IT’S LOCKDOWN 3
Schools closed and stay at home order as county Covid cases hit all-time high
PRIME Minister Boris Johnson has announced a new national lockdown which includes the closing of schools and a ban on households mixing.
Mr Johnson announced the lockdown in an 8pm TV address on Monday night, following the “rapidly escalating” number of infections due to new strains of the virus.
The new rules came into effect from early Tuesday morning.
It came as record numbers of virus cases were announced for the county on Monday.
In Leicester there were 347 new cases confirmed, across the county there were 500 new infections identified.
Broken down to district and borough level, Charnwood is the area outside the Leicester with the most new cases confirmed at 93, with both Blaby and Harborough adding 82 new cases to their rolling tolls.
In Hinckley and Bosworth there were 80 new positive test results and 77 people in North West Leicestershire found out that they have the virus. Oadby and Wigston added 59 new cases and there were 27 in Melton. On Sunday, 399 new cases were confirmed in the city and county - taking the area past the grim 50k cases milestone.
The new cases, updated on Monday, mean that the total number of cases across the city and county since the start of the pandemic area by area are:
■ Leicester: 22,858
■ Blaby: 4,403
■ Charnwood: 8,125
■ Harborough: 3,148
■ Hinckley and Bosworth: 3,603
■ Melton: 1,715
■ North West Leicestershire: 3,364
■ Oadby and Wigston: 3,450
The latest seven-day infection rates, area by area, are:
■ Leicester: 397.5 cases per 100,000
■ Blaby: 315.2 cases per 100,000
■ Charnwood: 230.3 cases per 100,000
■ Harborough: 375.2 cases per
100,000 ■ Hinckley and Bosworth: 252.8 cases per 100,000
■ Melton: 271.4 cases per 100,000
■ North West Leicestershire: 286.6 cases per 100,000
■ Oadby and Wigston: 440.2 cases per 100,000
Councillor Jonathan Morgan, leader of Charnwood Borough Council, said: “The number of cases in the borough has been rising and therefore we clearly need to act.
“I would strongly encourage people to follow the new restrictions and we need to remember that there is light at the end of the tunnel. More and more people are being vaccinated and the more we follow the restrictions, the sooner we can get back to normality.
“That’s good for people and businesses.”
Mike Sandys, director of public health for Leicestershire County Council, said: “We’ve got rapidly rising infection rates across most of the county, so it’s been evident for a few days now that there would be a raising of the tier level. Hospitals are also massively under pressure across the city and county and that’s coupled with these rising rates.
“What we’re potentially seeing is the spread of a much more infectious type of Covid-19, which is spreading dangerously in the south east. We’ve got to get ahead of it here before it’s too late.”
On Monday evening, the Prime Minister said all primaries, secondaries and colleges have moved to remote learning except children of key workers and vulnerable pupils who can attend in person. Exams are not expected to go ahead as normal this year and the Education Secretary will work with Ofqual to come up with a solution.
Early years, such as nurseries, alternative provision and special schools, remain open. Existing rules on childcare and support bubbles will apply. Nursery age, vulnerable and children of critical workers over five can still attend childcare.
Students will not be able to return to university and will be expected to study from their current residence where possible until at least midFebruary.
In person teaching at university will only take place for a small number of courses such as those studying to work in the health service.
All non-essential retail hospitality and personal care services must shut if they are not already.
Restaurants and similar establishments can continue delivery or takeaway – but takeaway or click and collect of alcohol will no longer be allowed.
Essential retailers, such as supermarkets, pharmacies, garden centres, and builders merchants, may stay open.
Places of worship will be allowed to open for individual prayer and communal worship but must obey social contact rules and only attend with household and support bubbles.
Unlike the March lockdown, playgrounds will remain open. Sports venues including gyms, tennis courts and golf courses must close and outdoor team sports will not be permitted.
Elite sport will continue, as can PE lessons and sports clubs for children who are able to attend school.
You may only leave home for one of these specific reasons:
■ Go to work if it’s impossible to work from home;
■ To shop for necessities including food and medicine;
■ To exercise, which can be with up to one other person from outside your household or bubble. The exercise should ideally be limited to once a day;
■ To provide care or help to a vulnerable person;
■ To attend medical appointments or seek medical care or fleeing the threat of harm or violence.
Police will have legal powers to enforce through fines and dispersing orders. The lockdown is expected to be in place until at least February 15.