May 25, 2021 10.07 am This story is over 34 months old

“Still work to be done” in South Holland as area shares in £2.6m COVID funding

It will share a £2,606,000 fund with Peterborough and Fenland
The River Welland in Spalding.

Health bosses have said there is “still work to be done” in South Holland as it shares in more than £2.6 million to help tackle higher-than-average coronavirus rates.

The district was in one of nine areas across England to be selected for a new pilot which will explore alternative accommodation, translation help and better transport to further support those who have to self-isolate

It will share a £2,606,000 fund with Peterborough and Fenland.

The area has seen higher-than-average infection rates at a number of points throughout the pandemic, mostly due to the nature of its workforce being in factory or similar shift work.

However, despite remaining higher than many places in the county (currently 35.8 per 100,000 population), numbers have been decreasing.

Lincolnshire County Council’s Assistant Director of Public Health Andy Fox said: “[It’s the] same trend in Boston, we know a lot of people from Boston travel to South Holland to to work there so we do still think there is work to be done, and importantly, we’re not out of the woods with COVID.

“We’re going to be dealing the COVID for some time and these are things are looking at, investigating and researching to find out if some of these approaches can help.

“It is positive. We obviously would have welcomed this coming through earlier in the pandemic of course that would have been great as well.”

Greater Lincolnshire’s infection rates from May 17 to May 24. | Data: Gov UK / Table: James Mayer for The Lincolnite

As part of the pilot, initiatives will include:

  • Providing alternative accommodation for people in overcrowded households
  • Social care support such as increasing existing social care support for vulnerable adults and ‘buddying’ services for people whose mental health has been affected
  • Language communications support for individuals where English isn’t their first language. Designed to encourage people most at risk of catching and transmitting COVID-19 to come forward for testing and to self-isolate

Launching the funding yesterday: the government’s Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “We recognise just how challenging self-isolation is for many people and these pilots will help us find the best ways to support people and making it easier for everyone to keep doing their bit.”