‘No need for new West restrictions’
Local leaders say cases remain low – despite infection cluster linked with university
LEADING figures have said that they would be opposed to any further coronavirus restrictions being imposed in the Westcountry, where cases still remain low.
The Government is weighing up the introduction of new measures as cases across the country rise, particularly in northern England, and announcements are expected over the coming days. This could involve a three-tiered approach, with problem areas facing tighter restrictions.
A Team Devon Local Outbreak Engagement Board meeting yesterday heard that infection rates within the county are well below the national average, and recent rising case figures have been skewed by an outbreak at the University of Exeter.
Dr Phil Norrey, Devon County Council’s chief executive, said: “As long as we feel we can manage things in the current context, we would want to avoid additional restrictions that may have an impact on communities and business.”
Cllr John Hart, leader of Devon County Council, said: “Most of the cases in Exeter are in the student population and not in the wider community.”
More than 437 pupils in Devon are currently in isolation and out of school. Meanwhile, Plymouth MP Luke Pollard has asked the Government for evidence of the effectiveness of the 10pm pub curfew.
LEADING figures in Devon have said that they would be opposed to any further lockdown restrictions being imposed in the county – saying that it wouldn’t have an impact on the spread of coronavirus.
Infection rates within the county are well below the national average – 68.4 per 100,000 compared to 98.3 per 100,000 nationwide – with that figure skewed significantly by the outbreak at the University of Exeter.
Exeter’s rate of 299.8 per 100,000 is one of the highest in the country where no additional restrictions have been imposed, but the Team Devon Local Outbreak Engagement Board meeting yesterday morning heard that this was primarily related to the university and had not spread into the wider community.
The Government is expected to announce its new three-tiered approach to lockdown restrictions next week – which would see tighter but yet undecided measures imposed on areas with a yet to be determined infection rate. But Devon’s senior officials said that additional measures would be unlikely to have a significant impact as long as the outbreak at the university is controlled, and that at present the city is not in line for any local measures.
Dr Phil Norrey, Devon County Council’s chief executive, told the meeting: “There is an ongoing discussion about how universities would be treated. We have a relative low incidence but an area with a higher incidence of Exeter due to the University. Whether that would trigger categorisation into a high level of restrictions, we don’t know, so are waiting to see what that would bring, as well as other things to support compliance, such as the Covid marshals, self-isolation payments and additional resource for hard to reach groups.”
But he said: “As long as we feel we can manage things in the current context, we would want to avoid additional restrictions that may have an impact on communities and business, and that wouldn’t have an impact on controlling the spread of the disease or would be disproportionate given what we are already doing.”
He added: “Things move on rapidly and change by the day, but the South West is among the areas with the lowest incidence and in the South West we think we can manage Covid-19 best through local and regional measures rather than national intervention.
“It is about providing the balance between the economic and social life of the communities, as well as the health protection responsibilities that we have got, but it is difficult and unprecedented decisions for the whole country so we will have to watch this space.”
Presenting the data to the board, Simon Chant, public health specialist, said that roughly a third of Devon’s socalled MSOA areas currently had a cluster of three or more cases, but that almost all of those were between 3-5 cases, and that Devon did not have as many areas in the cluster range as the rest of the country.
Exeter currently has ten clusters, including Pennsylvania and University area at 236 cases, Central Exeter at 59 and 33 for St James’s Park & Hoopern, and Mr Chant said that the majority of those cases are linked to students from the university.
Cllr John Hart, leader of Devon County Council, said that Exeter University was the biggest worry, but that everything there is being kept under intense scrutiny. He said: “I would say to the residents of Exeter, particularly in places like St James, Newtown, St David’s and Pennsylvania, that so far our statistics do not show any evidence of the cases amongst students being spread into the wider community.
“I’d also like to reiterate what’s been said about local lockdowns. As the situation currently stands, most of the cases in Exeter are in the student population and not in the wider community and so – at the moment – Exeter is not in line for a broad lockdown across the city.”
The latest ONS figures showed no new deaths in Devon for the most recent week of data.
The meeting heard that three quarters of the cases in Devon are from Exeter, and that the majority of these were linked to the university, with Dr Virginia Pearson, director of public health, said that no urgent escalation measures were needed as it was under control.
She said: “We have always been in a position where we have been very careful about making sure we were on top of the data and tracking the information. The initial cases arising at the University occurred about two weeks ago and there was very swift action on behalf of PHE and University to implement the operating procedure.”
She added: “I am confident with the work that is being done and we will work together to do our upmost to contain the outbreak.”
Professor Janice Kay, Deputy Vice Chancellor of University of Exeter, told the board how the University had planned to respond to any outbreaks and to reduce the spread of Covid-19 with the private Halo testing regime that they are using. She said: “The testing regime has given us early eyes. The aims of the test and trace regime is to protect people and the health and wellbeing of staff and students and to minimise community transmission.” She added: “We are eternally vigilant for signs we need to take further action but have been advised that no further containment action is needed at the moment.”
Dawn Stabb, Devon County Council’s head of education, said that 93 per cent of pupils were currently in school, above the national average of 90 per cent. She said that since the full return to school in September, 315 tests of school age pupils have taken place with 18 coming back as positive.
More than 437 children in the Devon County Council are currently in isolation and away from their desks.
We can manage Covid-19 best through local measures rather than national intervention DR PHIL NORREY