COVID-19 Weekly Surveillance Report
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Northamptonshire COVID-19 Weekly Surveillance Report • A total of 402 Northamptonshire residents have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last week • Mixing between households continues to be the greatest cause of transmission locally • The most positive tests in the last 4 weeks were found in 30 to 39 year olds, closely followed by 10 to 19 year olds • Due to the impact of the COVID-19 vaccination in the elderly and most vulnerable, the number of deaths and hospitalizations continues to reduce • There were no recorded COVID-19 related deaths in Northamptonshire in the last week Data up to 04 April 2021 Four Step Roadmap th Step 1 Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 On Monday 12 April residents of Northamptonshire 8-29 Changes Not before Not before 17 May Not before and across England will take Step 2 on the four-step March on 29 March 12 April *Review of social 21 June ‘roadmap’ out of lockdown. distancing We must all continue to remain vigilant and practice ‘Hands, Face, Space and Fresh Air’ to prevent the Children back to Rule of 6 or 2 Opening of non- Most legal restrictions on Government hopes to be School/College households meet essential shops meeting others outdoors in a position to remove all spread of COVID-19. outdoors hairdressers, will be lifted, although legal limits on social gyms, zoos, gatherings of over 30 contact holiday campsites people will remain illegal. and personal care Indoors, the ‘Rule of 6’ or Only when the government is sure that it is safe to services 2 households will apply move from one step to the next will the final decision be made. The decision will be based on four tests: Outdoor Outdoor activity Funerals up to 30 Most businesses in all Government hopes to • The vaccine deployment programme continues recreation/exercis facilities open and mourners. but the highest risk reopen remaining e with one person formally organised Weddings, sectors will be able to premises, including successfully outside your outdoor sports receptions and reopen nightclubs, and ease the • Evidence shows vaccines are sufficiently effective household commemorative restrictions on large in reducing hospitalisations and deaths in those events 15 events and performances vaccinated that apply in Step 3 • Infection rates do not risk a surge in hospitalisations which would put unsustainable Care home End of ‘stay at Hospitality Up to 30 people will be residents – one home’ rule but work venues serve able to attend weddings, pressure on the NHS regular visitor from home if can people outdoors receptions and wakes, as • Assessment of the risks is not fundamentally and no holidays well as funerals changed by new Variants of Concern 2 Step 2: Monday 12th April 3 Take Care in the Open Air • We have launched a new COVID -19 safety awareness campaign called ‘Take care in the Open air.’ • Residents are being reminded to stay alert and stay 2m apart, avoid face to face and physical contact, not to share drinks, avoid shouting and to be aware of surface transmission while outside. • We also want to remind you to use contactless payments where possible, sanitise if you can’t find a tap to wash your hands and discard face coverings in the bin. 4 Free Rapid COVID-19 Testing • Everyone in Northamptonshire and across England will be able to access free, regular, rapid coronavirus testing from 9 April. This includes even those who do not have symptoms. The lateral flow tests will be available for home use or at test centres, workplaces and schools. Results take as little as 30 minutes. • You can also get these tests from pharmacies or your local test site, you can even order them on gov.uk and get home deliveries. • Seven COVID-19 Rapid Testing Centres are open in Northamptonshire for adults who are not showing symptoms of COVID-19. • The community-based testing sites are at: • Danes Camp Leisure Centre, Northampton • Lodge Park Sports Centre and Hazelwood Neighbourhood Centre, Corby • Brackley Leisure Centre, South Northamptonshire • Redwell Leisure Centre, Wellingborough • Daventry Leisure Centre, Daventry • The University of Northampton, Northampton - restricted to use by students and university staff only • 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 being aware 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. • 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 indoors and maintain a 2m distance from others. • Testing slots must be booked online in advance and priority is given to those who are unable to work from home and/or adults in a childcare support bubble. It is advisable for those people working in these sectors to take up the opportunity to get tested at least on a weekly basis, if possible twice weekly to help to reduce the spread of the virus. • Information leaflets at the sites are available in English, Lithuanian and Romanian, Russian and Polish. 5 Everything We Do Is Stopping The Spread • As many more COVID-compliant doors will open on Monday, and Northamptonshire will join the nation in tentatively taking the next step on the roadmap, we must continue to all pull together so we can keep making progress and enjoy this summer - and many more to come. On Monday 12th April we will move to Step 2 of the government’s ‘roadmap.’ Non-essential shops, gyms, zoos, holiday campsites, personal care services, beer gardens and outdoor hospitality of all kinds will re-open. The number of visitors to care homes is also increasing from one to two to allow residents to see more of their loved ones. Many establishments across the county did a fantastic job complying with the guidelines last summer - and will again as they re-open next week. As customers we also need to do our bit! We all must socially distance, wear our masks and wash or sanitise our hands to protect staff, their jobs and businesses, as well as ourselves and those around us. • The prime minister has asked the country to ‘proceed with caution’ and ‘not be complacent’ with good reason. We know for certain that the easing of restrictions means that coronavirus cases will inevitably rise. However, there are ways to ensure COVID-19 cases do not get out of control again. We need to follow the mantra Hands, Face, Space and Fresh Air as we go about our daily lives and get our first or second dose of the vaccination when called, get tested regularly and isolate immediately if the result is positive. Until the rates of the virus go down further it is still not safe to meet indoors, even for a cup of tea. It is for this reason that it remains against the law. Last year we saw an increase in cases in school aged children after the holiday period and contact tracing data showed that sleepovers between friends played a part in rising cases in youngsters. Please do follow the rules by not having play dates indoors or sleepovers over the Easter break to protect your children and their friends, as well as yourselves, from COVID-19. • Regular testing is going to be at the heart of plans to reopen society and the economy, helping to suppress and control the spread of the virus. Please use the free NHS tests – even if you don’t feel ill, because remember 1 in 3 people with this virus doesn’t have symptoms. Rapid testing detects cases quickly, meaning positive cases can isolate quickly and reduce the risk of infecting others. We recognise that isolation puts pressure on people who do not receive statutory sick pay, and it does make compliance a concern, so the two unitary authorities, North and West Northamptonshire Councils, are working to maximise the use of the funding available to support businesses and individuals during this difficult time. 6 Corby: Door to Door Testing • Targeted door-to door community coronavirus testing will take place this weekend in Beanfield, Corby. • Each household in Beanfield will be offered testing kits in a bid to reduce case and transmission rates prior to further easing of restrictions. The pilot also provides the council with an opportunity to test its surge capacity plans - a key part of the public health response to spikes in cases, or variants of concern, should they arise in the future. Beanfield has been identified for this pilot as it is an area with high rates of cases, yet low rates of testing. • Organised by the Public Health team at North Northamptonshire Council, trained volunteers will be knocking on all household doors between 10am and 4pm on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th April to talk to residents about coronavirus and offer FREE testing options, regardless of whether they have symptoms or not. • Households will be offered either PCR test kits or Rapid Lateral Flow Test kits. • The PCR test are for those people with any of the three main coronavirus symptoms; a high temperature, continuous cough or loss of or change in sense of smell or taste. The Lateral Flow Tests are for those who don’t have these symptoms and are an effective way to test if you are infectious, without having symptoms.