Coronavirus latest: Luton remains in tier 2

Luton will remain within tier two Covid restrictions when lockdown ends next week, as predicted during a meeting heard last night (Wednesday).
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The government made an announcement today (Thursday), confirming that Luton, Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes would be placed in tier two.

Yesterday, Luton Borough Council's scrutiny health and social care review group discussed the likely impact of the tier system.

"I'm fairly sure we'll be in tier two," said the local authority's interim director of public health Lucy Hubber.

Luton town hallLuton town hall
Luton town hall

"The current position for Luton is we're on 297 cases per 100,000 of population.

"We're seeing a fairly stable position for the over 60s, a little higher today about 180 per 100,000, which is an improved position from where we were a week ago.

"We'd like to have seen the figures starting to decrease, but they're very high.

"So we're close to the 300 per 100,000, which we think is the figure to suggest the top tier."

Service director and consultant in public health Sally Cartwright told the review group good systems are in place if an outbreak occurs in a care home.

"There are pathways followed around who they alert, and what checks we do on infection control measures, PPE and staffing," she said.

"So that process is in place, is robust and is working. We've currently got three outbreaks ongoing in care homes.

"But they're being well-managed and we've not had any new cases in those for a good few days now.

"It's in line with what you'd expect for the increasing rates across the population."

There have been 308 Covid deaths at the Luton and Dunstable Hospital since the pandemic started.

"The numbers have remained relatively low in recent weeks," explained chief executive of the Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust David Carter.

"There have been four in the week ending November 22.

"The hospital did cancel some elective cases this week, but that's the first time we've been in that position."

Deprivation is "a huge driver in Covid", according to the interim director of public health.

"It has alerted to us the health disparities we have within our population nationally, not just in Luton," she said.

"Clearly we would still encourage anyone who has symptoms, no matter how mild, to get a test and stay at home until you've got your result.

"That's really important for protecting other people.

"The standard test is good at indicating if you definitely have Covid.

"If you just want to check on your Covid status, the rapid tests are really good at confirming that you don't have it."