Following coronavirus guidelines more important than ever, says health chief
THE head of public health in Derbyshire has urged people to keep to coronavirus restrictions as new information emerges about a new potentially dangerous variant of the disease.
Last week it was revealed that the new South African variant of Covid-19 had been detected in the Midlands, with mass testing sites immediately set up in and around Birmingham as a response to the alarming situation.
The full facts about the variant are still unclear in terms of how dangerous and harmful it is, compared to other variants, but there have been more than 100 cases of it in the UK so far.
Dean Wallace, director of Public Health at Derbyshire County Council, said his team remained vigilant following its discovery and were working with Public Health England and partners to find out more facts.
He said that washing hands, wearing masks and social distancing remained vital as the county started to see a “downward trend”.
He said: “Rates continue to fall, we see some variation between areas which is to be expected, but generally we are on a downward trend across the county.
“Everyone has done incredibly well to stick at this for so long.
“It is important we continue to practise hands, face and space and limit contact with anyone who is not a member of our household.
“We are still developing our understanding of this new variant. UK Public Health agencies are working with international partners to monitor this variant closely to determine its likely public health impact and disease severity.
“It is important to remember that regardless of the type of Covid-19, the ways to stay safe remain the same – hands-facespace.“
More details about how the UK will come out of lockdown are expected to be revealed later this month by the Government – with an important update being planned for February 22.
But Mr Wallace warned that despite the start of a huge vaccination programme and the start of a “downward trend” forming in Derbyshire – the UK is “not out of the woods yet”.
He said: “The situation is continuing to improve and the vaccination programme offers real hope for greater normality in the coming months.
“However, we are not out of the woods yet. In my view to protect the health and well-being of the greatest number of people, lockdown measures should be lifted gradually, spread over a number of weeks and only when rates are low enough to allow this to start to happening.
“Otherwise we will end up back where we started from.”
FEARS have been expressed for the future of Burton after the town centre suffered a huge blow with the closure of three flagship stores.
Readers have been reacting to the closure of Topshop, Burton and Dorothy Perkins following the buy-out of the brands by online retailers following the collapse of Sir Philip Green’s Arcadia empire.
Some have pleaded with shoppers to buy in town when stores are allowed to reopen after lockdown. Others have painted a grim picture of the town centre as the Covid crisis continues to accelerate its decline.
Posting on our Facebook page, Simon Anslow said: “Burton is a dump now! Town centres are dying because online is cheaper-hassle free-no worries about parking etc etc.. I work for a major retailer and we’ve lost 75% of our retail estate.
It’s the way of the world now.”
Chris Kenny said: “Sad . Love Burton, My Home Town.”
Julie Birch said: “It’s a sign of the times, sadly . Let’s hope smaller independent shops will still thrive, especially in places people like to visit for meet-ups, walks and coffee, e.g. the marinas and semirural spots.”
Tracy Jones said: “Such sad news. Not only a blow for our town but sad for the employees. I also feel for those that can’t order online like my parents.”
Julie Hudson said: “The way things are going it be ghost town with all shops closing and then we’ll all be doing online shopping, which l don’t like doing.”
Janet Brown said: “I much prefer to buy clothes and shoes in a shop; you can see the quality of it and try things on.”
Jozef Nakielski said: “Don’t shop online unless you have to. It’s boring anyway.”
The readers’ comments come after Topshop was taken over by Asos, which is set to close all its stores.
Dorothy Perkins, Burton and Wallis have been bought out by Boohoo, which will also close their branches and operate the labels digitally.
RESIDENTS of Melbourne are angry that their peace is being shattered by drivers racing through the streets late at night.
Problems are being caused by young drivers speeding through Melbourne and the noise of exhausts, described by one resident as sounding like gunfire.
This follows reports of regular, disruptive and Covid-guidance breaching car meets in Castle Donington, just 10 minutes down the road.
Issues in Castle Donington are said to often involve 50 to 100 vehicles and the gatherings have been dubbed “loud, annoying, dangerous and a considerable disturbance”.
Councillors are hoping to secure a public space protection order barring car meets under threat of sizeable fines. However, this may see the issue move to other areas, as seems to be becoming the case in nearby Melbourne. The problem was raised in a South Derbyshire District Council area forum meeting.
Resident Nici Scott-moylan told Thursday night’s area forum meeting: “I know that the recent car meet at Castle Donington made the news, but have the police been made aware locally of reports of cars racing through the village, particularly along Derby Road and up out of the village towards Woodhouses (south of Melbourne, past Staunton Harold Reservoir) on Friday and Saturday nights after 12 o’clock?
“One particular car has an exhaust which sounds like a gun going off when the driver puts his or her foot to the accelerator.
“It causes such a terrific amount of noise I think it would disturb everybody from here to Repton [seven miles to the west].
“It is happening on a regular basis. I have been asked if I can get car registration numbers, but I have to say they are travelling so fast through the village, they are obviously doing time trials in their cars, that it is impossible to identify the participants and the participating vehicles.”
PCSO Kerry Wallington-waite, who attended the virtual meeting, said: “We have not been made aware of this, but we have now and I will make traffic (the roads policing unit) aware.”
Cllr Jim Hewlitt, who represents Melbourne and was chairing the meeting, said: “This sounds like something that we ought to do our absolute best to stop.”
Speeding issues have been prevalent around Melbourne for some time. Cllr Martin Fitzpatrick said during debate over plans for nearly 50 homes in Station Road, Melbourne in September that the town has a very serious speeding issue with motorists sharply increasing their speed once they get out of the town centre.