Nottingham on brink of local lockdown with ban on households mixing

Nottingham is the latest UK city facing a local lockdown after coronavirus cases rose six-fold in a week.

The local authority is expecting the Government to implement tougher measures later this week but is already asking people not to mix indoors with others from different households.

Director of public health for Nottingham Alison Challenger said: ‘We are seeing a dramatic increase in COVID-19 cases in Nottingham. Our rate of infection is now rising higher than many other parts of the country.

‘This is a significant and worrying change.’

Nottingham’s infection rate has spiralled dramatically in the past week, with 1,465 new cases recorded in the seven days to October 3 – the equivalent of 440.1 cases per 100,000 people.

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This is up from 71.2 per 100,000 in the seven days to September 26 – a week that saw 237 new cases.

A large number of new infections have been identified at the University of Nottingham, where there were 425 confirmed cases in the week to Friday.

Authorities say measures currently in place are not not enough to stop the spread of the virus and that restrictions similar to those in Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester are needed.

Ms Challenger added: ‘We would urge people to take action now and not mix indoors with people from other households. It remains OK to mix with those in your support bubbles unless someone has tested positive or has symptoms.

‘We would ask people who have symptoms of Covid-19 – high temperature, continuous cough or loss of taste or smell – to self-isolate immediately and book a test by calling 119.

‘And we strongly advise young people, including students in the city, to remain in their social bubbles and not mix in their homes with people from other households.’

It comes as figures show the rate of Covid-19 infections across the UK has almost doubled in a week.

The UK-wide seven-day rate currently stands at 125.7 cases per 100,000 people, up from 63.8 per 100,000 a week ago, analysis by the PA news agency shows.

There were 478 people admitted to hospital in England with Covid-19 on Sunday, the highest daily total in four months, and up from 241 a week earlier.

Other areas with high rates are Manchester, Knowsley and Liverpool, while Newcastle upon Tyne, Sheffield and Leeds have also recorded large jumps in their infection rate over the last seven days.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock suggested on Monday he could soon unveil a three-tier lockdown system to replace current restrictions.

A leaked document seen by The Guardian suggested Level 1 would see things remain as they are at the moment, with the ‘rule of six’ in place. At the other end of the scale, Level 3 would see shops and pubs closing and all social contact between different households banned.

Critics have said the plan will lead to greater confusion amid calls from scientists to ‘act sooner rather than later’ in ramping up restrictions.

Professor Neil Ferguson, of Imperial College London, said today that more measures were needed to reduce contact between households while schools and universities remain open.

Speaking on BBC Radio Four he said an ‘extended half-term’ or closing hospitality venues could be options to bring the virus under control.

He said: ‘So we are in a more difficult position, if we want to keep schools open we have to reduce contacts in other areas of society by more.

‘You will have heard measures being discussed across society as a whole, such as extended half-terms, where we try to reduce transmission for a concerted period.

‘I think those measures should be considered.’

Prof Ferguson, whose modelling led to the original nationwide lockdown, also said that contact tracing data showed that attending bars and restaurants was a risk factor in contracting the virus.

He said: ‘If people are sensible meeting outdoors, really the risk is quite low.

‘I think the risk really comes from meeting indoors, in enclosed environments’

‘Of course as the weather gets colder, meeting outdoors is less appealing, people obviously do want to meet indoors, but that’s where transmission happens unfortunately.’

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