North East leaders claim coronavirus cases are FALLING already in most areas 'if you exclude students' as they hit out at lockdown plans - and say many residents will 'not obey the law' if furlough scheme only gives them two thirds of salaries

  • Gateshead council leader Martin Gannon revealed cases are falling across the North East of England 
  • The stunning reversal emerges - he said - when data from students is removed from the new cases data
  • It comes as Labour Mayor for Liverpool Joe Anderson slams the new furlough scheme as 'not generous'
  • A think-tank has warned it could cost the Treasury more than £2.4billion in six months before it is reviewed
  • Comes as Government prepares to announce a 'three-tier' lockdown system for England on Monday

Coronavirus cases are falling in the North East three weeks after lockdown restrictions were imposed on large swathes of the region, a council chief has claimed.

Draconian measures saw almost two million Britons barred from mixing with others from outside their household in private homes, gardens, pubs and restaurants on September 18. But Gateshead council leader Martin Gannon has revealed today that - when students are removed from the figures - the number of new cases in Newcastle and Gateshead is now starting to drop. 

'We have evidence in the region - if you take the spike in students out - even in central Newcastle and central Gateshead we're beginning to see a reduction in the number of new cases,' he said. 'What we're saying is the measures are working at the moment.'

Gateshead recorded a 72 per cent spike in its infection rate over the last seven days, according to Public Health England's weekly surveillance report, rising from 129.4 to 221.7 cases per 100,000 people. In Newcastle the rate rose by 90 per cent, from 250.5 to 475 per 100,000.

More than 1,600 students tested positive for the virus on Thursday, with 1,003 at Newcastle University and 619 at Northumbria University. They have been asked to quarantine inside their halls of residence.

It comes as the Government is expected to unveil a 'three-tier' lockdown system on Monday. Newcastle is expected to be placed in the highest category, which would see pubs and bars shuttered.

As the UK counts down to the new lockdown system:

  • Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson slams 'Saint' Rishi Sunak's new furlough scheme for being 'not generous' enough and suggests more money would have been provided if it was in the South;
  • Coronavirus hospital admission in England rise 50 per cent in a week as hospitals in the North make up almost two-thirds of patients;
  • Doctors warn face masks should be mandatory inside and outside in England to curb the spread of infections;
  • Revellers are filmed spilling into London's Leicester Square and dancing together with no regard for social distancing measures after 10pm curfew; 
  • London Mayor Sadiq Khan warns the capital could face tougher restrictions as leafy Richmond becomes the worst-hit borough - but one report suggests the R rate in the city is below 1;
  • Scottish drinkers have been making the most of their last day at the bar before pubs shut down at 6pm for two weeks in a bid to crackdown on coronavirus;   
  • Britain's R rate drops as it is estimated to be at 1.5 based on three-week-old data and the UK records 13,864 positive cases of coronavirus yesterday as the disease continues to surge. 
Britain's coronavirus reproduction rate has fallen slightly, according to the Government's scientific advisers. They say the current R value - the number of people each Covid-19 patient infects - is between 1.2 and 1.5. This is down slightly on last week's range of 1.3 and 1.

Britain's coronavirus reproduction rate has fallen slightly, according to the Government's scientific advisers. They say the current R value - the number of people each Covid-19 patient infects - is between 1.2 and 1.5. This is down slightly on last week's range of 1.3 and 1.

GATESHEAD: Government data shows coronavirus cases appear to have begun to fall in the city at present. This graph shows the number of new cases by day that the swap was taken

GATESHEAD: Government data shows coronavirus cases appear to have begun to fall in the city at present. This graph shows the number of new cases by day that the swap was taken

COUNTY DURHAM: Cases also appear to be falling in this local area. They are shown by date the test was taken

COUNTY DURHAM: Cases also appear to be falling in this local area. They are shown by date the test was taken

NEWCASTLE: There also appears to be a drop in the number of new cases in this area. Graphed by date test was taken

NEWCASTLE: There also appears to be a drop in the number of new cases in this area. Graphed by date test was taken

Coronavirus hospital admissions in England rise 50% in a WEEK as hospitals in the North make up almost two thirds of patients

Hospital admissions for Covid-19 have surged by 50 per cent in a week in England, Government data show.

A total of 491 people were put on wards because of severe coronavirus on Wednesday this week, up from 328 on the same day last week.

During that time the average number of daily admissions has surged from 285 to 441, showing that hospitalisations are picking up now that the number of cases is hitting high levels.

Yesterday there were 3,090 coronavirus patients in hospitals across England, compared with 3,097 on March 23, the date Boris Johnson announced the lockdown.

The North is being hit disproportionately hard and accounted for 60 per cent of hospitalisations on that day, which is the most recent data available.

With the Midlands included, areas outside of the South account for around three quarters of admissions, again drawing a line through the North-South divide.Raising alarm over tougher lockdown restrictions, Gateshead leader Mr Gannon told the Today programme they are fighting against tightened rules because the evidence suggests current measures are stemming the rising tide of infections. 

'We're opposing further restrictions in the North East on the basis of the scientific evidence,' he said.

'We have evidence in the region - there is a spike in students but if you take the students out - even in central Newcastle and central Gateshead - we're beginning to see a reduction in the number of new cases.

'So our argument is that even with the mixed messaging, even with the confusion and frustration, the measures that are in at the moment are beginning to work.

He pleaded: 'Work with us, give us more time, help us to win confidence and persuade people - those really good people in Newcastle who want to do the right thing.'

The Labour leader also revealed he had a meeting with senior Government advisers and 40 other North East leaders this week to discuss the new restrictions, but no national politicians were present.

He said thy made 'very clear arguments' to halt the closure of hospitality venues on the basis of evidence they had gathered, so they 'don't know exactly what was going to happen'.

It comes after the Mayor of Liverpool slammed 'Saint' Rishi Sunak's new furlough scheme as 'not generous' and accused him of treating the North of England with 'disdain'.

Under furlough mark two, workers can claim two-thirds of their wages up to £2,100 from the UK Government if coronavirus restrictions require their employers to pull down the shutters.

But Mayor Joe Anderson today blasted the scheme for not going far enough, and criticised it for being lower than the previous bail-out package.

Mr Gannon echoed his concerns, warning many people working in pubs, bars and restaurants - which are likely to be asked to close - will struggle to 'put food on the table' with just two-thirds of their wages.

It comes amid reports the scheme could cost the Treasury £2.4billion in six months, on top of the billions spent during the national lockdown.

Hammering the Government for not going far enough, Labour party member Anderson told the Today programme: '(The new furlough scheme) is not generous at all, it is indeed lower than the previous furlough scheme that was introduced.

Gateshead council leader Martin Gannon has revealed cases are falling in the North East

Gateshead council leader Martin Gannon has revealed cases are falling in the North East

'I just wonder that if this was in Southern areas of the country, or in London, whether  it would be at this level and not at a different level.

'We feel, I feel personally, that the North is being treated with disdain by this Government.

'But I guess, when you look at it, it's better than nothing and the pressure that we've put on the last few weeks demanded some local furlough scheme. At least it's now being heard'.

He warned the city would likely be plunged into a 'tier-three' lockdown under plans to be announced by Boris Johnson on Monday.

This would see the closure of pubs and bars, he said, but restaurants would be allowed to stay open until 10pm.

Liverpool's infection rate spiked 116 per cent in the last week, according to figures compiled by Public Health England, rising from 239.3 to 517.4 cases per 100,000 people. 

Labour council leader Gannon, who represents Gateshead in the North East of England, warned this morning the new furlough would fail to help families.

He told the Today programme: 'I know people who work in the hospitality sector and even on full pay they struggle to put food on the table for their families.

'For Rishi Sunak, I mean he may be able to live on two-thirds of his salary, you and I, we would be able to live on two-thirds of our salary, but for many of those people who work in the hospitality sector they can't comply with requirements. They're not going to obey the law on the basis of two-thirds of their salary.' If the hospitality sector is closed under the to be announced 'three-tier' lockdown system, think-tank The Resolution Foundation predicts 444,000 hospitality employees would qualify for the scheme.

This could cost the Government £2.4billion over six months they predicted, before it is reviewed again in January.

In the scheme, employers will still be required to meet the cost of national insurance payments and pension contributions. There will also be more grants available up to £3,000 a month, payable in two-week installations.




No comments:

Powered by Blogger.