Local lockdown would be 'damaging' for Corby says leader

The leader of Corby Council has said a lockdown would be ‘damaging' to the town.

Corby along with neighbouring town Kettering has been put onto the Government’s area of concern list today, after rising numbers of cases in recent weeks.

Between August 24 and 30 Corby there were 39 new cases in Corby, putting the number of cases in Corby since the outbreak began, significantly higher than the national average for the first time.

At a press conference this afternoon (Sep 4) Cllr Tom Beattie said: “It (a lockdown) would be very damaging. As to how damaging I couldn’t be specific. What would be more damaging however is the effect if we don't get on top of the increase in infections we are seeing. I think we want to do whatever we could to avoid a lockdown and the implications that could have on people’s everyday lives and businesses all of that would have a damaging impact. We have a period to try and make assure we have done enough so we dont move to that type of damaging local lockdown.”

He added: “What I would say to people in Corby is if you want to avoid any stricter regulations and avoid the disastrous local lockdown then we have an oppirtnity to try adn do that by adhering to the measures around social distancing.”

Earlier today the county’s director of public health Lucy Wightman had said Corby currently has the highest testing rate in the country, with Kettering third.

The county has a number of testing locations in the town plus a mobile testing unit that is roving around the county.

Today there have been two testing sites in Corby – one close to the Corby Cube and another at Steel Park off Rockingham Road.

A regional testing centre is also due to be set up at Kettering Conference centre later this month.

However at the press conference Lucy Wightman said the testing data was shared with her by government and was confidential.

So it is not known how many tests have been carried out in Corby in recent weeks and what percentage of those who have been tested had a positive covid diagnosis.

At this morning’s covid oversight board meeting Corby’s deputy leader Cllr Jean Addison said some Corby residents were confused when they could get tested and raised concerns about people having the virus asymptomatically.

The director of public health said that anyone who has concerns or has symptoms can go along to be tested.

In a bid to get the message out to the 20-29 age group, which is seeing the most cases, a new series of public health communications, including mobile phone pop up messages to pub drinkers is being brought in.