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Stark warning over Covid-19 as cases shoot up in North Lincolnshire

Stark warning over Covid-19 as cases shoot up in North Lincolnshire

Stark warning over Covid-19 as cases shoot up in North Lincolnshire

North Lincolnshire is edging closer back to lockdown as the Covid-19 rate rises, according to health bosses.

The public has been warned that it is “crucial” to follow the restrictions and prevent local outbreaks.

22.1 cases were detected per 100,000 people in North Lincolnshire over the last seven days, a threefold rise from 8.7 for the previous week.

Penny Spring, director of public health at North Lincolnshire Council, has said that people need to return to the mentality of the early pandemic to stop the spread of coronavirus.

She said: “We’re on the cusp in North Lincolnshire – we’re not in dire straits yet but we’re probably as close as being so as we have been since early March.

“The infection rate is concerning but the rate of increase more so.

“People have been diligent and steadfast in their adherence to the advice and guidance and that must continue – I’ve said it before and meant it but it really is critical at this point in time, for the sake of people who are most susceptible to the deadly effects of Covid-19, that we must stick to the guidelines and help stop Covid and prevent local outbreaks.

“We understand that we must begin to live with Covid-19 and we must be able to draw back some sense of normality but that is set against the backdrop of us all having a collective responsibility to protect the most vulnerable.

“Way back in March we started asking people to ‘do one thing’ and we need to bring back that mentality.

“If you do one thing for your community, your family and yourself, just stop and think before you do anything that involves interaction with other people and ensure that before you do it, you can do so in a Covid-secure way.”

North Lincolnshire’s seven-day-average is behind the national average of 32.8 per 100,000 people, but has been rising.

Jilla-Burgess Allen, senior consultant in public health, said: “While the numbers which are coming through are worrying, they must be set into some context – not least the fact that when we first started experiencing a peak in North Lincolnshire the number of tests was significantly less – by a magnitude of 1,000.

“We are also testing more people than in other parts of the country – and in some cases more than our European neighbours – this tells us people are diligent in getting tested – but the self-isolating is the critical part of stopping the spread of Covid.”

From Monday, the government introduced new restrictions to stop more than six people meeting for social gatherings.

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