Coronavirus York Updates 25th March 2021

Deaths

There have been no further York hospital deaths announced today. The last fatality was on 17th March

Test results

13 additional positive test results have been announced today. It brings the cumulative total up to 12,160

Case numbers have fallen from 64 yesterday to 63 today.

The rate /100k population figure has fallen to 29.91 today. This is the lowest rate seen since 12th September 2020.

However, test results, already in the pipeline, mean that infection rates are expected to rise to at least 32 over the weekend. That is the equivalent of an extra 5 cases.

Little change at county, regional of national level today

Neighbourhoods

All but 3 York neighbourhoods now have infection rates below the national average

Vaccinations

The latest vaccination figures at local local neighbourhood level confirm that York is making very good progress with its programme.

96% of over 60’s have been immunised.

In addition, inroads have been made in the under 50 age group where nearly 18,000 have already received the jab.

Over 8000 vaccinations are being completed, on average, each week

Tests

4570 PCR tests were carried out in York during the week ending 20th March

Of these 1.4% were positive (the same percentage as the previous day)

4809 “lateral flow” test were also carried out on 24th March

Hospitals

The York Hospital Trust is now treating 35 COVID-19 cases. This up from 30 earlier in the week. Six patients are in intensive care. The patients are not necessarily from York. 2,088 Covid patients have been treated and discharged by theTrust since the start of the pandemic

York Minster

York Minster today announced its services and events for Holy Week and Easter, the most important festival in the calendar for Christians around the world.

Details of the programme can be found by clicking here

Cycle Lockers – rent waived

The Council is waiving the rent due on the 136 cycle lockers which are located at park and ride sites around the City. About 50% of the lockers are currently rented but, because of the pandemic, many have been unused this year. Cyclists have either been furloughed or have been working from home. The Council says it won’t charge any rent this year.

Potentially this leaves a shortfall of around £5,300 in the Councils budget. The income is used to maintain the lockers.

The Council has been encouraging the use of the lockers as part of a “park and cycle” initiative. Their fate, in the post COVID, world is unclear.

Lockdown rules due to be eased from Monday (29th March)

The outdoor socialising rules change in the second section of reopening due to be implemented next week.

The government says that the main inhibitor for this going ahead is the capacity of hospitals.

The vaccine deployment programme continues successfully.

Evidence shows vaccines are sufficiently effective in reducing hospitalisations and deaths in those vaccinated.

Infection rates do not risk a surge in hospitalisations which would put unsustainable pressure on the NHS.

Our assessment of the risks is not fundamentally changed by new Variants of Concern

Government criteria for relaxing Lockdown restrictions

In York the number of COVID patients has fallen dramatically as the vaccination programme has been rolled out.

So in theory this, and the further relaxation of rules (including reopening shops) scheduled for the 12th April, will go ahead.

What will be of concern will be the ability of the authorities to deter trips from high Coronavirus rate areas to lower ones.

While York now enjoys a relatively low rate (currently around 30) areas as close to the City as Barnsley (187), Hull (145), Bradford (141) and Wakefield (131) have rates over four times higher.

From Mar 29, six people from six different households are allowed to meet outside, meaning the so-called ‘rule of six’ returns.

Alternatively, two households can meet outside. This means two families, who potentially together total more than six people, will be allowed to meet. This can happen in both outdoor public spaces and in back gardens.

The ‘stay at home’ guidance will be dropped. There will also be a significant loosening in how far people can travel to see someone outside. 

While people will still be encouraged to minimise travel, there will not be punishments for someone who drives a few hours for a meet-up outside, then returns that day. 

Outdoor organised sports for both adults and children will also return. This is for both socially distanced sports like golf and tennis and team sports like football, so Sunday league and five-a-side will return. 

Indoor sports will still be off limits. Also the sports must be organised, so a large group of people cannot gather to kick around a football if it breaks the number limits explained above.

Hazel Court waste site queues

To understand the real reasons behind why queuing traffic is causing congestion problems at York’s central waste collection site you have to go back a few years.

Until 2012, York operated three civic amenity (recycling) sites that residents could use to dispose of unwanted items. One (at Beckfield Lane) was located on the west of the City, as second (Towthorpe) was located in the east with the third being Hazel Court.

In 2009 the Council announced a plan to create a salvage and reuse centre. It was likely to be located at the existing waste transhipment centre at Harewood Whin. It aimed to go a step further in encouraging the reuse of items that had not reached the end of their lives. Reuse/salvage has less environmental impact than either incineration (or even recycling)

Residents opposed the closure of the Beckfield Lane recycling centre

A new Labour administration – elected in 2011 – made two mistakes. It scrapped plans for the salvage centre and simultaneously announced the closure of the Beckfield Lane site.

The site was subsequently developed for housing.

In effect, 75% of the City now tries to funnel its waste through the Hazel Court site.

There are some alternatives. So called “bring” bins are located in car parks. They typically provide facilities for recycling paper, cans, glass, clothes, and shoes.

The web based “freecycle” group seeks to put item donors in touch with potential users. (The service closed down for much of lockdown but is now operating again). Private scrap dealers also tour and collect in some areas, but it is a largely uncoordinated service. In some areas “surplus food” is distributed by volunteers to those in need.

For many years, ward committees funded visits by skips to estates. These provided an option for those without personal transport to dispose of items. In some wards the vehicles toured the area on a particular day picking up discarded items. This service has also largely disappeared.

The Council should publish details of the amount of waste being deposited at Hazel Court by type.

That will provide them with valuable information on what needs to be done to ease further the demands on Hazel Court and surrounding roads.