Lincolnshire COVID-19 “too volatile”, unlikely to come down a tier

It’s nearly time for entrants to pull out their running shoes as the ASDA Foundation City of Lincoln 10k returns this Sunday, but there will be some disruption due to road closures in place for the event.

The race starting on Riseholme Road attracts thousands of runners every year. This year’s race begins at 10am on October 31 for both seasoned runners and also fancy-dressed fundraisers and beginners looking for fun.

Run For All is working in partnership with city of Lincoln Council to deliver the event. The event will require the closure of roads and road junctions, as well as the suspension of a number of Traffic Regulation Orders between 4pm on October 30 and the same time on the day of the event.

Road closures for the ASDA Foundation City of Lincoln 10k.

See the full road closure list here

Route map

The route map for the ASDA Foundation City of Lincoln 10k.

Event timings

7am – Event car parks open

9am – Race office opens

9.45am – Baggage store truck leaves and relocates to event village. The race warm up is also at this time

10am – City of Lincoln 10k begins

10.30am – The winner is expected to finish by this time

There will also be a team of pacers on the day. They will be pacing at five-minute intervals between 40 minutes and 1.5 hours.

Event facilities

• The Race office is located in Yarborough Leisure Centre car park and will be open between 12pm-3pm on Saturday and from 9am on Sunday
• Baggage store – You can drop your baggage here at the Yarborough Leisure Centre car park before 10.40am. After the run, you can collect your baggage from the store in Westgate car park opposite the event village
• Drink stations – bottled water is available on the course and at the finish. Competitors are advised to ensure that they consider the effects of dehydration
• Support & entertainment – a variety of performers will be on hand to keep you motivated around the course
• Charity village – The Asda Foundation City of Lincoln 10k is partnered to several local and national charities. The painter charities will be on hand to meet and greet the runners, as well as raising awareness of their work
• First aid – personnel will be on hand to help at regular intervals on the course with fixed first aid stations located near to the water stations. In addition, there will be a first aid unit and recovery area located near to the finish
• Food and drink – there are a number of bars and cafes in the area that will be sure to welcome spectators and participants
• Parking – information regarding parking can be found here

A former tourist information office at Lincoln Bus Station – used to serve takeaway from the coffee shop next door during the pandemic – will become a watch repair shop.

Shaun Redfearn, who currently runs Full Circle Books at Lincoln’s Central Market, is one of the retailers having to leave the building as part of the City of Lincoln Council’s plans to refurbish the facilities.

Instead, he will be looking to reopen in the now-defunct information office at the bus station as The Watchman, supplying watch batteries, straps and other accessories.

Mr Redfearn said he had “come to terms” with having to leave the market, but said about the move: “I’m looking forward to it.”

An application has been made to the City of Lincoln Council for a change of use.

The booth which Mr Redfearn will be moving in to. An informative sign in the background has “Information” blocked out by tape. | Photo: Daniel Jaines

During the pandemic the Grand Coffee House, which is situated next door, used the booth to sell take-away food and drink.

The information centre was opened inside the newly-built bus station in 2018 following a £3million investment in a new Transport Hub for the city.

It was originally staffed by members of the council’s customer services team. A spokesman for the authority, however, said it was only ever intended to be a short-term introduction to the bus station.

How the booth looked when the bus station first opened. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

The council spokesman said: “The reception desk was something we incorporated into the bus station when it first opened.

“It was intended to be used for a limited time period to issue bus passes, answer queries and deal with customer enquiries about council services.

“The desk closed at the beginning of 2020 and we are delighted to have found a tenant who we believe will provide a useful service and prove to be a positive addition to the bus station.”

There have been new 563 cases of coronavirus confirmed in Greater Lincolnshire on Monday, as more than six million booster jabs have been given in the UK and pharmaceutical giants say one vaccine is showing good results in six to 11-year-olds.

The Greater Lincolnshire case figure is almost 30% down on the 801 cases on last Monday.

Meanwhile, the latest national vaccination data shows that one-in-eight eligible adults in the UK have received a booster jab.

The latest COVID stats for Lincolnshire are:

• 563 new cases of coronavirus in Greater Lincolnshire with 428 in Lincolnshire, 64 in North East Lincolnshire and 71 in North Lincolnshire
• No further deaths were recorded in the government figures
• However, five further deaths were recorded in Greater Lincolnshire Hospitals since Friday with all of them at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust.

New NHS figures have shown that at least 6.1 million booster doses have been delivered as of October 24 – including 5.2 million in England.

As of Friday, NHS Lincolnshire said more than 60,000 covid booster vaccinations have been given to-date in Lincolnshire

People who are eligible, including all health and care staff, care home residents, people at risk, carers and people over the age of 50, will be invited by their GP or by the NHS as six months elapses after their second vaccine, and everyone is encouraged to book their appointment as soon as they receive their invitation.

The latest figures also show more than nine in 10 staff in care homes have had at least one dose and more than eight in 10 have had two as the government looks to make it compulsory for front line health workers.

| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Meanwhile, the makers of the Moderna vaccine said they had “good results” from trials on six-11-year-olds.

Tests on 4,753 children have suggested two doses creates a strong immune response and that most side effects were mild.

Labour leader Kier Starmer has said schools should have exclusion zones to stop protesters “intimidating” children and parents.

He said there was “growing evidence” of anti-vaxxers outside schools and said there needed to be “fast-track exclusion orders”.

He said it was “important action is taken”.

It comes as Downing Street said local directors of public health should “balance the risk of COVID along with the potentially longer-term harm of any disruption to education” before bringing in tougher restrictions.

The prime minister’s official spokesman said: “These are powers that directors of public health have had for some time, which the government introduced, to allow them to take local action when they felt necessary.

“We would expect the directors of public health to work closely with the Department for Education and the Department of Health and Social Care in making any decisions in that regard.”