Northamptonshire COVID-19 Weekly Surveillance Report • 1,121 Northamptonshire residents have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last week - 134% higher than last week’s number • Mixing between households remains the greatest cause of transmission • The largest number of positive tests in the last week was found in 10 to 19 year olds, followed by 20 to 29 year olds • Locally the highest weekly rates are in Daventry (188.5 per 100,000) and Wellingborough (178.2 per 100,000) • All residents are being urged to take free twice weekly rapid lateral flow tests to reduce onward transmission • COVID-19 vaccinations are now available to everyone aged 18 years and over - both doses are required to give the protection required from the dominant Delta COVID-19 variant Data up to 4 July 2021 Four Step Roadmap Step 1 Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 4 will mark a new phase in the 8-29 Changes Not before 17 May Not before Government’s response to the pandemic, moving March on 29 March 12 April *Review of social distancing 19 July away from stringent restrictions on everyone’s day-to-day lives, towards advising people on how Children back to Rule of 6 or 2 Opening of non- Most legal restrictions on meeting Government hopes to protect themselves and others, alongside school/college households meet essential shops others outdoors will be lifted, to be in a position to targeted interventions to reduce risk. outdoors hairdressers, although gatherings of over 30 remove all legal gyms, zoos, people will remain illegal. Indoors, limits on social holiday campsites the ‘Rule of 6’ or 2 households will contact and personal care apply The decision to move to Step 4 will be services If you are meeting friends and announced on Monday 12th July and will be family, you can make a personal based on four tests: choice on whether to keep your distance from them, but you should still be cautious • The vaccine deployment programme continues successfully Outdoor Outdoor activity Funerals up to 30 Most businesses in all but the Government hopes • Evidence shows vaccines are sufficiently recreation/ facilities open and mourners. highest risk sectors will be able to to reopen remaining effective in reducing hospitalisations and exercise with formally organised Weddings, reopen premises, including one person outdoor sports receptions and nightclubs, and lift deaths in those vaccinated outside your commemorative the restrictions on • Infection rates do not risk a surge in household events 15 large events and hospitalisations which would put performances that unsustainable pressure on the NHS apply in Step 3 • Assessment of the risks is not fundamentally Care home End of ‘stay at Hospitality Up to 30 people will be able to changed by new Variants of Concern residents – one home’ rule but work venues serve attend weddings, receptions and regular visitor from home if can people outdoors wakes, as well as funerals and no holidays 2 Everything We Do Can Stop The Spread • Get Protected, Get Jabbed. As we move toward the removal off COVID restrictions, we want to ensure every adult in Northamptonshire has the opportunity to get vaccinated and to make it easier than ever before for people to ‘Grab a Jab’ in a way that works best for them. Anyone aged 18 and over will be able to pop in for their first vaccine dose at a pop-up clinic being hosted in Market Square, Northampton, this Saturday 10 July from 9am to 5pm. Availability of drop-ins at the Vaccination Centre in Moulton Park is now all day, every day – and there are many other locations around the county where you can get a first or second dose without an appointment. Find your nearest location to get a jab here. • Household to household transmission has always been the biggest cause of the spread of COVID-19. If you are mixing with others in close proximity – ensure you are not passing on the virus and take regular lateral flow device tests. Each time we leave the house and mix with others, we risk coming into contact with the virus. Around 1 in 3 people with coronavirus do not show symptoms and can therefore spread the virus to others without knowing. Testing regularly helps to reduce this risk, particularly before meeting people from outside your household. They are FREE so find your nearest pick-up point and get yours today, or order online for next day delivery. • Behave in a COVID Safe way around friends, family and your community. There has been a 134% increase in cases in Northamptonshire. Now and beyond 19th July the following sensible behaviours will be recommended by the government: Getting both doses of the vaccine, testing twice weekly, meeting in well-ventilated areas where possible such as outdoors or indoors with windows open, wearing a face covering where you come into contact with people you don’t normally meet in enclosed and crowded spaces, washing your hands with soap and water or using hand sanitiser regularly throughout the day, covering your nose and mouth when you cough and sneeze, staying at home if unwell to reduce the risk of passing on other illnesses onto friends/family/colleagues and others in your community, and considering individual risks, such as clinical vulnerabilities and vaccination status when mixing. 3 Its Coming Home…… Let’s make sure that football is the only thing What can you do to reduce the risk of contracting or spreading the virus? th coming home on Sunday 11 July as we gather to • Take up both vaccinations when you are called to do so watch the final England v Italy game. • Take twice weekly tests to check you are not carrying the virus without Its great that we can meet with friends to watch symptoms Order rapid lateral flow tests - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and enjoy the football, but indoor mixing presents • Wash your hands thoroughly and regularly throughout every day the biggest risk of transmission so test before the • Meet outdoors where possible and ventilate indoor areas game and remember to follow the guidance so • Avoid close face to face indoor contact, shouting and singing that you can protect yourselves, your friends and your community. • Meet up within the guidance, 6 indoors, 30 outdoors 4 COVID-19 Testing I have symptoms = PCR Test • To find out more information about local PCR testing sites visit: Northamptonshire COVID-19 Testing Update. • Tests can be booked online at NHS COVID-19 or by calling 119. Home test kits can also be ordered subject to availability. • It is vital that when you leave the house to be tested you must go straight to the testing centre and return home immediately to self- isolate until you get your results. • Find out if you can claim financial support during self-isolation here. • For the full self-isolation guidance see here. • A self-isolation support pack for residents in North and West Northamptonshire can be found here. I don’t have symptoms = Free Rapid COVID-19 Test • Everyone in Northamptonshire can access free, regular, rapid coronavirus testing. Test kits are available for home use or at test centres, some workplaces and schools. You can order home test kits on gov.uk and get home deliveries, or you can pick up test kits at pharmacies and other local sites. The test is called a Lateral Flow Test and involves a swab of the mouth and nose and provides a result within 30 minutes. • The aim of testing people who do not have COVID-19 symptoms is to identify those who may be infectious without having symptoms in order to reduce spread of the virus. If positive, the test means you are infectious and must start self-isolating at home immediately and complete 10 days of self-isolation, along with any household contacts. • The test does not tell you if you are COVID-free, so all COVID-secure measures must be exercised even if you get a negative result. You must continue to follow COVID guidelines and remember to wash your hands, wear a face covering where required and maintain a 2m distance from others regardless of the result. 5 Total and Weekly Summary A total of 52,132 positive cases have been identified in Northamptonshire to date. Of this number, 1,121 were identified in the last week, 28th June to 4th July 2021. This graph shows the total number of people who have tested positive for COVID-19 in Northamptonshire each week since 12th April 2021. Case rates were on a steady decline throughout April. A brief rise in cases was seen in early May, after which weekly case volumes decreased and then plateaued. Sadly, there has been a rise in cases in the last few weeks and in the last week in particular there has been a rapid increase. This week’s case total represents an increase of 134% when compared to the previous week. Please note that the latest week’s figures may increase, as data for the most recent days is subject to reporting delays. 6 Rates of Cases by Area The data in this table shows us what the total and most recent Cumulative Rate per Compared to Compared to week’s positive COVID-19 case numbers for each area in rate per 100,000 25 Northants rate England rate 25 Area Northamptonshire would look like if they all had the exact same 100,000 to Jun to 1 Jul 25 Jun to 1 Jul Jun to 1 Jul population size (100,000). 1 Jul 2021 2021 2021 2021 Northamptonshire’s infection rate per 100,000 population for the Northamptonshire 6,854 115.4 - Sig lower most recent week up to 1st July is 115.4, a 171% increase compared North Northamptonshire 6,586 109.7 Similar Sig lower to the previous week but still significantly lower than the national average (239.3).