‘GENERATION GAP’ FEAR OVER RISING COVID INFECTIONS:
MANSFIELD THIRD-HARDEST HIT AREA FOR COVID CASES IN COUNTRY
BUSINESS owners in Mansfield have questioned young people’s attitude to coronavirus as cases in the town continue to rise.
Recent Public Health England statistics revealed that Mansfield in now the third-worst-hit local authority in the country.
The latest figures show that Mansfield is up from 501.1 to 551.4 infections per 100,000 with 603 new cases in the last week.
An interactive map of Covid cases from gov.uk shows Mansfield town centre and Broomhill is the worst affected neighbourhood, with more than 850 cases per 100,000 people – a 55 percent increase on the previous week.
Of the 312 local areas in England, 197 have seen a week-onweek rise in Covid rates.
The owner of the Underworld Shop on Bridge Street, Mansfield, who asked not to be named, thinks that younger people are care-free when it comes to the issue of coronavirus.
He said: “We’ve been really busy still, to be fair.
“People we deal with are young people. They don’t really give a damn about Covid.
“We’ve been careful. We still are quite careful. We have got measures in place like washing hands and things like that but none of our customers do because they’re all youths. The youth don’t really believe in it – they don’t care!
“I am 55 and we do deal with it but I don’t really think it is on young people’s minds.
“I am asthmatic, so it definitely does still concern me.
“We sell e-cigs and we don’t touch them after others have touched them.
“I do check Mansfield rates quite a lot. Mansfield are usually quite late to get anything. I am not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.”
Another local business owner said: “Coronavirus rates haven’t affected business at all really, and I don’t think it has for other business in Mansfield – that’s probably why we’ve got such high rates.
“It absolutely is something that still concerns me personally. I still wear masks on public transport and a face shield at work.
“The majority of customers that come in the store do too but there seems to be a generation gap.”
Jonathan Gribbin, Director of Public Health for Nottinghamshire, commented on the troubling Mansfield statistics and offered advice on how people can help keep rates down.
Mr Gribbin said: “The rate of new Covid-19 infections in Mansfield, Ashfield and across much of Nottinghamshire is running at high levels. This has serious implications for local people.
“This is because some people will go on to experience symptoms which disrupt their plans and impact their wellbeing for months not days. “Today, many dozens of people across the country are experiencing complications which has required hospital treatment. For some, the severity of the disease requires critical care.
“Our vaccination programme has already massively reduced the number of people hospitalised or dying as a result of Covid-19. But we are concerned that some people remain unprotected.
“Therefore, the Nottinghamshire County public health team continues to work closely with partners like Mansfield District Council to reduce the impact of Covid-19 in our communities.
But to ensure we can live safely with Covid-19 in the months ahead,
I am once again asking for everyone’s help.
“Firstly, vaccination sites across the country are offering walk-in appointments without booking. So if you’ve not yet received the offer of a vaccination, or not had time to book, you can check the timetable and pop in at a time that suits you.
“Secondly, it remains essential for anyone with symptoms that they isolate immediately and book a PCR test straight away.
“Thirdly, with Covid-19 circulating so widely, I’d like to remind people who do not have symptoms that they can still get a rapid Covid-19 lateral flow test twice a week.
“Finally, we can reduce the spread of Covid-19 and a range of other infections through frequent hand-washing with soap, by using face coverings in crowded indoor settings, and by socialising outdoors wherever possible.
“The virus has not gone away but following these measures will allow everyone in Nottinghamshire to live safely with Covid-19 while we get back to the things we enjoy.”
The youth don’t really believe in it – they don’t care!
Shop owner