Covid City reports record number of infections as rules scrapped
AS Bristol awoke to the lifting of restrictions yesterday, official figures revealed the city had reported its highest rate of new Covid infections since mass testing began last summer.
And neighbouring Bath & North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire also saw a record number of cases.
Social distancing recommendations, mask rules and restrictions on large events have now been scrapped, and nightclubs are now open.
But after revellers returned to clubs at the stroke of midnight on Monday, it was later announced during a Downing Street press briefing that proof of full vaccination will be required as a condition of entry to nightclubs and other venues from the autumn.
While reopening is joyous news for many, some fear it’s too soon for the UK government to take its foot off the pedal.
In the past few weeks, the city has witnessed a dramatic surge in cases, with Hotwells, St Pauls and Southville currently recording some of the highest rates in the country.
One clinically extremely vulnerable resident said she feels ‘scared’ of what will happen now restrictions have been lifted.
Bristol leaders have urged residents to keep wearing face coverings indoors and to “leave crowded places if they feel uncomfortable”.
Bristol mayor Marvin Rees has criticised the government’s approach to Freedom Day and urged caution amid a “sharp and persistent” rise in Covid in the city.
Mr Rees has encouraged people to “wear face coverings” and “respect people’s space”.
“Covid rates in Bristol are the highest we’ve seen,” he said.
Meanwhile, Bristol weatherman Alex Beresford says it “doesn’t feel right” easing restrictions when case numbers are so high.
He said on Twitter: “Freedom Day is here, but it feels like calling in sick at work, sneaking out to meet your mates and then constantly looking over your shoulder. It just doesn’t feel right easing up so much with 50,000 cases a day at this current time.”
Professor Debbie Stark, PHE South West Regional Director and NHS Regional Director of Public Health for the South West, said: “Monday will mark the most significant milestone for the country in almost 16 months with the lifting of Covid-19 legal restrictions and something resembling a return to normality.
“But as a region, we still have a lot of work to do if we are to make this transition smoothly, because the virus will not disappear from Monday and we’re not in a position where we can say there is no risk.
“Cases are increasing in the South West and they are expected to rise further over the coming weeks, especially as we mix more with others.
“We also know that a large number of people will be coming to visit our region and support local businesses that have been most affected by the pandemic.
“We all need to do our best to support each other and keep ourselves and those visitors safe. Covid isn’t taking a holiday this year.”
Thousands of people queued outside Bristol nightclubs on Sunday night to eagerly return to the dancefloor without face masks.
Crowds cheered outside Lakota as midnight passed, hailing in the popularly dubbed ‘Freedom Day.’
Hundreds of ravers turned up to the club’s The Rave Returns event as the venue hosted its first full capacity club night since the pandemic began more than 16 months ago.
From 10.30pm expectant clubbers gathered outside the Stokes Croft venue. By the time the clock struck midnight, the densely packed queue stretched around the block from Lakota’s entrance on Upper York Street.
And yesterday, hundreds of clubgoers queued in the scorching 30 degree heat for a sold-out ‘garden party’ event at Motion.
But clubbers will only have a couple of months to enjoy restriction-free partying.
Speaking to the House of Commons yesterday, vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said proof of full vaccination will be required as a condition of entry to nightclubs and other venues from the autumn.
Mr Zahawi said proof of a negative Covid-19 test would soon “no longer be sufficient” proof that a person was Covid-safe.
He urged businesses to “use the NHS Covid pass in the weeks ahead”, adding: “We will be keeping a close watch on how it is used by venues and reserve the right to mandate if necessary.”
He continued: “By the end of September everyone aged 18 and over will have the chance to receive full vaccination and the additional two weeks for that protection to really take hold.
“So at that point we plan to make full vaccination a condition of entry to nightclubs and other venues where large crowds gather.
“Proof of a negative test will no longer be sufficient.”
Mr Zahawi promised that the plans would be subject to parliamentary scrutiny, and that there would be “appropriate” exemptions for people with a medical condition that means they cannot be vaccinated.
A statement from the Music Venue Trust, which represents grassroots music venues, responded to the announcement that full vaccination will be a condition of entry to venues with large crowds from the autumn, saying: “The government needs to bring forward a workable, usable and accurate certification process that is in wide use across society and is accepted as normal and necessary by the public.
“Singling out nightclubs, or music venues, or any other cultural activity, as spaces required to deliver such a policy won’t work without the tools to do it and without addressing the obvious point that most grassroots music venues have lower capacities and lower total attendees per day than pubs.
“We note that the aim is to ‘boost
Freedom Day is here, but it feels like calling in sick at work, sneaking out to meet your mates and then constantly looking over your shoulder
Alex Beresford
vaccine uptake among young people.’ The aim of certification should be the safety of the public.”
Around one in six areas in England are now reporting their highest rate of new Covid-19 cases since comparable records began last summer, when mass testing was first introduced in the UK, latest figures show.
The list includes almost all local authority areas in north-east England, close to a half in south-west England and nearly a third in Yorkshire and the Humber.
Data also shows that every local area in England is now recording coronavirus rates above the symbolic level of 100 cases per 100,000 people – the first time this has happened since early January, at the peak of the second wave.
The figures have been compiled by the PA news agency, and came on the day that most remaining Covid-19 lockdown restrictions in England were finally lifted.
All rates are for the seven days to July 14, with case data for July 15-18 excluded as it is incomplete.
England’s overall rate of new cases currently stands at 425.3 per 100,000 people: the highest since January 19.
The third wave is also having a growing impact on hospitals.
The number of Covid-19 patients in some major hospital trusts in England has climbed back to around a third of the level seen at the peak of the second wave of the virus.