A further 43 people have tested positive for coronavirus in the past 24 hours across the Harrogate district.
The figure brings the district’s total number of confirmed cases since the start of the outbreak to 1,930.
There have been no further deaths reported in patients with covid 19 at Harrogate District Hospital, after one was confirmed on Thursday for the first time in three weeks. Since the beginning of the pandemic, 84 patients have died at the hospital after testing positive for the virus.
Meanwhile, a new testing facility has opened at the Dragon Parade car park in Harrogate this week, offering tests seven days a week.
Read more:
- Harrogate coronavirus testing site opens with 57 appointments
- Harrogate hospital currently treating 10 coronavirus patients
Though the number of infections continues to rise, health leaders in North Yorkshire have offered some reassurance about the overall picture.
Speaking on Wednesday, Amanda Bloor, accountably officer at North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said Harrogate District Hospital was treating 10 covid-positive in-patients, with one in intensive care. In September, the hospital confirmed it had set aside 100 beds to treat patients with the virus through the winter.
Ms Bloor added:
“We are seeing the number of inpatient admissions with covid increasing, but we are not yet at the levels of hospitalisations that we were back at the beginning and in the middle of April.
“We have currently got 116 people in hospital beds; we had in excess of 300 in early April.
“It is a relatively stable position, although we are seeing a slight upward trend in terms of those numbers.”
However, the Nightingale hospital – which has 500 beds at Harrogate Convention Centre to treat patients from across Yorkshire and the Humber – was last week put on stand-by by the government to take patients as infection numbers around the region continue to rise.
33 new positive covid cases reported todayA further 33 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the Harrogate district, according to the latest Public Health England figures.
It takes the total number of cases in the district since the start of the pandemic to 1,370
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Dr Lincoln Sargeant, director of public health at North Yorkshire County Council, has urged people to stick to the rules in order to keep cases down this weekend.
He said:
Harrogate care homes urged to end routine visits in October“I know that many people are making a concerted effort and I am grateful for their sacrifices but unfortunately not everyone is sticking to the guidance that we know makes the difference.
“This is not about blaming or finger wagging. This is about fighting the virus, supporting our businesses, keeping our schools open and saving lives. I want to be very clear that while many people experience minor symptoms, for some residents who become infected they will sadly not recover. We will see more lives lost and I appeal again for everyone to show real restraint to help avoid that.
“This weekend people may be tempted to get together or meet at pubs and other places in larger groups to socialise. covid-19 thrives on a crowd and is easily transmitted when your guard is down. Please play your part and protect your friends and family.”
Care homes in Harrogate have been advised to halt routine visits throughout October to protect residents from covid.
North Yorkshire County Council director of health and adult services Richard Webb has written to every care provider in the county asking them to introduce the restriction from Thursday due to rising coronavirus infection rates.
Mr Webb recommended that families and friends visiting residents at the end of their lives should still be allowed to do so.
A similar restriction was brought in earlier this month for seven days.
Mr Webb tweeted:
“This is a step I was very reluctant to take but against a backdrop of rising community infection rates, we need to act now.”
Read more:
Mr Webb said in future he would like care homes to operate a nominated visitor scheme whereby a named visitor gets tested regularly so they can continue visiting.
However, he said national problems with testing availability “make that unrealistic at the moment”.
Mr Webb added on Twitter:
“We will look at alternative options to see what we can do to help providers find a better way forward. Balancing #Covid protection versus residents’ #mentalhealth is one of the toughest dilemmas.”
Mike Padgham, chair of the provider organisation The Independent Care Group, said:
Seven new covid cases in Harrogate district“It is regrettable that home visits have to stop but we have to do everything we can, with North Yorkshire County Council, to prevent the spread of coronavirus to the older and vulnerable people we care for.”
A further seven new covid cases have been diagnosed in the Harrogate district in the last 24 hours.
The figures, produced by Public Health England, take the total number of confirmed cases in the district since the start of the pandemic to 933.
However, residents across the Harrogate district have reported difficulty in accessing testing, even when they have symptoms. A mobile testing unit visits Harrogate’s Dragon Road car park twice a week.
The latest figures come amid a picture of a growing number of cases across the country, as the government prepares to introduce further restrictions in an attempt to reduce the spread.
Read more:
- Harrogate Town kids coaching centre closes after covid case
- Second lockdown would see Harrogate businesses face battle to survive, says chamber
Last week, North Yorkshire declared a major incident amid an increase in cases in the county. Selby and Scarborough districts have also been listed as “areas of concern” by the government.
However, Harrogate District Hospital has not reported any deaths in patients with covid since July 19.
Strayside Sunday: Covid testing should be devolved to local authoritiesStrayside Sunday is our weekly political opinion column. It is written by Paul Baverstock, former Director of Communications for the Conservative Party.
Life, it has been said, is just the correct apportionment of blame.
It certainly seems that way in politics and the media coverage of it. I’m as guilty as the rest, often writing negative opinion in this column and raging against the machine in conversation. Time for some perspective I feel.
Last Sunday I wrote about the dilemma faced by former Northern Ireland Secretary and Ripon MP Julian Smith in whether or not to support a new trade bill that would break international law and ignore the Northern Ireland protocol he signed when in office. When the moment of truth came Mr. Smith found enough moral fibre and courage to abstain, thereby preserving his principle, avoiding conflict with his own party leadership, safe in the knowledge that his vote would not put too much of a dent in the government’s whopping majority in parliament. He made a mature political decision to do the right thing both by the people of Northern Ireland and by the party he represents. For this he is to be applauded.
Contrast this with the position of Harrogate’s Andrew Jones MP. A remainer, Mr. Jones waved through the bill, voting with my old boss Iain Duncan Smith, Jacob Reese-Mogg, Steve Baker and the rest of the European Reform Group ultras, for a law that breaks previous agreements with the European Union and breaks international law.
There may well be good reasons for this (although preserving his odour with the Conservative Chief Whip is not one them), but, as ever, Harrogate’s MP is reticent, some might say invisible, when it comes to explaining the reasons behind his actions to the people he purports to represent. Try as they might, I understand the journalistic staff of The Stray Ferret can’t extract comment or explanation from Mr. Jones, nor his office. At worst this pattern of behaviour is undemocratic, at best it is disrespectful, regardless it is cowardly.
But governing is always difficult; it is the consideration of competing claims and countervailing arguments. Done well and, in normal times, government should arrive at negotiated settlements, grounded in their own cogent and transparent philosophy, or “political bottom” as I call it, with enough marrow to satisfy the appetites of all interested parties, voters prime amongst them.
But as we teeter on the brink of another national lockdown; likely a 2-week “circuit break,” it does begin to feel as though the government’s response to Covid is out of control, lurching from one entirely reactive policy to the next. ‘Whack-a-mole;’ knocking local outbreaks on the head, was tried and failed, bubbling was given a go and hasn’t worked, and the ‘Rule of Six’ has lasted less than two weeks. The Government is at sea, but, let’s remember, by definition there is no playbook for handling this pandemic, unprecedented in its scale and effect. This is as true in Harrogate and North Yorkshire as it is nationally.
Our “world class” Test and Trace programme is a disaster. The national testing system is the latest in a long line of national ‘top-down’ IT programmes that are not fit for purpose. Stories of people finding it difficult to book a test online are myriad, delays are common and tests have been offered that require 200-mile or more round trips. Quietly, significant rates of false positives and false negatives confuse the picture. Consequently, as Covid rates rise again, local authority leaders are holding back testing capacity to ensure tests are available for their own key workers. Cases go unchecked, frustration mounts and decisions are made in fear.
I would imagine that this fear (of a rise in Covid infection rates) is at least in part behind Harrogate council’s decision to give a week’s notice that it will not extend permission for outdoor drinking and dining to continue on Stray land outside the The Blues Bar. Hot on the heels of the mess made of the Stray by the World Cycling Championships the council worries publicly that, as Autumn sets in, slippery conditions underfoot will endanger the local public and leave it with a turf repair bill. Sod it, I say. The more than 3000 people who have signed a petition against the council’s plan seem to agree.
I understand that government has to find a way to act in our best interest while reassuring us that all will be well. But fobbing us off with jobsworth “elf and safety” justifications for actions taken to protect us from the coming second wave will not wash.
Local authority leaders are also exasperated with Westminster’s efforts to recruit a national workforce of Trace Agents. Beyond the fact that few of these people possess the established local, third sector and civil society networks which enable effective communication with local people, they also lack detailed knowledge of the key societal variables driving both Covid behavioural compliance and outbreaks; such as the nature of local housing stock, family living patterns, travel habits, culture and language. This is, in fact, what local authorities are in business to do. We need to let them get on with it.
Tracing efforts were initially outsourced to national private providers such as Serco (offering a one size fits all approach) when, instead, local authorities would much rather use their own staff, equipped both with specialist epidemiological training (asking the right questions in the right order) and a detailed understanding of their own patch. This is how it works round here and all that. Our MP’s, Messrs Adams, Jones and Smith, ought to be advocating loudly and publicly for this approach, rather than following blindly the party line that all is well in Test and Trace land. They must know that this is beyond politics; it’s a matter of life and death.
That’s my Strayside Sunday.
Read More:
- Harrogate’s Blues Bar denied permission to keep tables and chairs on the Stray
- Test and Trace system is “broken” says Harrogate mum
Hotel closes after staff test positive for coronavirus
A hotel on the outskirts of Harrogate has closed its doors after two members of staff tested positive for covid-19.
Nidd Hall Hotel, which sits between Ripley and Brearton, closed on Tuesday afternoon and sent its guests home.
Mark Middleton, from Stafford, was staying at the hotel with his partner when he was told they would have to leave. Although he praised the staff for the way they handled it and the help they offered, Mr Middleton said after leaving the hotel he had been unable to get confirmation of whether anyone had received a positive test result.
He said:
“We both work and need to get in touch with our employer to see if we need to be tested or self isolate.”
The hotel has confirmed to the Stray Ferret that two members of staff received positive test results. It said all guests were offered the opportunity to re-book or receive a refund.
Read more:
- Three more Harrogate schools report confirmed covid cases
- District MPs decline to comment on ‘broken’ covid testing system
A spokesperson for Nidd Hall Hotel said:
New Harrogate rescue centre rehomes 19 cats“We have chosen to temporarily close the hotel after two team members tested positive for covid-19. This is a proactive and precautionary measure, with health regulators confirming the hotel could continue operation due to our extensive protocols covering hygiene, social distancing and PPE.
“No guests are currently at the hotel and we are scheduled to reopen during the course of next week. The majority of guests who were due to visit in the coming days have rebooked to stay at other Warner Leisure Hotels or have chosen alternative dates to visit Nidd Hall, while a small number have opted to receive a full refund in line with Warner Leisure Hotels’ Coronavirus Guarantee policy.
“Warner Leisure Hotels operates to highest standards in reducing risk from covid-19 to ensure our guests feel safe and secure and have the confidence to enjoy their stay at all times.”
While most independent businesses were forced to close down during lockdown, one local cat rescue has thrived since it first opened in April.
Celia Dakin, owner of Harrogate Cat Rescue, had always planned to open a centre for rehoming stray cats.
Due to the covid-19 pandemic, many national animal charities had to stop neutering feral animals, including cats, and this has increased the number of kittens being born without a loving home. Celia felt this was the perfect opportunity to set up a rescue business.
In just over three months, the rescue centre has rehomed 19 cats and kittens and is currently in the process of homing a further 10 kittens and three adult cats. Celia has always been ‘cat mad’ and has two 11-year-old cats of her own, Geoff and Lady.
Celia told the Stray Ferret:
“Initially, I was approached by a lady who told me that there was a fairly large colony of cats where she worked, and that she had seen kittens. So, I started my rescue.”
Celia runs her business from her home in Harrogate, which has a no-kill policy. This means that no healthy or treatable cats are euthanised or killed even if the shelter is at full capacity.
Read More:
- Lockdown “puppy boom” results in Harrogate dog start-ups
- Harrogate’s Turkish Baths to re-open after 5 months
She currently houses a poorly five-year-old shorthair cat, Mack, who tested positive for feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), an incurable viral infection.
He has a large wound on the side of his neck caused by a cat bite, which has now become ulcerated. He also needs dental surgery to remove his rotten teeth. Despite his tough life, Mack has a friendly nature and is in need of a loving home.
The cat lover currently has 22 cats in foster care, including Emily, a six-year-old Ragdoll and Bengal crossbreed, who was sent to Celia when her owners chose to travel abroad.
The rescue encourages new owners to get their cats neutered at four months old, if they haven’t been already.
Celia said:
“I believe that every cat deserves a chance, as most stray and outdoor cats have been failed by humans. I am active in encouraging co-operation between me and other rescues in Yorkshire, with the aim of working together for the benefit of all cats.”
“Neutering cats is an extremely high priority; unneutered males age quicker and are more prone to disease, as they have to fight for food, females and survival. Unneutered females leave home as their hormones dictate and are repeatedly raped by the unneutered males, leading to multiple pregnancies, causing stillbirth, deformity and disease.”
All cats and kittens that are cared for by the Harrogate Cat Rescue receive a veterinary health check, flea and worm treatment, microchip and at the least their first vaccination. The adoption fee for an adult cat or kitten is £90 each.
To find out more about the adoption process, visit the Harrogate Cat Rescue website.
Big take-up for coronavirus vaccine trial in Harrogate districtNearly 1,400 people have signed up to the coronavirus vaccine trial – forcing local NHS trusts to increase capacity.
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust originally said that there was room for 2,250 people and said that it could increase capacity to 6,000.
So far, more than 6,600 people have signed up to the trial across Leeds, Harrogate and York.
The biggest uptake has been in Leeds where close to 4,000 people have signed up. It is the highest uptake for local authorities in the UK.
Dr Jacqueline Andrews, the executive medical director at Harrogate NHS FT, said:
“I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has signed up to the campaign so far. So many people from the Harrogate district have signed up already. We really appreciate your support.”
Dr Phil Wood, Chief Medical Officer at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust added:
“An effective vaccine against the coronavirus is key. It’s important for large-scale vaccine studies that we get as many people as possible from our community to sign up to take part.”
Read more:
- Harrogate’s hospitality sector says Nightingale extension has ‘huge impact’
- Harrogate sports centre deep clean after coronavirus case
The trusts are considering different locations throughout Leeds, Harrogate, and York for the trial. They are keen to use spaces like sports halls, away from hospitals.
Around 70 staff will spend three days in each location, aiming to give 250 vaccines with each person having a 90-minute consultation. The trial will start at the end of September.
To register interest in the vaccine trial visit the NHS vaccine research website by clicking or tapping here.
How does a vaccine study work?
The NHS may give those who have signed up for the trial a vaccine or a placebo. Either way, participants will need to visit the research site a few times over the next six to 12 months.
At each of those visits, the staff will talk about the research study, take blood tests and answer any questions.
Between visits, participants will need to tell staff about any symptoms and may need to take a throat or nose swab every week while keeping a diary.
Parents risk losing child’s place at school over coronavirus fears, says county councilParents who keep their children out of school from September due to concerns over them catching Covid-19 risk losing their place at the school, according to North Yorkshire County Council.
From next month the government says all primary and secondary school pupils must return after being away from the classroom since March, when the lockdown began.
The Stray Ferret put a range of questions about schools in the Harrogate district going back in September to Cllr Patrick Mulligan, executive member for schools at North Yorkshire County Council. His responses are below.

Cllr Patrick Mulligan, executive member for schools, North Yorkshire County Council.
Professor Neil Ferguson said last week that schools re-opening in September risks a second wave of Covid-19. Do you agree?
“There are so many different points of view about this but we’re listening to advice from the government. With young people and children, the risk of contracting coronavirus is very low.
“I’ve had a lot of contact with parents who are upset with the school lockdown. They say their kids are not getting an education.
“The government didn’t give so much guidance so it was up to the governors and teachers about what should be done. So in one village the school might have been doing everything electronically and in another village, they were doing hardly anything.
“The government didn’t have a national policy so it was up to the individual school. NYCC didn’t have the power to intervene if a school wasn’t doing anything because it was at their discretion.
“That turned out to be problematic. It was one of those things that was unforeseen when the lockdown occurred.”
Are you preparing to close schools if there is a second spike?
“We’ve learned a lot of lessons and it’s the last thing we want to see. We’re trying to mitigate it through local lockdowns and the same could be true for schools. Theoretically, the NHS could come in and shut a school down. Everything is evolving from day to day.
“If it did happen again we would hope there would be better internet provision and lessons set up. It’s a difficulty if children don’t have electronic devices or anyone at home supporting them.”
Will school buses be at full capacity?
“If the government had said we’d have to maintain social distancing for school transport that would be a huge issue for NYCC because frankly, we don’t have the number of vehicles to make two or three trips to the school instead of one.
“But the government has said where there’s a dedicated school bus service there doesn’t have to be social distancing.”
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What options does a parent have if they don’t want to send their child back to school in September due to safety concerns?
“As it stands now, the parents would have to keep their children at home then they would have to say they would home school their child. The risk is they would lose their child’s place at the school.
“Otherwise, if you keep your child off school then they are liable for a fine. That’s a big issue.
“Our absolute priority is to keep the children safe. If there is any thought they won’t be safe then we’d be advising the school to close.
“All the schools are taking it very seriously and implementing safety recommendations.”
Will teachers receive any extra training to prepare for any mental health issues children may face in September?
“It’s so hard to say what the mental health of our children is. Our mental health officers say there have been less calls than usual, which might be worrying.
“My daughter went back to school in June for a bit and she was quite relieved to see her friends and have more structure in her education.”
Does a teacher have to go back to work if they, for example, have a partner at home who is shielding?
“I think they’d be allowed to wear PPE if they wanted to. It’s a very difficult one and it’s an individual choice. If someone wanted to stop working then that’s their choice.
“I don’t think there’s any more risk to a teacher than to someone in any other workplace. It’s completely understandable that someone might be nervous going back to work. In my experience, people are getting more confident about going out.”
Have there been any positives for children not being at school for so long?
“Maybe they have learnt to value things they have took for granted, just like all of us. My main concern is about their education. But I’d like to think they’ve learnt the value of family a bit more.”
No further hospital Covid deaths in Harrogate districtFor the 16th day running, there have been no further coronavirus deaths at Harrogate District Hospital. The total since the start of the outbreak remains at 82.
According to figures released today by NHS England, there were four deaths in the North East and Yorkshire, and nine in total across the country.
The patients were aged between 73 and 92 and all had known underlying health conditions.
Read more:
- No positive coronavirus patients at Harrogate hospital
- 12 cases of coronavirus in Harrogate district as rates remain low
Yesterday, Harrogate NHS Foundation Trust confirmed it was not treating any patients with Covid-19. National statistics have also revealed there were only 12 confirmed cases across the Harrogate district in the last week.
For this reason, the Stray Ferret will pause its daily reporting of the statistics from NHS England after today. We will continue to monitor the information as it is released and to report any deaths as they are confirmed.
We will also report any other statistics released by the hospital, the ONS or other authorities, as they are announced.
Should the number of cases or deaths increase in the district in future, we will begin reporting daily again.
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