Lincolnshire’s rate of infection is now in line with the national average, sparking warnings from the county’s health bosses.
The latest seven day average, from November 5-11, put both the England rate and the county at 253 per 100,000 people.
On Thursday evening, the Greater Lincolnshire region saw a record 873 coronavirus cases confirmed in a single day, with a record 33,470 across the UK as well.
However, North Lincolnshire’s infection rate of 350 and North East Lincolnshire at 632 continue to be far above the national average.
Lincolnshire’s director of public health, professor Derek Ward said the infection rate was concerning particularly in East Lindsey (360) and Boston (just over 300), though Lincoln was also back up to 320.
Professor Ward said there was no specific reason for the rise. “It is a mixture of different things, we’ve had some some outbreaks in care homes, we’ve had some school-based outbreaks and we’ve also got community based transmission across East Lindsey,” he said.
Lincolnshire’s cases up to November 12.
The figures could also include “last hoorah” type movements before the latest lockdown, finally showing in figures including people celebrating Halloween, going out for one last drink, or having one last meeting with friends and family.
However, he said: “We’ve got a few different working hypotheses, but basically it’s an overall increase across across our population.”
Professor Ward said one particularly concerning factor however was that the rate of cases in over 60s was quite high.
He urged people to comply with the latest lockdown guidance, particularly around non-essential travel.
“In East Lindsey a lot of people will be travelling up into North East Lincs, and one of the messages I’d like to get out is to remember we’re in a lockdown and that the government guidance is work from home if you possibly can.
“Looking at the numbers going up, I would reiterate to everybody that if there’s any way that they can do that for the rest of the lockdown, please, please, please consider doing that.
“Certainly, I would not be suggesting anybody from East Lindsey goes up into North East Lincs shopping or for other purposes, they don’t have to because that’s against the government guidelines anyway.”
Cases in the East Lindsey District Council area up to November 12.
It is hoped the impact of the second lockdown might begin to appear from middle of next week, however, Professor Ward warned that if Lincolnshire stayed at or above the national average, it was less likely that the county would come out into a lower tier of restrictions once the national lockdown ends.
A statement from East Lindsey District Council leader Craig Leyland also called on people to follow the guidance.
“If we all come together, we can help limit the spread of COVID-19, help look after one another and help to ensure we exit this lockdown period as smoothly as possible,” he said.
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Family-run The Pet Vet will open a new surgery at the Carlton Centre in Lincoln on Friday.
The ribbon to officially open the new 5,500 square foot independent surgery will be cut by members of Lincoln City Football Club at 2.30pm on Friday, October 29. Local animal charities and businesses, and even the fire service, will attend the opening day.
The Lincoln surgery is fully equipped with seven consultation rooms, three operating theatres, a dental theatre, and imaging suite, separate dog and cat words, and vast amounts of parking.
The Pet Vet already has established surgeries in Barnsley, Doncaster, and Rotherham, with Lincoln part of a plan to expand across the region. The surgeries are all equipped with the latest technology, including CT scanning capabilities.
In addition to general practise and preventative healthcare, The Pet Vet also offers advanced care in orthopaedics, soft tissue surgery and dentistry.
The Lincoln surgery is offering all new customers a free first consultation and half price vaccinations until the end of 2021.
A care home near Lincoln will close due to difficulties recruiting care and management staff.
The Old Rectory in Saxilby, which was rated ‘Good’ this year by the Care Quality Commission, is in the process of rehoming the 18 residents before it closes its doors.
It is working with Lincolnshire County Council officials to do so.
Some 32 staff, and remaining residents, were informed of the decision this week. Some staff will move to the sister home Wispington House Care Home in the village.
Owners, who have run the facility since 2012, said continuous pressures on recruiting care staff and management positions made it impossible to stay open.
The home will remain open until a place can be found for all residents
Owner Brij Patel said during the past two years there has been “a rise in external influences which have made it increasingly difficult to sustain high standards – with the near impossibility of recruiting and retaining care and management staff compounded by Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic.”
“We have worked tirelessly during the 18 past months to overcome various difficulties,” he said. “But regrettably, unsuccessfully, and now unfortunately this has left us in a position without any alternative but to close the home.
“This is not a decision that we took lightly, and we fully appreciate that this will come as a shock and disappointment to our staff, our residents and their loved ones. We are however, committed to manage the process as smoothly and fairly as possible.
“We can now focus our staff, resources and expertise on Wispington House and ensure that we deliver the quality of care the residents and their families deserve.”
The decision comes days after the Care Quality Commission released a report revealing that health and social care services are “under greater strain than ever”.
The report said care workers are suffering under a tidal wave of “anxiety, stress, exhaustion and burnout” post COVID-19.
Across England, numbers of unfilled jobs are rising month on month, the researchers found, from 6% in April to more than 10% in September.
The Government recently announced a new £162.5 million workforce retention and recruitment fund to bolster the dedicated care workforce – but critics say it may too little too late.
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