No end in sight for local coronavirus lockdown – but Flintshire council chief hopeful rise in cases is slowing

There’s no end in sight for local coronavirus lockdown measures in Flintshire, according to a senior public official. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

However, hopes have been raised that a rise in cases in the county is beginning to slow. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

New restrictions were introduced in the area, as well as three others in North Wales, around two weeks ago to control the spread of Covid-19. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

It means residents are not able to travel out of the county without a valid reason, such as going to a place of work or education. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Flintshire Council’s chief executive Colin Everett provided an update to councillors on the arrangements this morning (Tuesday 13 October). ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

He said: “We’ve still got the four county public health zones in North Wales, of which we are one, and we were joined on Saturday by Bangor city. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“Those arrangements are likely to remain in place for some weeks and we can’t give a deadline. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“There is no exit strategy and we’re trying to manage a sustainable restricted set of zones at the moment and the same applies all around Wales. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“You will have seen what’s occurred in Parliament with the Prime Minister’s speech overnight. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“Those arrangements do not apply in Wales.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

A total of 51 new cases were confirmed in Flintshire by Public Health Wales this afternoon – the highest amount of any county in the region. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

It puts the latest seven-day figure for cases per 100,000 people in the area at 168.5. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

But Mr Everett told member’s of the local authority’s environment and economy scrutiny committee there were signs that the increase in infections could be slowing. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

He said: “Our figures are likely to show that they’re very similar to yesterday. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“I’m hopeful we are reaching a peak at this stage, but this is subject to variation and people’s behaviour. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“The leap from Tuesday to Friday last week was an increase in our incidence rate by 50 – the incidence rate being the number of cases per 100,000. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“The change from Saturday to today is under ten so you can see the incidence rate is creeping up but is also slowing. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“It’s a positive but the message to everybody is that absolute compliance with all the rules needs to remain in place.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Liam Randall – Local Democracy Reporter (more here). ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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