This morning the North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum (NYLRF) met to brief the media.
These are the main points from the update.
Infection rates
At 195.5 per 100,000 infections in North Yorkshire is below average in England.
Coming out of lockdown and looking at criteria, most likely will be tier 2, but some may be tier 3. Not clear if the approach to assigned tiers will be a single approach for a region or a district approach – that will come from announcements on Thursday.
Was acknowledged that the county was making progress, but there was cautiousness in being overly optimistic.
7-day rate for infections per 100,000
- All of North Yorkshire – 195.5
- Scarborough – 296.1
- Craven – 189.0
- Richmondshire – 169.8
- Hambleton – 159.4
- Harrogate – 157.3
- Ryedale – 151.8
But was described as “Not out of the woods yet” and a need to get rates right down.
Testing
Testing capacity remains good.
Seeing fewer tests coming back as positive.
PCR testing works well for cases with symptoms.
Looking at adding Lateral Flow Testing (rapid testing) and there is a pilot running on this in the South being followed.
7-day testing available in Harrogate and Scarborough.
Further test sites opening in Skipton, Northallerton and Selby.
Local contact tracing continues to support the national tracing. They are looking at door knocking, sometimes useful as a welfare check.
The mass vaccination is NHS-led, by North Yorkshire is supporting, identifying sites. This is a significant logistical challenge.
Nightingale
The Harrogate Nightingale would only be used in an extreme situation when all hospitals were in surge planning.
The Nightingale provides support for patients needing a ventilator, non-invasive ventilation and those that are oxygen dependent.
Opening the Nightingale would create resourcing challenges.
Covid-19 hospital cases
Covid Cases in Hospital, change on weeks in brackets
- All of North Yorkshire 272 (it was at 302 in phase 1 peak)
- Harrogate 31 (+4)
- York 65 (-1)
- Scarborough 59 (-3)
- South Tees 117 (-10)
- Darlington 52 (+7)
- Airedale 89 (-7)
Hospital staffing remains good with 8% less on sick than would be expected for the time of year.
Surge plan has been invoked at one hospital with the cancellation of some planned operations and procedures.
Urge people to attend planned appointments and attend A&E in Emergency situations.
Requesting that people don’t contact their GP around Covid-19 vaccine rollout as there is a nationally agreed order.
Sickness impact on the ambulance service has stabilised.
Schools
Children at school has improved with 87% at school, it was 85% last week.
Less than 5 schools shut.
Around 35 schools with some year group or class closure.
Policing
North Yorkshire Police reported that 73 fixed penalties have been issued in the week.
- 52 in Scarborough
- 15 in York
- 4 in Hambleton
- 2 in Ryedale
Continue to work to the 4 E’s – Engage, Explain, Encourage, Enforce. Only using penalties when absolutely necessary.
Police are continuing to patrol areas of the greatest concern and urged people to stick to the lockdown rules even though the end is in sight.
Thank you