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Is high alert imminent as Cherwell becomes county’s infection hot spot?
28/10/2020
There is now no part of the District that hasn’t seen new COVID-19 cases in the last seven days
Banbury FM understands a decision to move Oxfordshire to COVID-19 “high” alert level could happen imminently. The decision would follow the latest local figures which show a surge in infections here.
A virtual meeting was held on Wednesday evening between Councillors, senior county officials and government figures. At a similar meeting last week the decision for Oxfordshire to remain on the “medium” alert level was taken at government level, despite others present feeling there was a need to make the move to “high” last week. Following that meeting the County Council issued a statement saying that Oxfordshire was “close to ‘high’ COVID-19 alert level”.
In the last seven days local infection rates have surged. In some parts of the Cherwell District the number of infections recorded in a seven day period has more than doubled. In Islip, Arncott & Chesterton there have been 31 new cases in the last week.
On Wednesday evening the Grimsbury area had recorded 24 new infections in the last seven days. In the same period the Neithrop area recorded 17 cases and Hardwick 15.
There are now no areas around Banbury without infections in the last 7 days. A week ago the Calthorpe area of town, Sibford, Hook Norton and Milcombe and Brackley South were all clear of COVID-19 cases in the previous week. This week they all have recorded cases.
Despite Oxford previously having been the county’s infection hot spot, this week the Cherwell District now has more infections per 100,000 people in the last week than any other part of Oxfordshire. The Cherwell rate of 151.5 per 100,000 exceeds Oxford at 137.1 per 100,000, and 131 per 100,000 in South Oxfordshire.
If a move to “high” alert level is made in the County the following rules will apply:
- you must not socialise with anybody outside of your household or support bubble in any indoor setting, whether at home or in a public place
- you must not socialise in a group of more than 6 outside, including in a garden or other spaces like beaches or parks (other than where specific exemptions apply in law)
- certain businesses are required to ensure customers only consume food and drink while seated, and must close between 10pm and 5am
- businesses and venues selling food for consumption off the premises can continue to do so after 10pm as long as this is through delivery service, click-and-collect or drive-through
- schools, universities and places of worship remain open
- weddings and funerals can go ahead with restrictions on the number of attendees
- exercise classes and organised sport can continue to take place outdoors. These will only be permitted indoors if it is possible for people to avoid mixing with people they do not live with or share a support bubble with, or for youth or disability sport
- you can continue to travel to venues or amenities that are open, for work or to access education, but should look to reduce the number of journeys you make where possible
Stay with Banbury FM for more on this breaking news story.
Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam