HAS INFLUX OF SEASIDE TRIPPERS BROUGHT MORE CORONAVIRUS INTO CLEETHORPES?

                                        

The holiday mood returns - but so do the risks

CAUTIOUS optimism that coronavirus remains under control locally was sounded at this week's meeting of North East Lincolnshire Council.

However, NELC leader Cllr Philip Jackson insisted: "Covid-19 is out there, so we cannot afford to be complacent."

Portfolio holder for health Cllr Margaret Cracknell and the area's director of public health, Stephen Pintus, provided updates on the council's strategy for responding to the ever-changing situation.

Mr Pintus was particularly mindful of the borough's significance to the UK, describing it as a "centre  of excellence for food processing".

Cllr Stan Shreeve complimented the initiatives and hard work of all those involved with safeguarding public health and was relieved to be assured that "bureaucracy" was not being allowed  to hinder progress.

                                             

Mr Pintus - infection rates 'low'

Mr Pintus said all four directors of public health in the Humber region were working together closely to mutual advantage.

In response to a query from Cllr Stewart Swinburn about the mobile testing unit that has been operating intermittently from the Duchess Street car park in Grimsby, he said levels of infection had been found to be "very low".  

The crunch question of the meeting, which was held late yesterday afternoon, came from Cllr Callum Procter who wanted to know what impact the recent influx of visitors had had on coronavirus within the borough.

"Have infection rates increased since visitors started returning to Cleethorpes? he asked.

"It's too early to say," replied Mr Pintus. "It takes between two and four weeks to establish whether there has been any impact.

"Only then will we see if there has been any blip in numbers."

Asked by the leader  what powers the council would have to impose a local lockdown if infection numbers resumed an upwards trend, Mr Pintus said this would be "an-end-of-the-road" measure. 

He said any premises affected would most likely be keen to adopt voluntarily temporary restrictions on their activities.

This had already been seen at a couple of schools within the borough.

The leader concluded by emphasising the need for more publicity 

to be given to testing arrangements.

Agreed Mr Pintus: "You can never have enough publicity."