Kentish Express Ashford & District
‘No social distancing’ in worst-hit area
A startling insight into the areas in Kent with the most Covid-19 deaths reveals both deprived and affluent wards among those hit hardest.
The Office for National Statistics last week released figures broken down into council boundary areas.
It revealed Cliftonville West in Thanet - one of the country’s most deprived wards - to be Kent’s fatality hotspot, with 13 deaths up to April 17.
Two areas of the Sevenoaks district, which has little poverty but an older population, were also in the top five.
Many have speculated on the factors involved in higher death tolls, and in the worst-hit area it’s claimed it could be directly linked to people flouting lockdown rules.
Matt Shoul, who lives in the heart of Cliftonville and runs a local residents association, said: “There hasn’t been a lockdown in Cliftonville West; there is no lockdown on Athelstan Road either.
“If you go out on the street anywhere in Cliftonville West you will see an awful lot of people outdoors anytime of the day or night.
“It’s very difficult not to conclude that total lack of lockdown here, street after street, is resulting in the highest fatality rate in the county.”
Mr Shoul teamed up with a friend in an attempt to help educate those ignoring the rules, even producing posters in Slovak, Czech and Bulgarian for the area’s diverse community - but he says it was to no avail.
“The end result is absolutely nothing,” he said.
“The street’s just full of people sunning themselves, hanging out, drinking - business as usual for Athelstan Road.”
Cllr Harry Scobie (Lab), of Cliftonville West, says “poverty and density” are factors in the high number of deaths.
“I am shocked there have been these deaths in Cliftonville West, but not entirely surprised because it’s one of the most densely populated areas in the South East,” he said.
“It’s sad that a lot of people haven’t got gardens, many of them live in small flats in buildings packed with other small flats.”