Discrepancies in ‘sharp peak’ data that put city into a local lockdown
TWO weeks after the Leicester lockdown was announced, the Department of Health and Social Care has responded to questions about discrepancies that have emerged since the Mercury interviewed health minister Nadine Dorries.
The interview sparked one in a long line of bitter rows between local and central government over the run up to and the handling of Leicester’s lockdown.
Ms Dorries, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), answered questions about the local lockdown when the DHSC said Health Secretary Matt Hancock would not be available to speak to us after announcing the restrictions being extended in the city and areas of the county three days before.
Asked why the local lockdown decision had been so hasty, Ms Dorries said it was taken overnight on Sunday (June 28), and that a spike in cases over the weekend was to blame for the swift extension of existing rules, and shops and schools closing.
She said: “From June 8, we knew there was an escalating problem, but over the weekend there was a rapid increase in the transmission.
“In real time there was a sharp, upward spike, and that’s why we had to take action as a result of the data which came in on Sunday.
“It was a sharp peak that took Leicester to the highest rate of infections in the country.”
But DHSC data shows that in actual fact, there were only 35 cases confirmed on Sunday, June 28, the day before the lockdown announcement was made – only three days in June recorded a lower number.
When asked about the said spike and the number of confirmed cases on the DHSC’s own website, a spokesperson for the department said: “The government’s priority is to protect the public and save lives.
“We worked closely with our local partners, providing them with the resources and tools they need to take swift action to deal with the situation in Leicester.
“We are continuing to support the local area with additional funding, along with continued additional support for extra testing and through ‘ESCALATING PROBLEM’: Nadine Dorries, right, said a ‘sharp peak’ on the weekend of June 28 led to the city returning to stricter restrictions. However, data shows there were only 35 cases of Covid-19 that day
Public Health England (PHE).” Asked when the legislation Mr Hancock mentioned would be passed in relation to the lockdown extension, Ms Dorries said: “We haven’t said we are going to put legislation through, what we said is that what we’d love is to see the people of Leicester follow the guidelines and to do what we’re asking them to do.
“If they don’t, if we get information that people are just driving out of the city, then we would have to bring in the legislation to stop that from happening and to give the police the powers.
“If they can’t and it doesn’t happen, then we will have to bring in legislation. But, we don’t want to do that. We want Leicester to nail it.”
The next day, the government published The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Leicester) Regulations 2020 – the legislation outlining the Leicester lockdown rules.
Asked why Ms Dorries said there would be no legislation, a DHSC spokesperson said: “The powers already exist under the (Control of Disease) Act 1984, but the Health Secretary signed regulations under this act in order to maintain and reimpose restrictions for Leicester.
“The powers in that act are the same powers as those used for the restrictions imposed to date to address the spread of Covid-19.
“The regulations will allow Leicester to be exempt from the national changes which come into force on Saturday (July 4) and reimpose the closure of non-essential retail as per the national measures in place before June 15.”
In response to Ms Dorries’s claims that Sir Peter Soulsby “did not accept the data”, the city mayor told the Mercury at the time: “It is simply not true to say we have had access to this vital data at the time we needed it.
“We have only, in the last few days, received postcode data, and we have been asking for it for weeks.
“The government should be able to prove the trail of e-mails, if that were the case, but it will not be able to.”
The Mercury has since asked again for clarification from the
DHSC about what data was available and when.
A spokesperson said: “From June 11, NHS Digital (with the support of the department) made available an operational data dashboard – including counts of total tests, total positives and total voids per local authority – to directors of public health.
“This was to support directors of public health and local councils’ operational needs while more detailed data sharing was being put in place.
“Leicester had access to the dashboard from June 19.”
On the dispute over postcode data, the spokesperson added: “PHE began providing record level positive test data, including postcodes, to local authorities (including directors of public health) on June 24.
“Data has been provided to the directors of public health throughout this incident, as is routine practice during local outbreaks, and the DHSC has been working very closely with the DPH to ensure the most effective and efficient use of testing.
EXIT STRATEGY
“Local councils already have plans in place to respond to Covid19 and, as always has been the case, a specialist team from the local authority or PHE will manage any local outbreaks.”
And, on lifting the extended local lockdown restrictions, Ms Dorries said that to come out of the local lockdown Leicester will need to be “on par with the rest of the country and the national average”.
Since the interview, Mr Hancock seemingly suggested that this would not be the case. Asked in the House of Commons about an exit strategy, he responded: “We’re not going to use or give a specific figure because both the level and the rate of change matters.
“If the level were lower but it was going up, that could be a worse situation than a higher level that is under control and falling. So you’ve got to look at both the level and the rate of change.”
The Mercury has made repeated requests for information from DHSC about how the local lockdown will be lifted. So far, the DHSC has not responded to questions about the criteria to lift lockdown, when the review is taking place or when an announcement will be made.
‘WE HAD TO TAKE ACTION’: The red circle shows June 28, when there were 35 cases – the fourth lowest number that month