Good news and the..
Micklegate Bar still closed
UPDATE: Northern Gas Networks say that reinstatement work in the Blossom Street area will be completed before Monday 15th March. Micklegate Bar will then reopen to users.
A week after the gas works at Micklegate Bar were supposed to end, the Bar remains closed to traffic (and cyclists moving west to east)
No explanation for the delay, or new completion date, has been publicised by Northern Gas Networks or the City of York Council.
The similar works, taking place on Blossom Street, are due to be completed next Friday (and appear to be on schedule)
Traffic levels are likely to increase as schools return to normal on Monday. The Micklegate Bar work should have been completed before then.
Coronavirus York updates; 5th March 2021
Deaths
Two additional hospital deaths have been announced today. One occurred on Monday and one on Wednesday
Test Results
Thirteen additional positive test results were announced today. Brings cumulative total to 11,930
The number of cases in the City has fallen from 123 yesterday to 112 today.
The rate per /100k population has fallen to 53.18. That is the lowest rate recorded since 24th September 2020
After a small hiccup tomorrow, the rate is expected to fall to below 50 next week.
Neighbourhoods
All but two neighbourhoods now have below average infection rates.
Vaccinations
Tests
4325 PCR tests were carried out during the week ending 28th February
Of these, 2.6% were positive. That is an improvement on the 2.8% recorded the previous day
3426 “lateral flow” test were also conducted on 4th March
Hospitals
There are currently 54 COVID-19 patients being cared for by the York Hospital Trust. 7 are in intensive care.
Since the start of the pandemic 2024 patients have been discharged
Council commentary
The York Councils “open data” commentary on the pandemic is reproduced below
The data is accurate as at 8.00 a.m. on Friday 05.03.21. Some narrative for the data covering the latest period is provided here below:
People with Covid Symptoms
• NHS Pathways/111 triages – as at 1.3.21 there had been 68 total covid triages in the CYC area in the last 7 days. The peak number of triages was 653 in the 7 day period to 20.9.20.
• As at 3.3.21, the Covid Symptom App estimates 193.2 per 100,000 in York with symptomatic covid (responses from a sample of 4,476 people). The peak rate was 1,282.6 on 7.1.21.
Diagnosed cases
• As at 4.3.21 York has had 11,917 cases since the start of the pandemic, a rate of 5,658 per 100,000 of population. The cumulative rate in York is below the national (6,537) and regional (6,521) averages.
• The PHE ‘Exceedance’ rating compares the no. of new cases over a 14 day period with the previous 6 weeks and provides a RAG rating to indicate if the previously observed trend in the no. of new cases is worsening. The latest rating for York (1.3.21) is Green.
• The provisional rate of new Covid cases per 100,000 of population for the period 24.2.21 to 2.3.21 in York is 48.9 (using data published on Gov.uk on 4.3.21).
• The latest official “validated” rate of new Covid cases per 100,000 of population for the period 21.2.21 to 27.2.21 was 58.4. The national and regional averages at this date were 86.4 and 122 respectively (using data published on Gov.uk on 4.3.21).
• York is currently ranked 43rd out of 149 Upper Tier Local Authorities (UTLAs) in England with a rank of 1 indicating the lowest 7 day rate.
• For the 7 day period 20.2.21.to 26.2.21, 1 ward in York (Heworth) has seen a statistically significant fall in rates compared with the 7 day period 13.2.21 to 19.2.21. 1 ward has seen a significant rise in rates (Dringhouses & Woodthorpe). For the remaining wards there has been no statistically significant change in rates.
• The rate of new Covid cases per 100,000 of population for the period 21.2.21 to 27.2.21 for people aged 60+ in York was 70.6. The national and regional averages were 56.9 and 75.6 respectively.
• As at 1.3.21, the latest 7 day positivity rate in York (Pillar 2 PCR tests only) was 3.06%. The national and regional averages are 3.6% and 5.5% respectively.
• As at 1.3.21 the latest 7 day positivity rate in York (Pillar 2 Lateral Flow Tests only) was 0.23%. The national and regional averages are 0.2% and 0.2% respectively.
• As at 2.3.21 the latest 7 day positivity rate in York (Pillar 1 tests only) was 1.9%. The national average is 2.3%.
• As at 4.3.21 York University reported 7 individuals within the University community who were currently self-isolating because they have had a positive COVID-19 test. The peak number was 331 on the 19.10.20.
• As at 22.2.21 York St. John reported 1 individual within the University community who was currently self-isolating because they have had a positive COVID-19 test. The peak number was 82 on the 8.10.20.
Contact Tracing
• Since 28.5.20 a total of 11,047 laboratory confirmed CYC Covid cases have been uploaded into the NHS Test and Trace system and 9,956 of the cases have been completed (90.1%). 25,655 ‘contacts’ have been identified and 19,385 of these have been completed (75.6%). Source: PHE Report.
• Local Tracing of Cases: Between 22.10.20 and 26.2.21, 935 referrals had been actioned by the local contact tracing service. Of the referrals actioned, 599 (65%) were successful and 336 (36%) were unable to be reached via phone or home visit, but guidance leaflets were posted where possible.
Cases in Residential Care Settings
• As at 4.3.21 there was 1 care home in the CYC area with confirmed Covid-19 infection (at least 1 case of either a staff member or resident).
• The latest ‘outbreak’ (2+ cases) in a residential care setting in York was reported by PHE on 25.2.21 (1 home).
Cases amongst School Aged Children
• In the 7 days up to 1.3.21 there were 5 children of primary and secondary school age who tested positive. NB Currently the majority of York children are not in the school setting.
COVID Bed Occupancy in York Hospital
• As at 3.3.21 there were 33 confirmed Covid-19 patients in General and Acute beds. The figure a week ago (23.2.21) was 41.
• As at 3.3.21 there were 9 confirmed Covid-19 patients and 0 suspected Covid-19 patient in the Intensive Treatment Unit. The figures a week ago (23.2.21) were 11 and 0 respectively.
• As at 3.3.21 there had been 0 patients admitted with suspected Covid-19 and 1 with confirmed Covid-19 in the previous 24 hours.
• As at 3.3.21 there had been 6 confirmed patients discharged with COVID-19 in last 24 hours.
Covid Patients (CYC Residents) discharged from York Hospital
• Between 22.2.21 and 28.2.21, 21 CYC residents were discharged from York hospital after needing NHS care for symptoms linked to covid-19 infection.
R Number
• The ‘R’ value (the number of people that one infected person will pass on a virus to, on average) for the North East and Yorkshire area on 26.2.21 was estimated to be in the range 0.7 to 0.9. The previous estimate was (0.7 to 1.0) on 19.2.21.
Total Vaccinations
• As at 3.3.21 64,230 CYC residents have received the first dose and 1,139 had received both doses. 30.5% of the total estimated population of York (210,618*) have therefore received the first dose.
• As at 3.3.21 17.78M In people in England have received the first dose and 0.68M have received both doses. 31.6% of the total estimated population of England (56,286,961*) have therefore received the first dose.
*using Mid-Year 2019 population estimates
Deaths
The two sources about deaths from Covid-19 at LA level are ONS data and local registrar data. They are derived from the same source (civil registration data). ONS data is more comprehensive as it includes deaths of York residents which have occurred and been registered outside York. Local registrar data is useful as it enables a breakdown by age and gender. The most recently available data is summarised below:
• ONS weekly data: In the most recent period (Week 7: 13.2.21 to 18.2.21) 18 Covid-19 deaths were recorded as having occurred for CYC residents (11 in hospital, 5 in a care home and 2 at home). In weeks 4, 5 and 6 there had been 26, 18 and 11 deaths respectively.
• ONS Cumulative data: Since the start of the pandemic, for deaths occurring up to 19th February 2021 and registered up to 27th February 2021, 367 Covid-19 deaths were recorded as having occurred for CYC residents (215 in hospital, 125 in care homes, 20 at home and 7 in a hospice). The number of deaths per 100,000 of population in York is 174.25 which is lower than the national average of 215.06.
• Local Registrar data (Cumulative): Since the start of the pandemic (using data for deaths occurring up to 24.2.21), a cumulative total of 354 deaths of CYC residents where COVID-19 was mentioned (confirmed or suspected) on the death certificate, have been registered. The average age of the people who died was 82.3, with an age range of 44-104. The age profile of those dying in York is older than the national average (80.5% of those who died in York were aged 75+ compared with 73.7% nationally). 170 of the 354 were male (48%), less than the national average (54.3%).
York businesses to receive £7.5m in grants next week
March lockdown grant payments will be in York businesses’ bank accounts next week.
- £7.5m will be in York business bank accounts by Thursday 11 March, taking the total financial support to nearly £150m during pandemic
- Government has indicated that Restart Grants will not be paid until at least 1 April
March lockdown grant payments will be in York businesses’ bank accounts next week.
Around £7.5m of grants will be issued on Monday 8 March, landing in accounts within 3 days.
The payments relate to ongoing grants to support through the current lockdown, and not to any announcements made in this week’s budget. Following government guidance, City of York Council are paying grants up to 31 March.
Any business which has already received a payment since the new lockdown grants were introduced in November does not need to reapply.
The council is also reminding businesses that it is not in control of the timeline for paying Restart Grants. The government has indicated that payments cannot be made until the start of April at the earliest.
Council stages three on line consultations
Bootham/Gillygate
The promised consultation on changes to pedestrian priority arrangements at this junction started this week.
It asks whether changes could be made as part of a plan to modernise the traffic signals at the junction.
The survey can be found by clicking this link
Option1
This design replaces all signalling equipment at the junction whilst also making slight improvements for pedestrians crossing the junction. Transport modelling of these revisions indicate that the impact to all vehicular traffic moving through the junction is negligible however the improvements to infrastructure at the site make future upgrades and revisions to operation easier.
* A full replacement of all on site traffic signalling technology
* Pedestrian Crossing width increased to 4 metres on the Bootham arm of the junction
* Pedestrian Crossing width increased to 6 metres on the Gillygate arm of the junction
* Tactile paving on the St Leonards Place arm of the crossing to be realigned meet current design standards.
Option 2
This design looks to reallocate space at the junction from road traffic to pedestrians whilst also replacing the required signalling equipment.
Transport modelling of the redesign indicates that the changes would reduce the capacity of the junction by approximately 30%. This would see significant increases in general traffic delay at the junction and a large increase in queues which would impact on adjacent junctions across the network.
* A full replacement of all on site traffic signalling technology.
* Pedestrian Crossing widths increased to 4 metres across both the Gillygate and Bootham arms of the junction.
* Additional pedestrian crossing point introduced from the eastern corner of Gillygate to the western footway of St Leonards Place.
* Removal of the left turn lane from St Leonards Place reducing the highway into a single lane in both directions.
* Highway realigned to the East of Gillygate/St Leonards place to create a more straight ahead route for vehicles travelling from Gillygate into St Leonards Place and additional footway and pedestrian realm adjacent to Bootham Bar.
* Existing Pedestrian Island removed from St Leonards place and crossing realigned as a single stage crossing.
The consultation runs until 31st March.
Dropped kerbs
The Council is also consulting on a revised policy for approving dropped kerb – verge cross over plans.
Lack of on street parking space means that more residents will be likely to seek to make this change in the future. Installation of vehicle charging facilities as the internal combustion engine is phased out, may stimulate demand.
The new regulations are very proscriptive. They don’t permit the relocation of tree or street furniture which may obstruct access to a driveway.
A programme of providing dropped kerbs for Council owned premises has stalled over recent years meaning that verges in several streets are now badly damaged.
The draft policy can be found by clicking here
The consultation closes on 28th April
Homeshare York
The Council is also consulting on the future of its Homeshare services
“Currently Homeshare matches a homeowner aged 55+ who has a spare room and could benefit from some support and/or companionship (the ‘Householder’) with a younger person who will provide 10 hours of support a week in exchange for accommodation (the ‘Homesharer’). Homeshare is free to the Householder and the Homesharer pays £160 towards the running of the match as well as any contributions towards council tax increases. Homesharer’s are fully vetted including two references and a DBS check. Matches are made based on both parties’ personalities and interests and support is offered throughout the match. Matches are expected to last for a minimum of 6 months but can be ended early if a match is not working out. For more information you can visit our Homeshare webpage.“
the Homeshare survey can be accessed here: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/2DQNWN8
The survey runs until 22nd March