Hartlepool faces being in higher tier of covid restrictions after lockdown, despite town seeing 'downward trend' of covid cases

In the week up to Sunday, November 15, there were 581 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Hartlepool, up from 369 the previous week.

This meant Hartlepool’s seven day rate per 100,000 was 620 – up significantly from 394 seven days previously.

RELATED: The latest headline coronavirus figures for Hartlepool

However Craig Blundred, Hartlepool’s acting director of public health, said the rate of Covid-19 cases in the town seems to have started slowing, although there is still a long way to go, and the town faced being placed in one of the higher tiers of post-lockdown restrictions.

Speaking at the Hartlepool Borough Council Audit and Governance Committee meeting on November 23, he said the latest seven-day case rate for Hartlepool is around 534 per 100,000.

However he stressed it is still early stages and urged everyone to continue to follow guidance around distancing, wearing a face mask and washing their hands.

Mr Blundred said: “We’ve been seeing the number of Covid cases rising and it’s had a particular spike in the last few weeks.

“What we’ve seen over the last few days is the start of what we think is potentially a downward trend in the number of cases coming through, which is obviously as a result of the lockdown measures that have been put in place as we’ve been progressing through that.

“It’s good news and a good start but we still need to be maintaining our guard and ensuring all of the measures we put in place are working.

“What it does show is we still have quite a number of cases and we still need to work to bring that number down.”

He added the previous spike in cases likely coincided with the actions of residents just before the country was placed in the latest lockdown, and warned meeting people for ‘social activities’ helps spread the virus.

Mr Blundred added: “We think there was a spike before we went into lockdown because of people potentially maybe seeing friends, family or potentially socialising.

“I think it’s clear to say, to reiterate the message that coming together and social activities are what can spread the virus, and meeting up with people.

“We need to make sure we’re still carrying out that social distancing and using the hands, face, space, message as well, it’s crucial as we move into December.”

A question was asked by Cllr Lesley Hamilton as to where Hartlepool will be placed in the new tier system planned for when lockdown is lifted.

Mr Blundred said no decisions have been made, but it is likely Hartlepool will be in one of the ‘higher tiers’.

He said: “We are starting to see that decline now, which is good news, but I think we’ve obviously got to start thinking about what’s going to happen when we come out of lockdown on December 2nd and where we’ll end up as part of the Government new tier system.

“We don’t know definitely where we will be, but given the numbers we are at, at the moment, it’s probably a fair point to say I would imagine we would be in one of the higher tiers."

He added: “Our numbers are still very high and despite the fact that they are coming down, they’re not down far enough for us to be relaxed about going into the lower tiers. We have quite a way to go even though they are going down.”

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