to make with nothing to measure against. I’m sure the trial and error approach which we seem to be using at the moment will see us steering a very wobbly path forward.”

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In Knaresborough there has been a number of new shops opening in the town in recent months. Steve Teggin, president of the Knaresborough Chamber of Trade, has said the timing of this lockdown could be “disastrous”.

He said:

“Knaresborough’s businesses were down in takings but we were doing ok but this is going to be a bit of a blow for new businesses.

“Businesses will have to adapt and keep that momentum going to survive. It is important for the public to support the local businesses as much as they can to make sure they are here next year.”

The district’s seven-day case rate up to October 27 has dropped to 239 per 100,000 people. However this remains above the national average of 225.

The Prime Minister is due to make an announcement at 4pm this afternoon.

Harrogate district care homes to reopen doors to visitors

Care homes in the Harrogate district will be able to open their doors for visitors from Sunday.

With strict procedures still in place, a resident will only be able to see one designated visitor.

However, in care homes where there are covid outbreaks, visits will be stopped to protect residents.

It comes after North Yorkshire County Council advised care homes to stop visits throughout October amid rising infection levels.

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While those infection levels are still on the upward trend, the county council is keen to balance safety and wellbeing.

Richard Webb, the corporate director for health and adult services at the county council, said:

“North Yorkshire is currently still in tier one. But if part, or all, of the county moves into a higher level of restrictions at any point, then decisions about visiting may be beyond our control.

“However, I have already alerted Public Health England that we would like to see a more flexible approach to care home keeping in touch arrangements than the current tier two and tier three restrictions allow.”

Meanwhile, as previously reported, almost a quarter of North Yorkshire care homes have reported at least one covid infection since the second wave.

A further 53 cases of coronavirus confirmed in Harrogate district

A further 53 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the Harrogate district, according to Public Health England figures.

It takes the total number of cases up to 2,300 since the start of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, the district’s seven-day case rate up to October 27 has dropped to 239 per 100,000 people. However this remains above the national average of 225.

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Currently, 16 patients who have tested positive for coronavirus are being treated at Harrogate District Hospital, according to figures from the hospital trust.

Since the start of the pandemic, 219 covid patients have been treated and discharged, including 14 in the last week, while 86 people have died after testing positive for the virus.

North Yorkshire is now the only county in the region which has not been moved up to a higher local lockdown tier.

From Monday, West Yorkshire and Leeds will be moved into tier three.

However, Richard Webb, director of adult care at North Yorkshire County Council, warned on Wednesday that the county could enter tier two before the end of the week.

Harrogate district set to border tier three Leeds

The Harrogate district faces bordering a tier three area with the highest covid restrictions from next week.

Leeds, along with the rest of West Yorkshire, will enter the highest tier on Monday after cases in areas such as Bradford stand at 485 per 100,000 people.

It means that in Leeds betting shops, casinos and pubs which do not serve meals will close. Mixing of households will also be banned both indoors and outdoors.

But, across the border, pubs will remain open until 10am and people will be able to continue to meet indoors and outdoors while abiding by the rule of six.

North Yorkshire has avoided being moved into a tier two lockdown, despite only having a marginally lower infection rate than some areas which face tougher restrictions.

The county has a case rate of 174 per 100,000 population, according to latest Public Health England data. But North Lincolnshire has a rate of 194 and will enter tier two from Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Harrogate district currently has a seven-day case rate of 242, which is higher than the national average.

East Riding of Yorkshire and Hull will also enter “high risk” restrictions, leaving North Yorkshire surrounded by higher tier areas.

Dr Lincoln Sargeant, director of public health at the county council, said last week that the county was in discussions with the wider county over what tier it should be in.

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He said there was a desire to “simplify” and although the county’s infection rate was low compared with its neighbours, it was still influenced by what goes on in surrounding areas.

All areas involved in those discussions are now either in or due to go into a higher tier, apart from North Yorkshire.

But, Richard Webb, director of adult care at the county council, yesterday warned that the county could be in tier two before the end of the week.

He told a North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum, which is a partnership of emergency agencies, briefing:

“The situation in North Yorkshire is now hanging by a thread. We are currently in tier one but that is really on a knife edge.

“We may even be in a situation at the end of this week where we move into tier two restrictions. But we are hoping that we can prevent that.

“We want to stay in tier one. It is better for livelihoods and for economic wellbeing. Today we are asking people to act now to save lives more than ever.”

The discussions over what tier the county should be in has also raised concern from local MPs.

Kevin Hollinrake, Thirsk and Malton MP, has previously urged the government to look at a district approach to local restrictions.

He told the Stray Ferret it was only fair on businesses to impose tighter measures when there was an “absolute need”.

Harrogate district’s coronavirus rate rises above national average

The Harrogate district’s seven-day coronavirus rate has risen above the England average, according to figures released today.

The district now has an infection rate of 242 per 100,000 people compared with a national average of 225. The figures are for the seven-day period to October 26

It comes as a further 58 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in the district today.

It takes the total amount of cases since the start of the pandemic up to 2,247, according to Public Health England data.

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Meanwhile, Harrogate District Hospital has reported another death from a patient who tested positive for coronavirus. It is the third death reported in eight days.

According to NHS England figures, it takes the total number of deaths at the hospital to 87.

Yesterday, Richard Webb, director of adult care at North Yorkshire County Council, warned that the county could enter tier two restrictions by the end of the week.

Mr Webb told a briefing of North Yorkshire Resilience Forum, which is a partnership of agencies that tackle emergencies, that the situation in the county was “hanging by a thread” due to a rise in infections.

County council funding for vulnerable extended until March

North Yorkshire County Council has extended its support to local groups after recognising the ongoing need of those struggling.

A total of 23 organisations in the county have received an additional £453,000 in funding from the county council to continue supporting vulnerable people in their communities until March 2021.

Six of these are in the Harrogate district:

This initiative was set up in April to support those self-isolating and ensure volunteers were in place within communities to offer deliveries of food and essential items.

The county council has chosen to extend this throughout the winter as tougher restrictions come into place.

Helen Flynn, executive director of Nidderdale Plus, said:

“We are an organisation reliant on volunteers but currently we are unable to get many of them together. With this funding we have been able to increase the hours of a member of staff to cover this.

“We are also expanding our current services and starting up new projects to better help the community. The funding also allows us to continue working with our 13 community groups across Nidderdale and Washburn to distribute information to those rural communities.”

A total of £930,000 will have been invested across the county by March 2021. The money has been made available through its North Yorkshire Local Assistance Fund.

The government contributed £150,000 to the fund.

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County Council Leader Cllr Carl Les said:

“This Local Assistance Fund makes use of County Council resources and we also welcome Government money sent to us since the pandemic began.

“We have used the funds to support food banks, our local Community Support Organisations and the Citizens Advice network across the county as these are where residents go for advice and help.”

The county council has said it is constantly reviewing the need of its communities and will continue to adjust its interventions if necessary.

Announcement on re-opening Harrogate district care homes imminent

Care homes in the Harrogate district could re-open their doors to visitors soon.

North Yorkshire County Council advised care homes not to allow visits during October — a decision that distressed many residents and their families.

Richard Webb, director of health and adult services at the council, told a press briefing today an announcement was imminent. He said:

“On Friday I plan to make an announcement about visiting in care homes. We have had advice against visits all through October.

“This announcement will be contingent on what tier restrictions North Yorkshire is in.”

North Yorkshire could move from tier one to tier two by the end of the week, which would lead to tougher restrictions and may therefore impact the care home plans.

He said the decision about care homes also depended on their ability to prevent covid outbreaks. He said there had been three “large outbreaks” in the county’s care homes in the past week.

Care homes could operate a nominated visitor scheme whereby a designated visitor is tested regularly so they can continue visiting.

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Harrogate resident Judy Bass will be watching the decision closely. As previously reported, she has joined a pressure group called Right for Residents that is campaigning for restrictions on visits to be eased.

She and her brother visited their dad every day before March. Judy said:

“I just feel like I’ve let him down. What’s he living for at the moment? Hardly anything. He will just give up.”

 

North Yorkshire could enter tier two this week

North Yorkshire could move into tier two coronavirus restrictions by the end of the week, according to the county council’s director of health and adult services.

Richard Webb said this morning the situation in the county was “hanging by a thread” due to rising infection rates.

The Selby and Harrogate districts are particular problem areas, with seven-day infection rates of 230 cases and 203 cases per 100,000 people respectively.

Average infection rates in the county remain below the England average of 220 cases per 100,000.

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But they are rising, which prompted Mr Webb to issue the warning at today’s weekly press briefing of the North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum, which is a partnership of agencies that tackles emergencies. He said:

“The situation in North Yorkshire is now hanging by a thread. We are currently in tier one but that is really on a knife edge.

“We may even be in a situation at the end of this week where we move into tier two restrictions. But we are hoping that we can prevent that.

“We want to stay in tier one. It is better for livelihoods and for economic wellbeing. Today we are asking people to act now to save lives more than ever.”

Mr Webb said it would be up to the government to decide North Yorkshire’s fate.

People in tier two areas are prohibited from socialising with anybody outside their household or support bubble in any indoor setting.

People in pubs and restaurants can only consume food and drink while seated. Takeaway food can only be bought after 10pm if ordered online or by phone.

The press briefing also revealed that Harrogate District Hospital has 12 coronavirus patients – three of whom are in intensive care.

Long queues outside Harrogate shop after pubs close

A Harrogate resident has sent us a video of large queues forming outside a shop in the town immediately after the pubs closed.

The footage shows dozens of people waiting outside Tesco Express on Cambridge Road at 10.02pm on Saturday.

Phil Riverside, the Harrogate resident who captured the scenes, raised his concerns about the gathering. He said “it just doesn’t make sense”.

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He also echoed fears nationally that a pub curfew at 10pm will move groups out of the venue’s controlled environment and out onto the streets.

The Stray Ferret took the video to North Yorkshire Police and Harrogate Borough Council. The council said it was a matter for the police and the police declined to comment.

While it is not on the same level of a gathering in York’s city centre from last month, the police have previously committed to dispersing groups.

Superintendent Mike Walker, gold commander for North Yorkshire Police’s response to Covid-19, previously said:

“It’s very clear that we are at a turning point now, where everyone’s personal choices will have a significant effect upon the rate at which this virus spreads over the coming weeks.”

We also showed the footage to Tesco. The store did not want to comment on this specific case but said it follows all government guidance on coronavirus.