Deaths and test results

THREE (3) additional deaths announced by York Hospital Trust today. Two occurred on Wednesday and one yesterday. Brings second wave total fatalities at York and Scarborough hospitals to 52

THIRTY SIX (36) additional positive test results announced today bringing the cumulative total for the City to 5381

Most neighbourhoods remain below the regional and national averages.

There has been a spike in cases recently in the Clifton North area.

Case numbers at Heslington are beginning to fall again

Otherwise the slow gradual downward trend in case numbers continues. This is now matched at county, regional and national level.

Lockdown impact on case numbers

It may be worth remembering, as we start to assess the impact of lockdown 2 on York, that it took 2 months before case numbers peaked during the first lockdown period in the spring.

The second wave of infections in the City was already trending down before, first Tier 2 then full lockdown, restrictions were introduced.

However, the peak infection rate has, and remains, much higher than was seen in the spring. There is still a long way to go and it could be well into next year before infection rates start to reflect first wave exit numbers.

• First lockdown started 16th March
• First lockdown eased from 13th May.
• York enters Tier 2 restrictions 17th October
• Second lockdown starts 5th November

Source of infections

PHE has published some data indicating where victims may have come into contact with the virus. This is national data extracted from the the NHS App. and covered the period between 9th and 15th November. We believe that this information should also be published at a local level.

The major contact areas are revealed as supermarkets and schools. It is not suggested that these were the locations where victims caught the virus.

Surplus food distribution very popular

We understand that as many as 70 people have been attending the surplus food distribution sessions at the Foxwood Community Centre. Sessions take place twice a week.

More help for businesses

The York Council has announced how it proposes to allocate the Additional Restrictions Grant of £4,212,360 which it it has received as a one-off payment from the government. It must cover the current lockdown, any
future national lockdown, and any period when York might be
subject to local Tier 3 restrictions before the end of financial year
2021/22.

For businesses that predominantly supply their goods and services
the Government’s Inter Departmental Business Register shows there to be approximately 250 businesses in scope in York. Some are wholesalers to nonessential retail, while others are the greengrocers, fishmongers,
butchers, commercial laundries, cleaning contractors and others
who provide services to hospitality and accommodation providers.
A further related sector is companies who work with venues and
hospitality providers to arrange events – can also be thought
of as suppliers

• For those with fixed commercial premises costs – rent payable to a landlord – a payment of £1,334 per 28-day qualifying restriction period (base level of LRSG(Closed) payments)
•  For those without fixed premises costs, a payment of £500 per 28-day qualifying restriction period.

Details can be found by clicking here

Covid-secure winter beds for rough sleepers

The official number of rough sleepers in York has fallen to three and Covid-secure emergency winter beds are available to help people off the streets.

Arrangements are in place to ensure the welfare of rough sleepers this winter, including beds available in addition to the regular emergency accommodation. In line with guidelines to minimise the transmission of the virus, this accommodation is to support even more people off the streets, rather than sleeping rough and vulnerable to even more danger in the coldest months.

York goes above and beyond the national ‘severe weather scheme’ by making these beds available whether or not it’s freezing. We also accept rough sleepers’ dogs in a number of our hostels in York, and have done so since 2000.

Officers from the Salvation Army and the council are constantly working with people on the streets to bring them into the accommodation they need. Some of the winter beds offered are at council hostels where partner agencies and volunteer groups give extra support including providing food or clothing over the winter months.

In all emergency accommodation, people are offered help to address any issues which may have led them to becoming homeless. This includes referral to services for mental health or substance misuse, as well as training for work and how to manage a lasting tenancy. Once that stage is successfully underway, people are offered accommodation with less support before, hopefully, they move into private or affordable fully-independent homes.

Rough Sleeper services are operating as usual: for a bed, please go to 63 Lawrence Street before midday or call 01904 416562.

Anyone who sees a person sleeping rough can ring Streetlink on 0300 500 0194 which will alert us to visit the location and offer support. Many other ways to help people off the streets can be found at www.york.gov.uk/roughsleeping