Deaths & test results

FOUR further deaths have been announced by the York Hospital Trust today. One occurred on Friday, one on Saturday and two yesterday. The second wave death toll at the York and Scarborough hospitals has now reached 61.

The have been THIRTY SEVEN (37) new positive test results announced today. That brings the total to 5489

The infection rate continues to gradually reduce in the City and is now less than a third of the rate seen at the peak on 16th October.

Two neighbourhoods in York remain above average rates. This is partly because we are continuing to see a reduction in case numbers at county, regional and national levels.

Restrictions to be eased

England’s second national lockdown will be lifted on 2 December when a revised three-tiered system of restrictions will allow shops, gyms and hairdressers to reopen across the country.

Lockdown will end a week on Wednesday, following a month of tougher national instructions.

The lifting of the national lockdown from 2 December will see:

• Non-essential shops, hairdressers, gyms and leisure facilities reopen across the whole of England
• Collective worship, weddings and all outdoor sports can resume, subject to social distancing, across the whole of England
• The “rule of six” will return – meaning people will no longer be limited to seeing only one other person in outdoor public – across the whole of England
• The previous 10pm curfew for pubs, bars and restaurants will be extended to 11 pm, with last orders at 10pm. But new rules mean pubs operating under Tier 2 can only trade if customers have a “substantial meal”. And in Tier 3, pubs must shut and can only sell goods for takeaway.

In Tier 1 and 2 areas (likely to include York) limited numbers will be allowed back into spectator stadiums.

• In Tier 1, 50% capacity or 4,000 spectators – whichever is lower – will be allowed in outdoor venues, with a maximum 1,000 indoors.
• In Tier 2, 50% capacity or 2,000 spectators – whichever is lower, will be allowed in outdoor venues, with a maximum 1,000 indoors.

Whether the new LNER community stadium at Monks Cross is complete and can actually now be brought into use remains to be seen.

People in England will also now be able to travel abroad for holidays once again from 2 December, although they will remain subject to quarantine rules.

It is unclear whether there will be any enforced restrictions on travel from high to low infection rate areas within the UK. The government talks of “guidance”. That could be a critical issue in York if large numbers seek to travel to the City in the run up to Christmas. There is anxiety that an influx could push up local infection rates.

In Tier 1 areas, people will still be urged to work from home wherever possible.

Theatres will have to close in the top tier of restrictions, with audience capacity limits set for venues in tiers where performances are permitted.

The tiers that areas are allocated to will be announced on Thursday.

University students in England will be urged to take two Covid tests, three days apart, to cut the risk of spreading infection when they travel home for Christmas. These are lateral flow tests with rapid results – with those testing negative expected to leave university within the following 24 hours. The pre-Christmas testing is expected to start in York next week. But testing will remain voluntary.

Rules on gatherings and travel over the festive period are still yet to be confirmed.

The “Covid Winter Plan” has been published on the government’s website. (click)

The BBC has published the following summary of the planned restriction levels.