Christmas

Households across the UK will be able to form a “Christmas bubble” with two other households during a five-day window over the festive period, it has been announced.

Between 23 to 27 December, people will be able to meet with those two other households in their bubble – but only in a private home, a place of worship or outdoor public spaces.

Travel restrictions across the whole of the UK will also be lifted during the five-day period, allowing people to travel between countries or between tiers in order to meet with those in their bubble.

Deaths and test results

ONE additional death reported by the York Hospital Trust. It occurred on Saturday. The cumulative second wave death toll at York and Scarborough hospitals is now 62.

THREE more care home deaths have been announced. ONE occurred on 17th November and TWO on the 19th. The cumulative second wave death toll in local care homes has now reached seven (CQC figures).

There is some concern in the City that any decision, on which “Tier” York will find itself in on Thursday, may be influenced by hospital capacity issues. The above hospital deaths figure may not tell the whole story.

The Trust has not broken down the split in fatalities between the York and Scarborough units. Furthermore, the NHS is (rightly) flexing its capacity to address peaks in different parts of the region, so there may be some non York residents included in the recent 62 reported fatalities.

An alternative way of looking at the issue is by analysing the data on death occurrences provide by the ONS (click) and which relates to people normally resident in York.

This shows that there have so far been 185 fatalities this year as a result of COVID.

However, only 14 of these have occurred since the beginning of September. Of these, 8 were hospital deaths

Even allowing for some delay in figures coming through, that represents a more encouraging picture.

There have been 29 new positive test results announced today. That is the lowest daily total since September. It brings the total number of cases to 5518.

The daily new infection rate (7 day rolling average) is now below 40.

Only two neighbourhoods in York are now above the national infection rate. They are Clifton Without and Skelton (following a recent spike) and Heslington where case levels are reducing only slowly.

Elsewhere in the City case numbers are generally falling steadily.

Extra financial support for York businesses

Even more York businesses impacted by the latest lockdown can benefit from financial support as City of York Council launches a new grant scheme today.

The council has worked with partners and business leaders to decide how to most fairly and effectively use the discretionary Additional  Restrictions Grant.

Businesses now have until Monday 7 December to apply for the grants, which are open to:

• Businesses effectively forced to close through lockdown but don’t qualify for government grants, whether they are liable for business rates or not.
• Businesses where trade is impacted by more than 75% due to lockdown, whether they are liable for business rates or not.

Applications must be from:

• A York-based business which have fixed premises in York – (note fixed premises is not a market stall or pitch) or
• businesses run by a York resident and trade is at least 75% in York (note this could be a market stall or pitch).

The council is also preparing a voucher scheme for local businesses to access support like training form local providers.

Business must not be in administration, insolvent, or have a striking off notice made against it, must have started trading before 5 November 2020, and not in receipt of unoccupied rates for business rates.

For more information about all the grants available for business affected currently visit the council website.