Northamptonshire could be left in lockdown limbo, warns top health official

'We may be left behind if case rates are still double the England average', says county council director
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Northamptonshire's top official is "deeply concerned" Boris Johnson's big announcement on Monday will leave the county in lockdown limbo.

The Prime Minister promised to reveal his roadmap out of the current Covid-19 restrictions next week but has warned continued success in slowing the virus' spread will decide how far and how fast he can go.

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Areas of Northamptonshire still have among the highest case rates in the country.

Northamptonshire's top health official is pleading with the public to follow the lockdown rules — or risk more restrictions for longer. Photo: Getty ImagesNorthamptonshire's top health official is pleading with the public to follow the lockdown rules — or risk more restrictions for longer. Photo: Getty Images
Northamptonshire's top health official is pleading with the public to follow the lockdown rules — or risk more restrictions for longer. Photo: Getty Images

Local Director of Public Health, Lucy Wightman, says the government wants to avoid a return to the system of tiers and lift the lockdown nationally, as happened last summer.

But she fears the county could be left behind while the rest of England starts getting back to normal.

Mrs Wightman told the BBC: "I know the government are really keen to avoid that. They want everywhere to come out of lockdown at same rate and then go through the step change of different sectors of ecomomy opening on a case-by-case basis.

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"But if we've still got case rates double or triple the England average, people have got to understand that we may have additional restrictions placed on us.

How Covid rates in Northamptonshire's boroughs and districts compare to the rest of EnglandHow Covid rates in Northamptonshire's boroughs and districts compare to the rest of England
How Covid rates in Northamptonshire's boroughs and districts compare to the rest of England

"We're looking forward to understanding the way out of lockdown but the frustration is still not seeing the recovery we hoped for in areas like Corby and Kettering.

"We want to make sure nobody gets left behind but if the Chief Medical Officer and the Secretary of State continue to have concerns, they may choose to take a different path."

Officials yesterday added 20 more to the number of deaths in the county linked to coronavirus — six confirmed in hospitals at Northampton and Kettering since Friday and 14 in care homes in the week up to February 12.

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That takes to the total number of known deaths of patients and care home residents with Covid-19 in Northamptonshire to 1,393 since the pandemic first hit the county in March last year.

The current variation in rates across Northamptonshire is huge.

South Northamptonshire saw just 85.7 new cases per 100,000 people in the week to February 11 while Corby had 347.6 — more than double the England average of 148.8.

Mrs Wightman added: "We are still finding people flagrantly flouting the rules and we cant afford to do that. Not only is it putting people's health and lives at risk but also potentially holding back our county and districts from coming out of lockdown.

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"If we don't all do the right thing over the next couple of weeks then we could end up in further restrictions.

"People know what they should be doing now and they have to understand if we don't get our rates down relative to other areas then we won't be coming out of lockdown for a number of weeks."

The latest lockdown was introduced in early January with most students learning from home, people told to stay indoors unless they needed to go out, and non-essential shops and businesses shut.