Coronavirus York updates. 5th December 2020

Deaths and test results

TWO additional deaths announced by York Hospital Trust today. One occurred on 30th November and one on 3rd December.

TWENTY SEVEN (27) new positive test results announced. That is the largest single day number for over week. Brings cumulative total to 5737.

Rate /100k population is now 64.1. The infection rate is still reducing but not as quickly as was seen during the previous 7 days.

The infection rate continues to decline at City, county, regional and national levels.

There has been an increase in the number of cases in Huntington.

The numbers in Westfield have fallen

Only six of York’s local neighbourhoods are now above the 100 case threshold.

Five neighbourhoods have fewer that 3 cases each. They are

  • Dunnington, Elvington & Wheldrake
  • Bishopthorpe & Copmanthorpe
  • Holgate West & Westfield East
  • Acomb
  • New Earswick

At their last published update (Wednesday) St Johns University said that they had 2 students self isolating following positive tests.

The equivalent figure (Friday) at York University was 28 individuals

Help with food and bills this winter?

The Winter Support Grant is here to provide financial support to people who are struggling as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The grants are here to support eligible residents – with or without children – with food and utility bills this winter.

York residents who have savings of less than £2,000 can apply for a grant to help feed themselves and their families, and to keep warm over this difficult period.

From Monday 7 December, apply for it at www.york.gov.uk/wintersupportgrant

For help with applying or for other sources of support in the city, please visit www.york.gov.uk/benefitsadvice, or www.livewellyork.org.uk or call the council’s Covid Helpline on 01904 551550.

York City continue behind closed doors

The York Councils Executive is being told that the new Community Stadium will be handed over later this month. There has so far not been any confirmation by the Council, their contractors GLL or the two prospective occupiers of the stadium (York City FC and York Knights RLFC).

York City are playing at home today and, in theory, they could have welcomed up to 2000 fans to the match (which will be held at Bootham Crescent). As the statement below, taken from the City web site makes clear, fans will not be admitted as it has not been possible to take Bootham Crescent out of mothballs yet.

When the Prime Minister announced, on the 23rd November, that fans could attend football matches we knew it was going to be a race against time to get the necessary certificates and approvals for Bootham Crescent. 

As previously communicated, we have been poised to move out of Bootham Crescent and into the LNER Community Stadium for a number of months and as such we have been careful not to unnecessarily invest important club funds into Bootham Crescent. 

Despite a huge amount of effort from staff and our loyal volunteers, we are unable to welcome fans back on Saturday 5th December as we are still waiting for external providers to certify parts of the stadium, work which will surpass the deadline given by regulatory bodies.  

We know fans will be disappointed, we understand and share that feeling but safety must be our priority and we cannot welcome fans to a stadium which is not properly certified. 

We’ll continue to work hard to get Bootham Crescent ready for fans to come back as soon as possible and share updates when we can. 

We will be live streaming the game via our streaming platform for £7.99. “

The situation is slightly ironic as the Council last week issued a statement backing the York Knights bid to gain super league status. A key part of the bid was the quality of their proposed home at the Community Stadium; a facility with no opening date!

According to GLL the stadium will be handed over before Christmas