Huge drop in Covid infection rate welcomed
INFECTIONS IN PROBLEM CITY AREA FALL BY 36.6 PERCENT
RESIDENTS have spoken out after a huge drop in the rate of new coronavirus cases in part of the city previously one of the worst-affected areas.
The neighbourhood – which includes the Arboretum, Forest and Trent University and has a large number of student residents – experienced a spike when Nottingham had the country’s highest rate of new coronavirus cases in October.
A surveillance report published by Nottingham City Council in October calls the area the second-worst affected in the city.
But it now has a rolling average rate of 199.9 new cases per 100,000 people, with 26 recorded in the seven days to November 6 – down 36.6 percent on the previous week.
The news was welcomed by residents. Oakley Burton, 21, a final-year product design student at Nottingham Trent University, who was born and raised in West Bridgford, said: “Before lockdown, Nottingham had one of the highest infection rates in the UK. I think with this lockdown it’s helped and also it’s made people more aware that we need to have this drop.”
He added: “With this lockdown, it is allowing cases to fall a lot and, therefore, when we are in December there will not be such a pick-up in cases.
“I could see why they have done it (introduced a second lockdown) with Christmas coming up and also that it’s a big spending time. Therefore the economy will pick up a lot more in December, people are wanting to buy presents, and last-minute presents, and they want to get food in for Christmas dinners.” Samir Sadat, 28, who recently moved to the city to study construction management at Nottingham Trent University, said: “It’s my 15th day in Nottingham.
“I just got out from self-isolating.
“I think everyone will have accepted the lockdown very well and they have. That is one of the reasons (for cases falling) – they have self-isolated, they have stopped going to the parties and those things.
“That is why the second lockdown has been a success.”
The rate in the Arboretum, Forest and Trent University is now within the national average.
Nottingham’s overall current average rate of cases stands at 340.6 new cases per 100,000.
John Holford, 67, a professor of adult education at the University of Nottingham, said: “I am glad cases are going down, rather than going up.” But he believes “we are paying the price” because the first lockdown was “let up far too soon”. Peter Widdowson, 77, a former meat processor, who lives in Mapperley with wife Maureen, said: “I think they are just doing as they are told. I am sure they are. With the lockdown, it was inevitable it was going to come down.”
With this lockdown, it is allowing cases to fall a lot Oakley Burton, 21, student