Coronavirus York updates; 3rd July 2020

Playgrounds to reopen

Playgrounds in York will start reopening from July 8th

About 80 play areas and outdoor gyms across the city have been closed since mid March. The council will start a phased reopening of playgrounds – with social distancing and risk assessments

More details can be found in this report click

Safety barriers have already been removed from some of the equipment on Chesneys Field.

Household waste site appointments being scrapped.

The Council has said that it will shortly discontinue the requirement to book an appointment before a resident visits a household waste site

Council writes to Blue Badge holders

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The York Council says that it has written to all 7,500 York Blue Badge Holders this week. The mailing provides details on what support is available to help badge holders access the city centre, including the 40 replacement Blue Badge bays in Monk Bar car park

UPDATED Deaths and test results

1700 hrs UPDATE – The government has now changed the figures on its web site. The cumulative total (at 2/7/20) is now 898 with two additional cases recorded on 29th June and one on 1st July.

The government has finally updated its web site to include “pillar 2” test results. These are the tests carried out at centres like the Poppleton Park and Ride site.

The good news is that, as of 1/7/20, there had been no new positive test results for 4 days in York.

That is the longest period with only negative results since early March.

The source data can be viewed by clicking here. An extract is reproduced below.

The failure of the authorities to make this information available promptly is one of the most disappointing aspects of the current health crisis.

NB. Tests in the UK are carried out through a number of different routes:

  • Pillar 1: swab testing in Public Health England (PHE) labs and NHS hospitals for those with a clinical need, and health and care workers
  • Pillar 2: swab testing for the wider population, as set out in government guidance
  • Pillar 3: serology testing to show if people have antibodies from having had COVID-19
  • Pillar 4: serology and swab testing for national surveillance supported by PHE, ONS, Biobank, universities and other partners to learn more about the prevalence and spread of the virus and for other testing research purposes, for example on the accuracy and ease of use of home testing

See the government’s national testing strategy for more information on the different pillars.

Attention is now likely to switch to the accessibility of information on pillar 3 and 4 data.

We also await the York Councils comments on the success, or otherwise, of local contact tracing arrangements.

As well as the absence of recent positive test results, another piece of good news is that there have been no further deaths at local hospitals (1/7/20) as a result of COVID-19. The last death was recorded on 18th June.

How busy is the City centre?

The “footfall” information for York City centre camera sites is still being updated on the “open data” web site. The data has been criticised over recent months when it was discovered that some cameras had been disconnected and the data company responsible had extrapolated data from other cameras to fill in the gaps.

It is unfortunate that this issue wasn’t remedied before lock-down occurred

Nevertheless it, together with mobile phone activity, is the only measure that we have of the numbers of people visiting the City centre.

The data suggests that, during June, the number of visitors to the City centre had fallen by 84% compared to the same month in 2019.

However, by the final day of the month that reduction had fallen to 62%.

That probably reflects the gradual reopening of shops and other facilities, together with the launch of an embryonic marketing campaign.

Tomorrow will see sections of the hospitality trade reopening with some cafes hoping to provide outdoor tables, while pub beer gardens may be popular if the weather improves.

So a critical weekend ahead for the City.

Micro grant scheme puts over £2m into small York business accounts

City of York Council’s extended small and micro business grant scheme is on course to deliver another £2.2m to York businesses which fell through the cracks of government support packages.

The scheme closed earlier this week and has now awarded a total of just over £1.92m  to 558 businesses, with another 113 applications pending or yet to be processed.

The grant extension follows an earlier £1m grants scheme which gave vital financial aid or access to services through membership of the Federation of Small Businesses to 800 York businesses.  

Grants payments were offered to support a wide variety of small businesses, including those in shared offices and flexible work spaces, science parks and incubators, regular market traders without a business rates assessment, nurseries, B&Bs paying council tax instead of business rates, and charity properties which all missed out under previous schemes are also eligible.

Council policy on business rent payments

Plans are in place for financial support to continue for those businesses and residents who pay council fees or rents.

Since the Coronavirus pandemic started the council has been committed to supporting businesses and residents through this unprecedented time. Plans are being put in place to ensure support continues for those who need it most.

Three months on from announcing the first financial assistance schemes, the council wants to reassure people that the existing support will still be available for those who require it.  Detailed plans are being finalised and will be taken to a decision session later this month.

In April the council announced:

  • a three-month freeze on the council housing rent increase
  • the extension of the York Financial assistance scheme for residents
  • a £1m emergency fund for businesses
  • a three-month deferral of commercial rents
  • plus a raft of other measures to help residents and businesses.

In order to support more residents in need from this month (July), a new hardship fund will be established for council tenants affected by rent increases. An initial sum of £80,000 is being set aside and will be kept under review should further funds be required. Council housing tenants who can pay rent as usual, will be asked to pay the agreed increased rent charge. Those who can’t will be encouraged to talk to housing officers and will be able to apply to the hardship fund.

Commercial tenants will be able to benefit from a deferral of rent for a further three months, if required. The council will also ensure repayments can be made over an extended period of up to two years.

From July, the council will write to all its commercial tenants to discuss any financial support available to them.

Coronavirus York updates; 30th June 2020

Deaths and test results

The reintroduction of a lock-down in Leicester has prompted some sections of the media to speculate that York may be next on the governments list.

In reality, and according to the governments own web site, positive test results remain low in York.

There were two positive results during the week ending 26th June but those were the only cases recorded during the last 4 weeks. The figures do not include local test results (pillar 2) which are still not being made available to the public.

By comparison, Leicester has seen over 150 cases during the same period.

Leicester has a larger population (329,000) than York (208,000)

There have been no further deaths recorded at York Trust hospitals this week

Poll boost for local government?

The Local Government Association has published the results of a residents poll which it says is good news for local Councils. Residents views of government have become more positive during the Coronavirus crisis. The results are based on a sample of only 1000 respondents and are not therefore reliable to individual local authority level. The results can be read by clicking here.

Coronavirus York updates; 27th June 2020

Deaths and test results

There have been no further Coronavirus deaths at York Trust hospital (26/6/20). There have also been no more positive lab test results (26/6/20)

The independent COVID 19 monitoring site estimates that 4156 people in York will have had the virus. That represents 0.4% of the population.

COVID cases daily and cumulative

The site derives its information from returns regularly submitted by residents from across the country https://covid19.joinzoe.com/

Care home deaths

The government released details earlier in the week of the number of deaths which have occurred  in care homes click

At that time, the last death at a York care home had occurred on 12th June.

In total there were 63 deaths in York homes.

South Park care home

Now the media are reporting that some of the COVID 19 cases occurred at the South Park care home on Gale Lane. Some staff were also affected.

The York authorities have not been prepared to break down the death rate figures to individual homes. We think that they are wrong to withhold that information.

It – like the results of the local COVID tests being undertaken at Poppleton – are matters of public interest.

Coronavirus York updates; 26th June 2020

Deaths and cases

There have been no further deaths from coronavirus at York Trust hospitals. The last fatality – which brought the total to 214 – occurred on 18th June.

There have been no further positive test results (24/6/20). The last positive lab result was reported on 21st June. It brought the cumulative total to 463

Treasure Hunt restarts

York Treasure hunt is operating again.

Details click here Treasure Hunt York

Coronavirus York updates; 23rd June 2020

Deaths and Test results

York has a positive lab test result on 21st June. This was the first since 2nd June. There were none yesterday. The cumulative total of positive results in the City is 463

There were no additional Coronavirus related deaths at the York hospital

Further easing of lockdown restrictions

A whole raft of changes to social distancing and other health restrictions have been announced today. The new social distance will be “1 metre+”

Facilities allowed to open from 4th July will be

  • Pubs, bars and restaurants but only with a table service indoors, and owners will be asked to keep contact details of customers to help with contact tracing
  • Hotels, holiday apartments, campsites and caravan parks but shared facilities must be cleaned properly
  • Theatres and music halls but they will not be allowed to hold live performances
  • In other changes weddings will be allowed to have 30 attendees, and places of worship will be allowed to hold services but singing will be banned (!)
  • Hair salons and barbers will be able to reopen but must put protective measures, such as visors, in place
  • Libraries, community centres and bingo halls
  • Cinemas, museums and galleries
  • Funfairs, theme parks, adventure parks, amusement arcades, skating rinks and model villages
  • Indoor attractions where animals are exhibited, such as at zoos, aquariums, farms, safari parks and wildlife centres

The following places will remain closed

  • Nightclubs and casinos
  • Bowling alleys and indoor skating rinks
  • Indoor play areas including soft-play
  • Spas
  • Nail bars and beauty salons
  • Massage, tattoo and piercing parlours
  • Indoor fitness and dance studios, and indoor gyms and sports venues/facilities
  • Swimming pools and water parks
  • Exhibition or conference centres – other than for those who work for that venue.

Coronavirus York updates; 22nd June 2020

Deaths and test results

It is now 19 days since anyone tested positive for Coronavirus in York. The total of positive tests remains at 462

There have been no further Coronavirus deaths at York hospital

Groves Road closures

The proposal to close through routes in The Groves area was approved today by the Green Party’s transport executive. It remains to be seen whether the decision will be “called in” for review.

Initially we expect that the closures – anticipated to be implemented within 3 weeks – will have little effect other than perhaps inconveniencing some residents who live within the affected zone (They face a longish detour for some journeys).

Some cyclists may also feel less safe when using the narrow streets with two way working also being reintroduced.

However if traffic volumes return to more normal levels in the autumn, there remains concerns about the impacts on congestion and pollution levels in the surrounding area.

Coronavirus York Updates; 21st June 2020

Deaths and cases

Following yesterdays death at a York Hospital Trust hospital there have been no further fatalities

There have also now (19/6/20) been no further positive lab test results. That means there have been no new cases reported in the City since the total reach 462 on 2nd June.

Coronavirus meeting tomorrow

The York Outbreak Management Advisory Board will meet using webcast and is being put in place in order to improve the speed of the response, build on and involve local knowledge and improve co-ordination.

Established as part of the national Test and Trace programme, the meetings will advise and inform the development of City of York Council’s outbreak management plan and a local Test and Trace programme, reflecting the views of different communities and sectors across the city.

The first meeting of the board comes after City of York Council was awarded £733,896 last week by the Government to support the creation of new boards, local outbreak control plans and preventative work designed to protect residents. 

The meeting will hear that they have not been given access to the test results (pillar 2) being produced at local privately run testing sites like the one at Poppleton.

Testing centre

The absence of this information has been a source of irritation both for local healthcare professionals and those living in the City.

Details of the meeting and associated briefing papers can be found by clicking here

Coronavirus York updates; 19th June 2020

Deaths and test results

There have been no more Coronavirus deaths at York Trust Hospitals. The cumulative total remains at 213.

There have also been no more positive lab test results (17/6/20). The last positive result was on 2nd June which saw the cumulative total number of cases rise to 462. This has been the longest sequence of negative results in the City since the pandemic began.

Public Toilets

In addition to reopening existing public toilets, the Council is providing additional trailer facilities at St Sampson Square and Parliament Street.

Tourism recovery plan published

Welcome to Yorkshire has published a plan detailing how it expects the critical visitor economy to revive over the next few months. The plan can be read by clicking here. The proposals include a “Song for Yorkshire project to help celebrate the civic pride in our county”. There will also be a Welcome to Yorkshire Gift Card

Bus Grants

The Council has annouced how it will allocated government bus grants.

City of York Council has been awarded a total grant of £59,970 for the 12-week period commencing 17th March. The grant can only be used to support operators of council-tendered bus services and any unused grant must be returned to the DfT. The grant will be apportioned as follows:

  • ConnexionsBuses: £5,210.67
  • East Yorkshire Buses: £20,204.35
  • First York: £3,096.69
  • Transdev: £24,750.91
  • York Pullman: £6,707.38

Older residents trial new interactive games technology

Care home residents wanting to keep more active and alert through lockdown are trialling a new interactive light projector.

Those who can’t welcome visitors during the pandemic are enjoying this technology, and trying out new activities to support their physical and emotional health.

Older people, especially those living with dementia, are experiencing the brightly-coloured shapes and games which are projected onto tables, bed coverings, walls or floors. Playing and interacting with them can help improve co-ordination, stimulate responses and raise levels of social and physical activity.