Deaths and test results
THREE (3) more Coronavirus deaths have been announced by the York Hospital Trust today. One death occurred on 27th and the other 2 yesterday. Brings the cumulative second wave toll total to 92 at the York and Scarborough hospitals.
ONS have updated today their analysis of COVID deaths that have occurred in the City up to 20th November. These give details of fatalities among people normally resident in the York.
They are lower than figures reported by the York Hospital Trust which covers a wider area than just the City itself.
The ONS figures do lag behind the position “on the ground” and may increase over the next few weeks because of cases in the pipeline.
So far, during the second wave of infections, the City has lost 20 residents to the virus.
The total death toll for the year is now 191.
To provide some context for these figures these are the total deaths – including COVID – this year up to 20th November.
Both Universities have started to “mass test” their students prior to them leaving the City for the winter holiday. They are right to do so. What will happen in January remains to be seen, but we didn’t want a repeat of the spike in infections seen in September/October. Hopefully everyone will be tested before retuning to the City.
THIRTEEN (13) new positive test results have been announced today. This is the lowest figure since the middle of September. This brings the cumulative total to 5659.
The infection rate per 100k population is now 97.34. This is below the benchmark which might allow the City to be placed into Tier 1 from 19th December.
However, all eyes will be on the effect that the end of Lockdown at midnight tonight has on infection rates. This is unlikely to become clear for at least a week.
The majority of neighbourhoods are now below the 100 case threshold.
Four (Heworth North, New Earswick, Dunnington and Copmanthorpe) each having had fewer than 3 cases recorded in the last 7 days.
There is still an upward spike in the Chapelfields/Westfield area.
Case numbers are continuing to reduce at City, county, regional and national levels. North Yorkshire in particular is trending down quite sharply now with the rate in Harrogate having dropped to 97.0.
How other countries keep people informed
Although the York Council has slowly improved the quality and accessibility of the information provided for residents about Coronavirus, it still has a long way to go to achieve the clarity provided in other parts of the world. One local campaigner has rightly pointed to the Washington USA web site which is a model of clarity.
The York “open data” system (which in fairness was not designed as a real time briefing tool) is poor by comparison.
It appears that the Council is now seeking new staff for its PR team (click). Hopefully they will find someone who is skilled in digital communications.
The Council communications head has responded, to the call for greater clarity, by saying on Twitter “We will discuss internally and think through options, continuing to take PH advice about which data best prompts safe behaviours”
This does rather suggests that propaganda comes before providing factual information.
Shop opening hours
Some large stores are saying that they will stay open 24/7 in the run up to Christmas. City centre traders have nominated Fridays areas their late closing day.
Extended opening hours are a good way of metering demand and should help with social distancing.
However, some workers, including those in supermarkets plus delivery drivers, are beginning to look pretty tired. Perhaps they should get a break after Christmas and leave the field clear for the independent small shops who have been hit hard by the lockdown?