There was a north-south divide, virus chief admits
CORONAVIRUS rates in northern England had not dropped as much as in the south when the national lockdown restrictions started to ease, a top health official has admitted.
Prof Jonathan Van-Tam, England’s deputy chief medical officer, told a press briefing the north – especially the north-west – has been most affected by the second wave of the disease because cases ‘never dropped as far in the summer as they did in the south’.
But he added: ‘Pretty much all areas of the UK are now seeing growths in the infection rate. This is a nationwide phenomenon now that rates are changing upwards across the UK.’
Regional leaders said Prof Van-Tam had vindicated their claim ministers eased measures too early in their areas because No.10 was focused on London and the south-east.
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham tweeted: ‘I am grateful to the deputy chief medical officer for recognising this point. Too many rush to blame the public in the North without understanding this.’
Dr Jane Eddleston, medical lead in Greater Manchester, told the briefing the north-west has about 40 per cent of England’s Covid cases and 30 per cent of the region’s critical care beds
were taken up with coronavirus patients. Prof Van-Tam also said there was a real risk of catching the virus in hospitality settings.
He cited the ‘three Cs’ put out by Japan that highlight conditions favouring the spread of Covid-19: closed spaces, crowded spaces and close contact.
And he added that ‘D’ - duration of contact – and ‘V’ - the volume at which people speak – were also important factors, with shouting and singing more likely to spray particles of the disease across rooms.
Prof Van-Tam said: ‘ So all of those settings where the three Cs and duration and volume may apply are areas where the virus will thrive and spread, if we allow it to.’