Multi-million pound joint council and college campus plans revealed

Lincoln could be in discussions over tier 2 (high) restrictions by the weekend, health bosses have said.

Lincolnshire County Council’s public health officials are advising that at the city — at least — could be put into a higher tier as numbers continue to rise across the county.

Lincoln’s rate of infection per 100,000 of the population alone rose from 154.1 on October 16 to 213.5 on October 23, just above the England average of 212.5.

The city has had 1,063 cases since the pandemic began, with the number on Monday increasing by 59.

How cases have increased in the city of Lincoln up to October 26.

On Monday, 346 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed in Greater Lincolnshire, pushing October’s total to more than 5,000.

The county’s Outbreak Management Board, which includes representatives from councils, health and other response bodies, will meet on Wednesday to discuss the next steps.

Neighbours Nottinghamshire on Monday confirmed that Nottingham city along with the districts of Rushcliffe, Gedling and Broxtowe face tier 3 lockdown from midnight on Thursday — though Newark on the Lincolnshire border will stay in tier 2 for now.

Lincolnshire’s neighbours in Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire have much higher COVID-19 infection rates. | Data: GOV UK

Lincolnshire County Council’s assistant director of public health Tony McGinty said Lincolnshire was “fairly close” to having similar conversations.

“If you look at the numbers in some of our districts we probably are going to be wanting to talk about taking additional measures over the coming week or two,” he said.

“Some of those numbers […] are looking quite difficult.”

He added: “Lincoln is having some particularly challenging times at the moment with its numbers […] for me at the moment, the district I’m spending most of my time talking to colleagues about and talking to City of Lincoln Council colleagues about is Lincoln.”

He said local and national leaders may want to have that conversation “over the coming days or weeks”.

The restrictions for tier 2 – high – lockdown.

Lincolnshire is tier 1 – medium – lockdown.

Lincolnshire is currently still on the medium (tier 1) level for the the new three-tier lockdown system of COVID-19 risk, which means it has no extra restrictions on top of the nation-wide ones.

If that decision is made to move up a tier, the next steps will include discussions over what the additional measures will mean and what extra funding will be made available.

Some 176 students and staff at the University of Lincoln have tested positive for coronavirus.

The data released on Tuesday, October 27 is more than double last week’s figure of 85, although the newest number is less than 1% of the University’s population.

Students living together in a flat in Lincoln have been letting people know they’re self-isolating with quirky post-it note signs in their windows.

Students needing to self-isolate are being supported with their studies and over 300 food boxes have been delivered to them.

A University spokesperson said “There are 176 positive cases confirmed amongst our students and staff (less than 1% of our University population).

“Our dedicated team of staff have been out delivering food boxes seven days a week to any of our students who require them. The feedback we’ve received has been overwhelmingly positive – the students really appreciate the food boxes and have been impressed by the high-quality and healthy items we provide.

“We are part of a wonderful community here in Lincoln and we do all we can to support one another.

“All students have access to a wide range of academic and professional services to support them and help them make the most of their time here. From the moment they join us, they are welcomed into the Lincoln family and our friendly, close-knit community.

“If students are required to self-isolate, they are well supported to continue with their studies through personal tutors and online access to teaching and learning, library access, health and wellbeing, practical help with food and a variety of online social events, quizzes etc. Our students’ needs are our number one priority.”

Meanwhile, the number of students at Bishop Grosseteste University currently self-isolating due to a positive test result has risen to 12.

Five students and two staff are currently self-isolating with suspected symptoms and waiting to be tested or to receive a test result.

A further one member of staff and 79 students are self-isolating as a precautionary measure because a close contact/member of their household has suspected symptoms or tested positive – see the full data here.

There have been 346 new COVID-19 cases in Greater Lincolnshire on Monday, pushing October’s total to more than 5,000.

The latest UK coronavirus dashboard figures as of Monday evening showed 212 new cases in Lincolnshire, 52 in North Lincolnshire and 82 in North East Lincolnshire.

It means there have been 5,245 cases confirmed in October.

Government figures today confirmed four deaths, including three Lincolnshire residents and one North Lincolnshire resident

NHS figures reported one COVID-related death at a Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals Trust hospital.

Nationally, cases increased by 20,890 to 894,690, while deaths jumped by 102 to 44,998.

A chart showing Lincolnshire’s case numbers up to October 26.

Lincolnshire is currently still on the medium (tier 1) level for the the new three-tier lockdown system of COVID-19 risk, which means it has no extra restrictions on top of the nation-wide ones.

However, neighbouring South Yorkshire moved into tier 3 at the weekend.

Lincolnshire’s neighbours in Nottingham, Rushcliffe, Gedling and Broxtowe, face tier 3 lockdown from midnight on Thursday — but Newark on the county’s border managed to escape, staying in tier 2 for now.

Warrington, in the North East, was confirmed to have been moved up to Tier 3 on Monday afternoon.

Earlier on Monday, the number of COVID cases in Greater Lincolnshire passed the 9,000 mark as cases increased by 613 this weekend.

Nationally, government bosses have been battling it out over free school meals, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson refusing to budge on a vote last week that rejected extending the meals into the half-term and Christmas holidays.

Parents are struggling even more so than usual under the coronavirus pandemic.

Lincolnshire County Council’s opposition members have asked the authority to step in, however, council leader Martin Hill said plenty had been done already by distributing funds to other organisations.

Businesses and other organisations have picked up the ball, however, with their own events.

City of Lincoln Council has also announced it is providing £10,000 worth of support to families living in the city who are eligible for free school meals this October half-term.

Students living together in a flat in Lincoln have been letting people know they’re self-isolating with quirky post-it note signs in their windows.

Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire for Monday, October 26

9,837 cases (up 346)

• 6,337 in Lincolnshire (up 212)
• 1,947 in North Lincolnshire (up 52)
• 1,553 in North East Lincolnshire (up 82)

451 deaths (up four)

• 302 from Lincolnshire (up three)
• 95 from North Lincolnshire (no change)
• 44 from North East Lincolnshire (up one)

of which 295 hospital deaths (up one)

• 156 at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (no change)
• 6 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)
• 1 at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (no change)
• 132 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (up one)

894,690 UK cases, 44,998 deaths

DATA SOURCE — FIGURES CORRECT AT THE TIME OF the latest update. postcode data includes deaths not in healthcare facilities or in hospitals outside authority boundaries.