Each week the North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum (NYLRF) provides a media briefing. The group is formed from all the lead figures in policing, public health, testing and hospitals.
These are the main points from the briefing.
The Covid-19 statistics for North Yorkshire have improved over the week, but not as significantly as they had done the previous week, the term plateauing was used.
There was caution around over optimism leading to the public relaxing the measures too quickly.
It was thought that although theoretically areas of North Yorkshire could be a Tier-1, the group didn’t especially support that as a way that they would want to go. The general feel is that the rates need to become lower.
Care Homes
- 55 out of 235 care homes have 1 or more staff or residents with Covid-19.
- 102 people in care homes have Covid-19
- 1 large outbreak
7 day infection rate/ 100,000
- North Yorkshire 103
- Scarborough 164
- Craven 135
- Selby 99
- Harrogate 93
- Richmond 84
- Ryedale 65
- Hambleton 64
7 day infection rate/ 100,000 previous week
- England’s average 153.0
- North Yorkshire 106.9
- Selby 106.9
- Scarborough 127.8
- Craven 127.8
- Ryedale 102.9
- Richmond 93.1
- Harrogate 92.0
- Hambleton 98.6
The Tier review is likely to take place on the 16 or 17 December 2020.
The Tier allocation is not within the remit of the NYLRF, but the thought of the group was much it depends on if there was a county-wide tier assignment. The group is also cautious about entering a lower tier as they feel that the rates haven’t bottomed-out sufficiently, especially with the planed relaxation of rules over Christmas.
Education
- There is an 89% attendance of schools
- 2 primary schools are closed
- No secondary schools are closed
- 20 schools with some partial closures
Testing
Testing capacity remains good, with permanent test centres at Harrogate, Selby, Scarborough
- Harrogate 100 test/day
- Selby 50 to 60 tests/ day
- Scarborough and Northallerton 50 tests/ day
An alternate site is now being developed for Skipton.
Around 5% of tests come back positive.
Lateral Flow Testing will be prioritised to Tier 3 areas first, putting North Yorkshire down the pecking order.
Track and Trace
North Yorkshire Fire Service will assist in door knocking checks
40% to 50% of cases are considered successfully followed-up.
Hospitals
Patients in North Yorkshire Hospitals with Covid-19
- North Yorkshire – 209
- Harrogate – 20
- York – 43
- Scarborough – 52
- South Tees – 94
- Darlington – 56
- Airedale – 54
Previous week – Patients in North Yorkshire Hospitals with Covid-19
- Total in North Yorkshire, 206 inpatients, a reduction of 66
- Harrogate 22, a reduction of 9
- York 36, a reduction of 29
- Scarborough 53, a reduction of 6
- South Tees, 95 a reduction of 22
- Airedale 66, a reduction of 26
Hospital staff on sick or isolating has dropped by 50% to 247
Vaccine
Hull University Teaching Hospital will be the hub for the vaccine.
Other GP surgeries and community venues will then be used. 7 sites are being finalized.
Those being invited for a vaccine will be invited directly, over 80’s will be prioritised first.
People are asked not to contact their GP or 111 regarding the vaccine.
The rollout will be over months and a significant logistical challenge.stats
Policing
Fixed penalty notices have been handed out in Scarborough to 4 incidents where individuals were told to disperse, but refused.
There are no stop checks (or border checks) being employed between North Yorkshire and Tier-3 areas. It is viewed by NYP as neither practical or proportionate a response given the number of routes into the county.
