Government’s move to get people testing twice a week was expected and welcomed, but “don’t think you’re scot-free” if you get a negative result, health bosses have warned.
Professor Derek Ward, Lincolnshire County Council’s director for public health, said the move was “another tool in the toolbox”.
However, he added the “primary line of defence” was to carry on with social distancing, hands, face, space and fresh air.
Under the new measures, residents can pick up home testing kits from any of the lateral flow testing centres in the county as well as the PCR testing sites in the afternoons. They can also order tests online.
“It’s another line in our defence, it’s another tool in the toolbox, so that’s a good thing, but it’s really important everybody remembers even if you are testing yourself twice a week, a negative, doesn’t mean you definitely don’t have COVID it just means the test didn’t pick it up, and we know with lateral flow tests, they’re not perfect,” said Professor Ward.
“So it’s great if you test yourself, but that doesn’t mean if you get a negative, you can go back and do whatever you want you’ve got to stick by the rules, so the hands, face, space message stays the same, whether you test yourself or you don’t.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaking on April 5.
He added false negatives were of higher concern to health bosses than false positives, as anyone who tests positive is given a complimentary PCR test, which can be done within a couple of days, to confirm the diagnosis – though they must self-isolate in the meantime.
Professor Ward was on the fence over so-called COVID Passports.
He said they would “almost inevitably be needed for international travel”.
“From an infection prevention control a public health perspective, people knowing and having some, some certificate that tells others whether they’ve had two doses or one dose is helpful,” he said.
However, he added: “I don’t underestimate the civil liberties impact and some of the other arguments surrounding this debate, ultimately it’s going to be your political decision, it’s going to be what the people of the country want, and ask their politicians to instigate, and we’ll deal with whatever comes up that way.”
Elsewhere, Professor Ward said numbers in the county were “all going the right way” with the number of cases last week dropping by more than a third and all but Lincoln seeing a reduction in infection rates over the Easter Weekend. However, the county is still above the national infection rate.
More than 65% of the population has now had its first vaccination dose, while 120,000 tests are now being carried out a week.
Health bosses are, however, still calling for government to consider allowing employers in the food industry to pay employees who test positive full wages and be compensated for it.
There is concern those in low wage areas such as farm and factory work could be reluctant to get tested or isolate due to fears over paying the bills.
“For me, it’s probably the one area we need a change in government policy,” said Professor Ward.
“I know it’s a difficult ask, but I think that’s the one way we can break some of these chains of transmission in those settings, because some people simply can’t afford to isolate.
“They just wouldn’t be able to feed their kids and that’s a really really difficult position to put people into.”
However, he said factories, which were a necessity to keep open, were not to blame for outbreaks and were doing all they could to be COVID secure.
“By their very nature, food processing packing is a difficult area to make 100% secure and if we want our packaged fruit and veg and things delivered all over the country then some people have to work there and there’s going to be an increased risk – just like taxi drivers and bus drivers, it’s an essential infrastructure.”
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It has been a tragic week with three deaths on Lincolnshire’s roads after two male motorbike riders and a man on a pedal bike lost their lives.
The roads are now busier again after further lockdown restrictions were eased on April 12, but since then three men have sadly died.
A man died after falling from his pedal bike in Branston on Wednesday, April 14 and police said his death is not being treated as suspicious.
On the same day, a 34-year-old male died after a crash involving two motorcycles near Gainsborough.
The man who lost his life in the collision was riding a silver Wuyang motorcycle. The second motorcycle was a blue Suzuki being ridden by a man in his 30s, who was taken to hospital with suspected serious injuries.
A 54-year-old man from North Lincolnshire also died after his motorbike crashed with a Royal Mail post van on the A631 near Glentham at around 4pm on Thursday, April 15.
This comes after it was revealed on March 11 that for the first time in over three decades nobody had died on the county’s roads in the first months of the year, according to Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership.
Lincolnshire Police revealed earlier this week that between 2018 and 2020 twenty five motorcyclists lost their lives on Lincolnshire’s roads.
There have been 285 coronavirus cases in Greater Lincolnshire and eight COVID-related deaths so far this week – a 7% drop in cases and one less death from the previous week.
The government’s COVID-19 dashboard on Friday recorded 32 new cases in Lincolnshire, eight in North Lincolnshire and three in North East Lincolnshire.
On April 16, three deaths were registered in Lincolnshire and none in Northern Lincolnshire. These figures include deaths both in and out of hospitals, as well as residents in hospitals outside the county.
NHS England reported two hospitals this week so far, compared to none this time last week.
On Friday, national cases increased by 2,596 to 4,383,732, while deaths rose by 34 to 127,225.
In local news, Lincolnshire health bosses expect COVID-19 cases to rise in our region as lockdown is eased, but are optimistic that if numbers are kept low enough, then people will be free to enjoy the summer.
Andy Fox, Deputy Director of Public Health at Lincolnshire County Council, said the lifting of coronavirus restrictions this week had not caused any specific concerns yet.
Since Wednesday, Greater Lincolnshire has again seen a decrease in its infection rates overall, against an increase nationally.
All districts have seen a fall in their rates, except small increases in North Lincolnshire and South Holland. Lincoln has stayed the same and has the lowest rate in the region.
Boston has the highest infection rate of COVID-19 in Greater Lincolnshire and is ranked 9th in the UK.
Here’s Greater Lincolnshire’s infection rates up to April 16:
Greater Lincolnshire’s infection rates from Apr 9 to Apr 16. | Data: Gov UK / Table: James Mayer for The Lincolnite
England’s R number has dropped slightly to between 0.7 and 1 according to the latest data this week. This means for every 10 people infected with COVID-19, they will pass it on to between seven and 10 others.
The new Indian variant of the COVID virus that’s been detected in the UK has all the hallmarks of a very dangerous virus.
It has two new significant mutations in the spike protein that help it infect cells and evade the immune system.
People are “likely” to need a third dose of the coronavirus vaccine within 12 months of getting the first two, Pfizer’s chief executive has said.
Dr Albert Bourla said a booster jab could be necessary “somewhere between six and 12 months” after the second one – and every year thereafter.
Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire on Friday, April 16
Greater Lincolnshire includes Lincolnshire and the unitary authorities of North and North East (Northern) Lincolnshire.
58,919 cases (up 43)
41,028 in Lincolnshire (up 32)
9,275 in North Lincolnshire (up eight)
8,616 in North East Lincolnshire (up three)
2,185 deaths (up three)
1,613 from Lincolnshire (up three)
304 from North Lincolnshire (no change)
268 from North East Lincolnshire (no change)
of which 1,302 hospital deaths (no change)
810 at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (no change)
41 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)
1 at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (no change)
450 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (no change)
4,383,732 UK cases, 127,225 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.
Plans to demolish part of a former play centre and Chinese takeaway to build 41 new student flats, have been submitted to the City of Lincoln Council.
Killingbeck PLG has applied for permission to demolish “most” of the existing facade of the former home of Imagination Station and Big Wok, on Beaumont Fee, and rebuild it as part of the development.
The main hall, a warehouse and a recently built “link block” to the rear of the building will also be demolished, and will be completely replaced with a new extension.
In documents to the council, the applicant describes how the 41”study bedrooms” will be en-suite and open off a central circulation area.
The build will form part of the Iconinc post-graduate residential units development next door and will sit opposite the Park Court student accommodation on Park Street.
It will include 12 apartments on the ground floor, 11 at first and second floor and seven units on the third floor.
How the build could look.
The application said: “There is a clear need for good quality, post-graduate, city centre, residential accommodation and the economic case for the redevelopment of the site is reinforced by the fact the site can be linked with the new Iconic development so amenities can be shared.
“The demolition of the existing property and the proposed redevelopment will bring positive benefits to the area economically and aesthetically.”
As part of the build, residents will gain shared access to existing facilities including the gym.
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