26 more coronavirus cases as Harrogate remains in tier two

Another 26 coronavirus cases were confirmed in the Harrogate district as the area escaped tougher tier restrictions today.

The number takes the district’s total amount of cases since the start of the pandemic to 4,056, according to Public Health England data.

The district’s seven-day case average to December 20 has increased to 93 infections per 100,000 people but remains the lowest in the county.

The county wide average stands at 142 compared with the national rate of 341.

Ouseburn, Hammerton and Tockwith is the worst affected part of the district, with 20 infections recorded in the last seven days. Harrogate West and Pannal is the next highest, with 15.

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It comes as Matt Hancock, the health secretary, announced that more parts of England will be moved into tier four from Boxing Day.

Minsters discussed further restrictions today amid fears that a new variant of coronavirus is spreading.

However, North Yorkshire will remain in tier two.

31 coronavirus cases as Harrogate district ‘braces for new variant’

The Harrogate district has recorded a further 31 coronavirus cases today, according to Public Health England figures.

It brings the total cases in the district so far up to 3,998. That is around 2.5% of the local population but only reflects the number of people who have been tested which increased considerably around September.

Harrogate District Hospital has not recorded any further coronavirus deaths in more than a week and remains at 106 deaths.

There are currently 14 coronavirus patients at the hospital, down from 21 last week.

In the local coronavirus press briefing today there were real concerns around the new coronavirus variant, which spreads faster but is not more deadly.

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Richard Webb, the corporate director of health and adult services at North Yorkshire County Council, said:

“We do not have any confirmed cases of the new coronavirus variant yet but I imagine at the rate at which it spreads it will be heading north at some speed.

“So therefore we have to brace ourselves for the fact that the new strain will reach North Yorkshire very soon.

“We will then have to deal with the consequences of that.”

Local health leaders also highlighted rising coronavirus cases in Scarborough at the press briefing this morning.

The seaside town’s seven-day average rate of infection shot up to 254 per 100,000 people from about 150 a week ago.

It also has the highest positive rates in the north east of England.

With all of those factors coming into play it could mean that the whole of North Yorkshire may either need to move up into tier three or split into different tiers.

Scarborough could drag Harrogate district into tier three

There are fears the Harrogate district could be dragged into a higher tier of coronavirus restrictions amid rising infections elsewhere in the county.

Scarborough is a particular concern as the seven-day average rate of infection has shot up to 254 per 100,000 people from about 150 a week ago.

The area also has the highest positive rates in the whole of the north east of England.

The Harrogate district has 86 infections per 100,000 people. It has remained at about the 90 mark for a few weeks now.

North Yorkshire is currently in tier two. But the possibility of dividing the county into different tiers was raised at a coronavirus press briefing this morning.

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Richard Webb, the corporate director of health and adult services at North Yorkshire County Council, said:

“There has been a dramatic increase of cases in Scarborough. Particularly scary as the increases are among children and those in their 30s.

“People are mixing indoors there. They put themselves and the whole area at risk.”

Asked about the next tier review on December 30, Mr Webb said “up until now” local health leaders had not expected any change to the county’s tier two status.

But he added cases were rising in parts of the county and the door remained open to splitting North Yorkshire into different tiers.

The government highlighted Scarborough as “the most concerning area” in North Yorkshire when it reviewed the tiers last week. Case rates have almost doubled since then.

Back then the government review concluded the “trajectory [did] not warrant tier three” but last weekend’s events highlighted how quickly things can change.

Local health leaders told the forum no confirmed cases of the new coronavirus strain had been recorded in the county but nevertheless they acknowledged it could already be here.

Infection rates in Harrogate district ‘too high for tier one’

Local health and police leaders have acknowledged there will be disappointment in the Harrogate district at the news that it will stay in tier two.

Infection rates across North Yorkshire fell rapidly from mid-November but have plateaued lately at a rate that is still five times higher than it was in the summer.

After announcing the tier decisions this morning, the government released a written explanation on how it reached its verdict for North Yorkshire, which describes the outlook in the county as ‘improving’.

Besides the county’s overall infection rate, other key factors in determining the tier level include infection rates in people aged over 60, which are described as ‘stable or decreasing’.

Another factor is hospital coronavirus admissions, which are decreasing steadily. The government explanation said:

“The epidemiology indicators are too high for allocation to tier one but the trajectory does currently not warrant inclusion in tier three.”

The explanation highlights Scarborough as the most concerning area of North Yorkshire because infection rates are above 150 people per 100,000.

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Richard Flinton, chair of the North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum, which is a partnership of organisations tackling emergencies in the county, said:

“We know there will be some disappointment in areas where rates are lower, that we remain in tier two as a whole county.

“But we can see that rates of reduction have flattened out and in some areas have risen again and our priority has to be about keeping our people safe.

“If we have to stay in tier two to achieve it then we must work to the government’s tiering plan.”

Christmas bubbles

Amanda Bloor, the accountable officer for North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group, which buys health services for the county, added:

“Colleagues across the NHS continue to do a phenomenal job to provide health services for the people of North Yorkshire and York.

“Even though there will be a brief and specific relaxation of government guidance over the holiday period we are urging people to make sensible choices.

“Your choices now will help protect NHS services for those who need them most this winter.”

Chief inspector Charlotte Bloxham, silver lead for North Yorkshire Police’s covid response asked people to “carefully consider their own situation” and “make an informed decision based on their own personal circumstances” regarding Christmas arrangements. She added:

“If you have vulnerable people in your family, please consider carefully whether forming a Christmas bubble with them is the right thing to do.

“There will be no exemption period in place for New Year’s Eve celebrations, so it may be an idea to plan now for a quiet end to 2020.”

Harrogate district remains in tier two

The Harrogate district will remain in tier two after the first government review of the national tier rules.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock made the announcement in the House of Commons this morning.

But there was disappointment for West Yorkshire, including Leeds, which was hoping to move down from tier three to tier two.

This could have implications for local pubs and restaurants, as well as policing, which have had to deal with people flouting the rules and travelling to North Yorkshire for a night out.

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Tier rules are based on factors such as infection rates, particularly in the over 60s, and pressure on hospitals.

Case rates in the Harrogate district remain more than double those in tier one areas.

The Harrogate district currently has a rate of 84 infections per 100,000 people compared to 25.9 per 100,000 in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, which is in tier one.

What are the rules in tier two?

Tier two:

What about Christmas?

Coronavirus restrictions will be eased in England between December 23 and December 27.

Three households will be able to form a temporary bubble. It must be fixed but there will be no limit on numbers joining bubble.

Those who are self-isolating should not join one of these so-called Christmas bubbles.

If someone is in an at-risk group the government has said they must use their own judgement and consider the risks of mixing over Christmas.

Little Ale House to reopen by serving substantial meals

A Harrogate pub is set to reopen after finding a way to serve substantial meals with drinks.

The Little Ale House closed during the second national lockdown in November and did not reopen this month because tier two rules stated only pubs serving substantial meals could do so.

This meant wet-led pubs, which do not have kitchens to serve meals, stayed closed.

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But with little prospect of North Yorkshire moving to tier one anytime soon, the Little Ale House has decided to take action allowing it to reopen in the run-up to Christmas.

The independent micropub will offer a pie and peas warmer for visitors. It will serve pork pies and vegetarians pies.

Richard Park, co-owner at the Little Ale House, told the Stray Ferret:

“We are excited to open but this is not some golden goose. With restrictions on household mixing and drinks, sales will be reduced significantly.

“It will not be the same as before. But we cannot wait to move into tier one before we open, we have to keep our heads above water.”

 

North Yorkshire tier downgrade next week unlikely, say health chiefs

North Yorkshire’s leading public health experts have cautioned against hopes the county could be downgraded to tier one before Christmas.

The government is due to review the tier system next week.

North Yorkshire, which is in tier two, has a seven-day average infection rate of 103 people per 100,000. This is considerably below the England average of 151.

The Harrogate district’s average is even lower at 93. It fell sharply in the second half of November but has stabilised lately.

Some local areas have seen virtually no infections for weeks but pubs and restaurants have stayed shut because of the tier restrictions.

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This morning Richard Webb, director of adult care at North Yorkshire County Council, told a media briefing of North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum, which represents key groups in the fight against covid, that case figures were “relatively stable”.

But he said they were still higher than he would like and the county needed to continue to get them down.

Mr Webb said:

“I suspect we may well see caution prevail just simply because everyone is worried about a spike in the New Year.

“But, let’s see. It is all to play for.”

Meanwhile, Dr Lincoln Sergeant, director of public health at the council, said he hoped the county will be downgraded after Christmas.

He added the county needed to get infections down.

Dr Sergeant said:

“It’s important for us to keep the momentum going. I think we can aim for getting to tier one, it’s certainly within possibility if we keep momentum going and if we keep working together.

“But we should not be disappointed if that doesn’t happen before Christmas.”

The briefing also revealed seven sites across North Yorkshire are expected to start offering the coronavirus vaccine from next week.

North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group, the body which buys medical services in the county, said it will reveal the location of the sites once they are finalised.

Strayside Sunday: the inconsistencies, anomalies and inequities of a tier

Strayside Sunday is our weekly political opinion column. It is written by Paul Baverstock, former Director of Communications for the Conservative Party. 

The Covid-19 limitations we have all had to live with these past 10 months are really starting to grind.  As the country emerges from its second national lockdown we have to contend again with the inconsistencies, anomalies and inequities of a tiered system of restrictions that have been placed on our liberties.  Unsurprisingly, compliance fatigue is setting in.

Pubs and restaurants are open again, albeit if only for patrons of the same family or support bubble.  As local establishments returned to business this week they and their diners had to contend with the presence of Big Brother, in the form of North Yorkshire Police and Harrogate Borough Council staff, checking that those present were practising safe social distancing and that table guests were support bubble appropriate.  Three of Harrogate’s best restaurants, William and Victoria’s, The Fat Badger and The Tannin Level had the pleasure of entertaining the state’s loyal foot soldiers, tiptoeing table to table, encroaching on the privacy and relaxation of their guests.  Enforcement activities smack of a lack of trust, both in the individual and the establishment. As far as we know Winston Smith wasn’t among those present.

Being of solid Yorkshire stock, most of the diners would no doubt pass Environment Secretary George Eustace’s “Scotch Egg test,” namely consuming a ‘substantial’ meal to accompany their libations.  I don’t know about you but I think a scotch egg is a snack, consumed guiltily, either at a motorway service station, or (secretly, so your partner doesn’t notice) on the way home from doing the weekly shop.  And am I alone in feeling a little irked about the selection of a Scotch Egg as the people’s meal?  Surely a vol-au-vent would be more suitable for genteel Harrogate.

As with all government public pronouncements of late, this was quickly contradicted by Michael Gove, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, who, between the Brexit negotiation skirmishes he is coordinating to no great effect, seems to be acting as if he, rather than Bojo, is the one in charge.  Wherever one looks at the top of government for leadership and consistency, despair sets in.

This seems to be the view of a great many of the Conservative Party’s MPs who this week rebelled en masse when asked to rubber stamp the latest tiered lockdown regulations in parliament.  55 Tories rebelled, another 16 abstained or failed to vote at all.  All the other parties, including Labour largely abstained.  So too the Liberal Democrats, without irony, notwithstanding that ‘liberal’ is actually in their name.  Little wonder then that they remain an irrelevance.  If we can’t rely on Ed Davey’s tribe to stand up and put the case for freedom, dignity and the well-being of individuals, then who will?  Given that is what is written in the Liberal Democrat’s constitution, one could be forgiven puzzled disappointment.

Residents of Pateley Bridge and the Nidd Valley in particular will be wondering who is in their corner?  There hasn’t been a single case of Covid in the locality for ten days and yet they find themselves dealing with the blanket restrictions of Tier 2 lockdown.  Smaller, independent hospitality businesses in the area, operating without the advantages offered by large national ownership, see no way to open profitably.  This can’t be fair.  Small businesses are struggling on, having invested in making their venues Covid-secure, but unless circumstances change soon they will become financially unviable and we will lose them.  Our communities will be all the poorer for it.

One Lib Dem who spoke up this week is Lord Newby of Rothwell, leader of the yellows in the Lords.  He argues that the time has arrived for the NHS to hand back Harrogate’s Convention Centre to the council.  Press ganged into action as a Nightingale Hospital, the building is yet to receive a single Covid-related patient.  While we of course have to be thankful that the hospital lay dormant through two case number peaks, there remains lingering doubt about whether and how the NHS would have been able to adequately staff the hospital had it been necessary.  It’s time for Harrogate Borough Council to take back the centre and get on with building back better .

The news that vaccines are now in the country brings some solace at least and at last.  We know that healthcare workers and care home residents and staff are to be vaccinated first.  This has to be the right thing to do.  Not least because frontline NHS staff have shown their usual dedication to providing care in the face of considerable risk to their health and emotional wellbeing.  The government now needs to break with its recent history of staccato do’s and don’ts and communicate clearly how the rest of vaccination programme will be rolled out across the population as a whole.  By providing clarity about who will be vaccinated when, we can each inform our own behaviour accordingly.  In the end the government is going to have to trust us to decide what is best for ourselves and our families.  It’s called

Freedom.

That’s my Strayside Sunday.

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Police step up patrols to stop tier three travel to Harrogate district

Police have warned they are stepping up patrols to prevent people from tier three areas travelling into the Harrogate district for the lower restrictions.

North Yorkshire and York entered tier two yesterday. But the surrounding area is in tier three, except for Cumbria.

Restaurants and pubs can open in tier two, if they serve substantial meals; but all hospitality is closed in tier three except for takeaways.

This could tempt people from areas such as Leeds to travel to the district for nights out but North Yorkshire Police has said it is ready to tackle this.

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Superintendent Mike Walker, the coronavirus lead for North Yorkshire Police, said travel from tier three to lower tier areas is only permitted if deemed necessary, such as for work or education. He added:

“I realise there may be some confusion over what is deemed necessary in these circumstances, so I’d like to be clear here; it is neither necessary or acceptable to leave a tier 3 area and enter a lower tier area for a day trip or to visit a pub or restaurant for a meal.

“Please also be reminded that your tier restrictions travel with you and police can take enforcement action against you,  if you should breach those restrictions.”

Police vehicles with automatic number plate recognition technology will be deployed along with more active patrols, said Superintendent Walker, who added:

“There will be a visible police presence in our day and nighttime economy areas.

“It is our job to engage with the public and sometimes find out the purpose of their journey — especially if we see groups coming into the area.

“We will also work with local businesses to ensure that they understand the tier two regulations and make sure they are operating in a safe way.”

What are the tier two restriction?

Harrogate district health bosses expect ‘long journey’ to tier one

Health bosses in the Harrogate district said today they expect it to be a “long journey” from tier two to tier one.

The government is due to review the tiers every two weeks, which means the first opportunity to change will be on December 16.

But with infection rates in North Yorkshire nearly double those in tier one areas, any hopes of change before Christmas appear slim.

Richard Webb, director of adult social care at the county council, said at a coronavirus media briefing today:

“We need to work really hard to stay at tier two and hopefully reduce in due course to tier one.

“I think the advice that we are getting is that it might be quite a long journey to get out of tier two and into tier one.

“I know there will be some parts of the county that are very anxious to see that change. So we are going to have to continue to work hard to drive infection rates down.”

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Infection rates have shrunk considerably since the second half of November.

The Harrogate district’s seven-day average rate of infection is now 90 people per 100,000. This is lower than both North Yorkshire and England, whose rates are 104 and 152 respectively.

The R number for the district, which refers to how rapidly the virus is spreading in the community, has fallen again this week from 0.6 to 0.5. This means every 10 people with covid will infect five.

Public Health England reported another 25 cases today.

Killinghall and Hampsthwaite is by some distance the district’s covid hotspot. It has recorded 27 infections in the last seven days.

The next highest sub-districts are Harrogate West and Pannal and Ouseburn, Hammerton and Tockwith, both of which have had 14.

Killinghall and Hampsthwaite actually has the fourth highest number of infections of all the sub-districts in North Yorkshire.