Lincolnshire health bosses await details of ambiguous ‘stay alert’ rules

Those leading the response to coronavirus in Lincolnshire say they have been left waiting in the dark following the Prime Minister’s speech on Sunday.

Both Deputy Chief Constable of Lincolnshire Police Jason Harwin and Director of Public Health at Lincolnshire County Council Derek Ward said they would be watching the parliamentary debate later today closely to learn more about how the county will move on.

In the speech,  Mr Johnson announced a “conditional plan” to open the country back up, including a new ‘stay alert’ slogan (which has been rejected in Scotland and Wales ) and a five tier alert system.

Both leaders said the key message they had taken away was that the government was going “slowly and carefully” but acknowledged there were “difficulties” presented in the report around people going back to work and carrying out “unlimited exercise”.

Mr Harwin said the “devil will be in the detail.”

Read more here

Fears “unlimited exercise” will see coastal visits rise

Police fear people will take advantage of new “unlimited exercise” measures announced by the Prime Minister on Sunday to visit the coast.

Deputy Chief Constable of Lincolnshire Police Jason Harwin, said there was an assumption following Boris Johnson’s speech yesterday that people “will be able to go from their home address and travel out to where they want to to spend the day potentially.”

Mr Harwin said: “Clearly, if everybody goes to the same place at the same time, you could see some particular issues where ultimately people can’t social existence because of the volume of people.

“The devil’s in the detail, realistically, but importantly we’ve got to start doing some more planning about what we might do in that event so we just need to work that through in the next couple days while we’ve still got a bit of time.”

Read more here

Lincolnshire COVID-19 hotspots identify worst hit areas

The latest district council area breakdown of confirmed coronavirus cases has been revealed.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson revealed a five-tier alert system during his speech last night, saying it could potentially be used at a more regional level to localise restrictions around the country.

Yesterday’s figures showed that there were 917 cases now confirmed in Lincolnshire, up from 916.

Broken down into the district authorities, Boston remained the highest infected town, while South Kesteven came second and East Lindsey third.

Lincoln sat second to bottom on the list.

Read more here

Demand crashes new county council tip booking system

High demand from residents looking to get rid of their extra lockdown waste when tips reopen crashed a new booking system in under an hour.

Lincolnshire County Council plans to allow green waste and wood bookings only to its waste recycling centres from next Monday. It launched the online reservation system at 10am on Monday, May 11.

However, bosses were forced to apologise on social media for “technical difficulties” just half-an-hour after it launched.

“We’re really sorry about this and we’re doing all we can to fix it. Please bear with us,” said a spokesman.

Staff managed to make the form accessible, but warned that the website may be slow.

Read more here

Three new coronavirus deaths in Greater Lincolnshire hospitals

There have been three further COVID-19-related deaths in Greater Lincolnshire recorded today (Monday, May 11).

They include one at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust facilities, bringing the total to 118.

A spokesperson for ULHT said the patient was a man aged 90 who had underlying health conditions.

“His family has been informed and our thoughts and condolences are with them at this difficult and distressing time,” they said.

Two further deaths were also been recorded at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals, bringing the total there to 82.

This brings the total deaths in Greater Lincolnshire Hospitals to 203.

Nationally, a further 209 people have died, bringing the total number England’s hospitals to 23,358.

‘Little has changed’ – Warning as Lincolnshire begins phased return to work

Health bosses say the rules “haven’t changed all that much” as Lincolnshire businesses prepare for a phased return to work.

Deputy director of public health at Lincolnshire County Council Tony McGinty said there was a “risk that people who really want to do more than advised may take the, new guidances as a signal to be more liberal”.

He urged people to follow the key principles of staying at least two metres away from those who are “not part of our household”.

As businesses and employees look at whether they can return to work this week, Mr McGinty advised people to “layer different bits of advice on top of each other”.

“For example, if you would have to use public transport to access your work, then you probably shouldn’t go back to work because the advice about the risks of public transport are really clear in the in the guidance.

“If, however, you could get to your workplace without using public transport, then you would want to look to the cautions that being taken in your work place.”

Read more here

Government furlough scheme extended by four months

The UK government’s furlough scheme which pays the wages of staff unable to work has been extended to the end of October.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak confirmed in the commons on Tuesday, May 12 that the job retention scheme would continue for another four months.

Levels of pay for furloughed employees would remain, but employers will be asked to contribute more.

Until the end of July, there will be no changes to the scheme. Some 7.5 million workers are currently covered by the arrangement.

From August to October however, the government has said there will be ‘greater flexibility’ to support the transition back to work, and employers will be able to bring back furloughed employees part-time.

“Further detail will follow by the end of May but I want to assure people one thing won’t change,” Rishi added. “Workers will, though the combined efforts of government and employers, continue to receive the same level of support as they do now, at 80% of their salary, up to £2,500.”

One Lincolnshire Subway open as UK stores return

Fast food sandwich chain Subway has announced the re-opening of over 600 of its stores, but only one of those is in Lincolnshire.

People looking for a Subway fix in the county can find one inside a Spar convenience store on Bradley Cross in Grimsby.

Subway closed all stores across the country in March amid coronavirus lockdown, and is now planning a phased reopening for takeaways.

Read the full story here

Lincolnshire schools prepare for phased June return

Schools and nurseries are getting ready to reopen for more children from June 1, with maximum class sizes of 15 and staggered break times.

Since March 23, schools and nurseries have only been open to vulnerable children and children of critical workers. Remote online education has also been supported for those staying at home.

The government is working with schools, colleges and childcare providers to plan for the wider opening from June 1 at the earliest.

If the level of infection remains low enough, nurseries, Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 students would be the first to return.

Read more here

First COVID-19 death in mental health ward among five new fatalities

The first COVID-19 related death has been reported at a Lincolnshire mental health facility as national figures see the region’s death toll rise by five in 24 hours.

Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust’s first death was included in the latest daily government statistics today (Tuesday).

The patient was male, aged 88 and had underlying health conditions.

Four other fatalities have been reported at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Trust.

No deaths have so far been reported at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust, however in the last 24 hours. 

The latest figures bring the number of people who have died in Greater Lincolnshire hospital facilities to 208.

A further 350 coronavirus patients have died nationally, bringing the total in England’s hospitals to 23,708.

Read more here

Sharpest spike in Greater Lincolnshire COVID-19 cases in 21 days

The number of coronavirus cases in Lincolnshire has seen the highest increase in 21 days today.

According to the latest government figures, Lincolnshire’s case numbers increased from 916 to 977, a rise of 61.

It is the highest jump since April 22 when case numbers rose by 76.

North East Lincolnshire cases increased from 426 to 431, while North East Lincolnshire reported a total of 143 (up from 140).

The latest figures bring the local total to 1,551 – an increase of 99 cases.

Nationally the government has reported 226,463 cases.

A total of 32,692 people who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 have died across the country in total.

£14 million funding announced for health and safety

How holiday flights might look once lockdown ends

Asking to use the toilet, temperature checks and wearing face masks at all times are just some of the ways flying away for a holiday could differ after the coronavirus lockdown.

Ryanair is among the airlines to announce new measures being put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as it prepares to return to 40% of normal flight schedules from Wednesday, July 1, 2020.

Since the COVID-19 flight restrictions in mid-March, it has been operating a skeleton daily schedule of 30 flights between Ireland, the UK and Europe. From July, it will restart flying from most of its 80 bases across Europe, but there will be fewer daily/weekly frequencies on trunk routes.

This is subject to government restrictions on intra-EU flights being lifted and effective public health measures being put in place at airports.

Read more here

‘No need to endanger lives’: Lincoln parents respond to school re-opening plans

People in Lincoln have been venting anger at the government’s plans to partially re-open schools and nurseries from June 1, demanding their children are not used as ‘guinea pigs’.

Since March 23, schools and nurseries have only been open to vulnerable children and children of critical workers. The government is working with schools, colleges and childcare providers to plan for the wider opening next month.

If the level of infection remains low enough, nurseries, Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 students would be the first to return.

Several local people have branded the idea as ‘ridiculous’ and feel it is too early to be making this move, whilst others are concerned about the difficulty of young children maintaining social distancing. Some people have welcomed the move, pleased that their children will begin a phased return to normality.

Read more here

“Don’t visit Lincolnshire coast en masse,” warn leaders

Health bosses and district council leaders have urged people to stay away from Lincolnshire beauty spots as coronavirus lockdown rules are relaxed by government.

Under the latest changes, from Wednesday, May 14, people are able to carry out unlimited exercise and are able to travel to do so.

Under the latest government statistics around 146 people from the area have been confirmed to have had COVID-19.

However, leaders at East Lindsey District Council and Lincolnshire County Council fear hundreds of people could be tempted to visit the Wolds and coastal areas, with mass travel taking place and crowds gathering.

Read more here

Mesmerising footage shows lockdown Lincoln by drone

Lincoln’s quarantine scenery has been beautifully recorded for posterity in a drone flight over the deserted city.

We’ve been in lockdown for seven weeks now, and the Lincoln community are still observing the guidelines to this day.

Adam Gerrard has created this video showing the city’s famous landmarks from above.

Read the full story here

Hundreds of Lincolnshire council staff redeployed during pandemic

Councils across Greater Lincolnshire have redeployed hundreds of staff into new roles to help tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

In figures sent to Local Democracy Reporters, Lincolnshire County Council confirmed it had successfully redeployed 266 of its 5,158 staff into new roles.

The figure is around 5% of the total workforce.

No staff had been furloughed at the authority.

Across the six district councils, of those who responded to the request, 233 of 2,243 staff have been redeployed to high-demand, essential services – around 10%.

The only authority to report furloughed staff so far was East Lindsey District Council, which said it had placed 15 members onto the scheme. The move has saved the council £11,107 so far.

Read more here

Three further deaths reported in Lincolnshire hospitals

There have been three further COVID-19 related deaths reported in Lincolnshire’s hospitals today.

United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust has confirmed the deaths of three patients in its facilities.

It brings the total number of deaths at ULHT to 121.

A spokesman confirmed the patients were a woman aged 87 and two men aged 75 and 84. All had underlying health conditions.

They said: “Their families have been informed and our thoughts and condolences are with them at this difficult and distressing time.”

Nationally, a further 244 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died, bringing the total number in England’s hospitals to 23,952.

Police respond as flyers promote mass gatherings with music in Lincoln

Online posters promoting mass gatherings, allegedly organised by a so-called ‘UK Freedom Movement’ have angered Lincoln people and sparked promises of police action.

Notices of several illegal mass gatherings on May 16 have been shared by the alleged anti-coronavirus bill group across social media.

The flyers are for various outdoor locations up and down the country this weekend, including in Lincoln, despite the government’s coronavirus lockdown rules.

It’s unclear if the group and its flyers are a hoax.

Read more here

Restrictions eased at Grimsby and Immingham tips

Some of the restrictions in place at the Grimsby and Immingham tips have been lifted by North East Lincolnshire Council.

Under the terms of the coronavirus lockdown, householders can travel to a centre if the waste in their home presents a risk of injury or to the public health or the local environment. People are advised to only visit the tips if it is absolutely necessary.

Both centres are open from 8am to 6pm seven days a week and from Wednesday, May 13 most waste types and recyclable materials will be accepted.

Read more here

McDonald’s to open all drive-thrus next month

Lincoln fast food lovers will finally be able to get their McDonald’s fix next month as the restaurant chain prepares to re-open all of its drive-thrus.

McDonald’s closed all of its restaurants in March, but on Wednesday, May 13, 15 pilot restaurants in the South East of England began to offer a delivery only service with a £25 order cap.

The fast food giants will re-open a further 30 pilot restaurants in the UK and Ireland next week, offering service through the drive-thru lane from Wednesday, May 20. On this date it will also cap spend on its drive-thrus to £25 per car with contactless payment methods encouraged wherever possible. However, the location of the 30 outlets has not yet been publicly disclosed.

McDonald’s plans to re-open all of its drive-thrus by early June, which includes four in Lincoln – Ropewalk, Newark Road, Moorland Way and at the Carlton Centre.

Read more here

Lincolnshire Police have now handed out more than £16,000 in fines to lockdown offenders.

Police bosses said 206 fines have been handed out to those who breached coronavirus regulations brought in by the government.

Fines were set at £60, doubling with each offence, however rose to £100 for a first time offence from Wednesday, May 13, going up to a maximum of £3,200.

Under the old figures, the total fines handed out came to at least £12,360, if offenders did not pay their tickets within 14 days.

Deputy Chief Constable Jason Harwin said the majority of people continued to comply with the rules and that he felt that would continue in the face of the rules being relaxed by government this week.

Read more here

Lockdown rebel fined sixth time for breaching rules

A Lincolnshire lockdown rebel has now been fined six times as police look for alternative ways of dealing with him.

With fines previously starting at £60 and doubling per offence, it means he has been asked to pay more than £1,920.

The cost of fines rose to £100 for a first offence up to £3,200 on Wednesday, May 13.

Deputy Chief Constable of Lincolnshire Police Jason Harwin said the legislation was not available to arrest the man or take him to court unless he failed to pay those fines – at which point he could be sent to prison.

Read more here

Health boss denies Lincolnshire’s schoolchildren “used as guinea pigs

County health bosses have denied that the government would use schoolchildren as guinea pigs for the return to normal after coronavirus.

The government is working with education providers to plan for the re-opening of schools to the general populous next month, first to nurseries, reception, Year 1 and Year 6 children.

However, some parents and teachers have said it is too early and are concerned about the difficulty of maintaining social distancing between children.

Some have accused the government of using the youngsters as test subjects.

However, deputy director of public health at Lincolnshire County Council Tony McGinty said: “I cannot imagine anyone in public health or healthcare system or in education who would use children as guinea pigs for a disease which is still unpredictable.

“I really, really can’t get on board with that idea. What we have to get on board with, is that the potential risk from catching the virus has to be continuously weighed against the risks we’re running by not continuing with children’s education.”

Read more here

Government approved COVID-19 antibody test a way off general use

A test which detects those who have had coronavirus has been approved by national health officials, but it will be a while before everyone can take it, health bosses have said.

The antibody test, developed by Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche has been approved by Public Health England who called it a “very positive development”.

It will detect if a person has already had the virus and might now have some immunity.

However, like the previous COVID-19 testing, health officials in Lincolnshire say it could be a while before it trickles down to the general populous.

Read more here

One further coronavirus-related death in Lincolnshire’s hospitals confirmed

There has been just one further COVID-19 related death in Lincolnshire today.

The patient died at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust facilities, bringing the total at Lincolnshire’s hospitals to 122.

A spokesman confirmed the patient was a man aged 83 who had underlying health conditions.

They said: “His family has been informed and our thoughts and condolences are with them at this difficult and distressing time.”

A total of 185 have died across Lincolnshire’s hospitals and care homes, rising to 271 patients when Northern Lincolnshire and Goole figures are taken into account.

Nationally, a further 207 people, who tested positive for the Coronavirushave died in England’s hospitals, bringing the total to 24,159.

Police continue lockdown parties crackdown in Lincolnshire

Police will still respond to concerns over people breaching COVID-19 guidelines by holding birthday parties and group barbecues, bosses have confirmed.

Deputy chief constable of Lincolnshire Police and Chairman of the Lincolnshire Resilience Forum Jason Harwin said that while accepting the limitations, it was still against regulations for people for mixed household groups to meet.

It comes as local people expressed confusion over recent government changes which allow employees such as cleaners and trades people to enter people’s homes, but not for family to visit.

Mr Harwin said police would still act “if we find people that are associating when they shouldn’t be.

“It certainly should not be in somebody’s house it should be obviously in open space realistically because obviously then they are minimising the risk of disease spreading.”

He said police were working with councils, especially if the incidents led to anti-social behaviour from neighbours.

Read more here

How Lincoln’s property market will make a coronavirus comeback

The property market in Lincoln could boom once again despite the impact of the coronavirus crisis, as estate agents begin to return to work this week.

The government set out plans to restart the industry on Wednesday.

The Lincolnite spoke to Simon Bentley, Senior Partner, at Mundys and Ben Sykes, owner of The New Homes Agent, about being able to resume viewings and valuations, and the impact of the pandemic on the industry.

Read more here

Government carries out “record” coronavirus tests

The government carried out a record number of tests yesterday — completing 126,064 nationally.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced the figures —  45% increase on the day before —during the government’s daily briefing.

It is the first time the government has hit its 100,000 tests a day target since Sunday.

The total number of cases now confirmed is 233,151 a rise of 3,446 since yesterday.

There have been 33,514 deaths associated with the virus, a rise of 428.

During the briefing Mr Shapps announced nearly £2 billion of road and railway improvements including a £1.7billion spend on local roads.

It is hoped the money will help encourage walking and cycling, including fixing “millions of dangerous” potholes.

Mr Shapps said it was “our civic duty” to avoid public transport as the government moved on in its recovery phases.

The money will also be spent on repairing winter damage, building bridges and increasing the number of electric charging points.

Mr Shapps said the money will help make sure Britain is ready to “bounce back”.

A total of £770 million has already been spent by Highways England and Network Rail on improvements while the lockdown has been in place.

A&E visits down 37% during lockdown in Lincolnshire

A&E visits in Lincolnshire have fallen drastically, with coronavirus response likely to be playing a part in the new NHS data.

NHS England’s most recent figures show that United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (ULHT) attendances have fallen from 14,341 in the month of April 2019 to 9,037 in April 2020, a 37% decrease.

There has also been a significant drop in the last few months alone, with A&E trips shrinking by 31% between March and April of this year.

Read the full story here

Lincolnshire nurse with coronavirus leaves hospital to guard of honour

A Scunthorpe nurse with coronavirus was given a guard of honour by her colleagues and friends, who clapped as she left the hospital.

Sue Snelson is a Critical Care Outreach Nurse Specialist at Scunthorpe General Hospital, and for a long time she was the manager of the Intensive Care Unit where she recently spent 10 days as a patient.

Read more here

Lincolnshire passes 1,000 confirmed coronavirus cases

More than 1,000 cases of coronavirus have now been confirmed in Lincolnshire, and 1,600 in Greater Lincolnshire (which includes North and North East).

As testing is increased, the latest government statistics say Lincolnshire recorded a total of 1,002 cases (up from 996), while North Lincolnshire has 453 (up from 448). North East Lincolnshire has remained unchanged in its case numbers at 145.

Comparing localised statistics, Boston remains the area with the highest case numbers at 198 cases.

The authority with the least confirmed cases is West Lindsey with 77 cases, while the county’s capital Lincoln has had 116 confirmed incidents of coronavirus.

The full breakdown is as follows:

• Boston – 198
• SHDC – 184
• SKDC – 152
• ELDC – 148
• NKDC – 127
• Lincoln – 116
• WLDC – 77

Nationally, 233,151 people have been confirmed to have had the virus, while 33,614 people have died across all sectors.

Lincolnshire ICU nurse’s pandemic horrors left her shaking

An ICU nurse from Lincolnshire has spoken out about the nightmares she has faced during the coronavirus crisis, feeling so anxious to leave the house that she physically starts shaking.

Over the last few months, Kayleigh Peel from Stamford has been looking after patients with COVID-19. She has faced the heartbreaking task of phoning relatives in patients’ final hours, and seen people younger than her fighting for their lives.

When the 24-year-old saw groups out socialising last weekend, it struck a nerve and prompted a powerful and emotive Facebook post, which has been shared by over 1,200 people.

Read more here

County health bosses frustrated by testing delays

Delays in getting some coronavirus test results back are causing frustrations among health bosses and NHS colleagues.

Although national reports say the vast majority of results have been returned within 48 hours, some are reporting waiting up to two weeks for their results.

Director of Public Health at Lincolnshire County Council Derek Ward said NHS colleagues were “just as frustrated” with the nationally-run programme.

“It’s not acceptable, we need to make sure everyone gets tested and we get the results back as quickly as possible,” he said.

“ I’ve been contacted by people as well, saying they’ve not had their test results, so I am raising that with our NHS colleagues and also the Department of Health and saying look, whilst the majority might be coming through, there’s still been some delays and we need a way to follow up on those.”

Read more here

No COVID-19 deaths across Greater Lincolnshire in 24 hours

The have been no reported COVID-19 related deaths across the whole of Greater Lincolnshire (including North and North East Lincolnshire) over the last 24 hours.

The latest government statistics have shown no rise in any of the trusts covering the region including both United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust and Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals Trust.

It is the second time this week the figures have shown zero fatalities.

Nationally, a further 186 people have died, bringing the total number of coronavirus-related deaths in hospitals in England to 24,345.

What to expect if you’re shopping in Lincoln this weekend

Waiting in long queues, limits to people allowed in store and strict social distancing are just some of things to expect if you’re planning a shopping trip this weekend.

When lockdown first started, shopping was permitted for essentials only.

A new set of coronavirus rules which came into force on May 13 has seen the gradual reopening of garden centres and home stores to the wider public in the county too.

Read more here

Lincolnshire handed £54m to improve roads, bike and walking routes

Lincolnshire has been given £54.3 million by the government to help with road maintenance and improve walking and cycling in the county.

The Department for Transport announced an extra £2 billion nationally during the daily coronavirus briefing yesterday, including £1.7 billion for local road networks.

Public health bosses are trying to encourage people not to use public transport, but to use their cars, walk and cycle to work as they relax the lockdown restrictions.

Councillor Richard Davies, executive member for highways at Lincolnshire County Council called the money a “welcome boost” for fixing potholes, repairing pavements and improving the roads.

Read more here

Can the 2020 Lincoln Christmas Market still go ahead?

The coronavirus crisis has put a halt to shows, fairs and gatherings up and down the country, and left others up in the air. Concerns over future health risks pose a unique and unpredictable challenge for the planners behind the Lincoln Christmas Market, the city’s biggest event.

The market, which is due to take place between December 3-6, attracts more than 200,000 people to the city annually from across the world.

However, other large scale events such as the Lincolnshire Show have already been cancelled and health bosses have warned that residents should expect social distancing measures to be in place until a vaccine is found.

This leaves a question mark over what could happen with events such as this year’s Christmas Market, and whether they could still go ahead with innovative safety measures.

Read more here

Four more local COVID-19 deaths today

Two at Lincolnshire hospitals and two at Northern Lincs hospitals

A spokesperson for ULHT said:

“Sadly we can confirm that two further patients who were being cared for in one of our hospitals, and had tested positive for COVID-19, have died. This brings the total number of deaths in ULHT hospitals to 124.

“The patients were both men aged 83 and 87. Both had underlying health conditions.

“Their families have been informed and our thoughts and condolences are with them at this difficult and distressing time.”

Three new COVID-19 deaths in our region

One at ULHT and two at NLAG

A spokesperson for ULHT said: 

“Sadly we can confirm that a further patient who was being cared for in one of our hospitals, and had tested positive for COVID-19, has died. This brings the total number of deaths in ULHT hospitals to 125.

“The patient was a man aged 87. He had underlying health conditions.

“His family has been informed and our thoughts and condolences are with them at this difficult and distressing time.”

Lincoln Damon’s restaurant to re-open drive-thru

A popular Lincoln restaurant is preparing to open a drive-thru this week as it adapts to the coronavirus lockdown.

Damon’s Restaurant on Doddington Road will re-open again on Thursday, May 21 for a drive-thru collection service. It will be open daily between 1pm to 9pm and customers can pre-order from 12pm.

To place an order, people must call 01522 887722 and then receive an allocated time. Food will be delivered through car windows in the car park.

Read more here

Lincoln Castle grounds to re-open this weekend

Lincoln Castle is getting ready to re-open its grounds to the public this weekend, and has introduced some safety measures during the coronavirus lockdown.

It will re-open from Saturday, May 23, seven days a week from 10am to 5pm. Other aspects of the castle’s re-opening will be phased in line with guidance from central government.

In order to comply with coronavirus social distancing guidelines, some new measures have been put into place.

Read more here