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The relentless rise of Covid-19 infection rates in one Kent district has sparked fears tough Tier 3 restrictions will be imposed when lockdown ends.
The leader of the council, Cllr Rick Everitt, says people cannot afford to be complacent as Thanet is now among the areas with the highest coronavirus rates in the country.
Worrying statistics show the district as third in the whole of the south, just behind Bristol and parts of Swale. Its rapidly increasing rate on November 11 was 459 weekly cases for every 100,000 people.
This is double the national average, up 96% on the week - and almost 20 times higher than a month ago.
At the same time, the number of people with Covid-19 in east Kent’s hospitals jumped from 4 to 43 in the month up to November 10.
There have also been 17 recorded deaths since the start of the month - 11 more than in the whole of October.
South Thanet MP Craig Mackinlay says the reason for the rise in cases is “inexplicable”. He is urging ministers to clarify what will happen in the district on December 2, when the national lockdown is due to be lifted.
Before the countrywide restrictions were brought in, other areas of England with a high number of Covid cases were put in Tier 3 of the government’s tier system, which is seen as a form of lockdown.
People are banned from meeting other households indoors and advised not to travel outside their area, while pubs and bars which don’t serve food must close.
The county’s public health director has said individual districts in Kent could be put into separate tiers after lockdown, depending on their case numbers.
And with Thanet’s rates soaring, the prospect of the toughest restrictions being imposed on the Isle on December 2 are looking more likely.
Almost every day, schools and nurseries are reporting confirmed cases, leading to ‘bubbles’ of children being sent home to self-isolate and in some cases, including King Ethelbert in Birchington, whole year groups.
This has in turn led to calls for schools to shut to stop the spread, while head teachers insist they are well prepared to be open if everyone plays their part.
In care homes - once a hotbed of outbreaks - cases remain low, according to bosses, with regular testing and strict protocols in place.
LEADER’S PLEA
With rates continuing to rise and no clear end in sight, Thanet council leader Cllr Everitt has made a rallying call to the community to take action in helping drive down numbers.
“Although we have been in a slightly better position than the national picture, this is no longer the case,” said Cllr Everitt.
“The fact is that the number of cases in Thanet has risen sharply since mid-October and we need to take action to respond as a community.
“If the numbers don’t fall we face the threat of continuing restrictions when the national lockdown is reviewed in December, which will have a further effect on everyone’s lives, as well as the local economy.”
As of Monday night, the highest rate in the district was 697.6 in the Nethercourt, Pegwell and Cliffsend ward, where 40 people were infected in a week. The lowest rate, 244.7, was in Cliftonville West.
But Cllr Everitt says case numbers are up across across the whole community not just one particular group of people.
“Everyone must step up and act in a way that protects them, their loved ones and their neighbours,” he said.
“We cannot afford to be complacent and assume that we won’t be affected because we’re not a big urban centre.
“We’re looking at the data to see where the most affected areas are and will be working with a range of local partners to get the message out and reach the people we need to.
“We have a duty to respond to this pandemic together. The effects of Covid-19 can be devastating.
“We mustn’t forget how many people in our community have been affected by it, the number of people who have lost loved ones, have lost their livelihood or have struggled with their mental health.
“Ultimately our success, and the threat of further restrictions, depends on each one of us doing what we’re being asked to – staying in, not spending time in other people’s homes, keeping six feet apart from others, covering our faces and washing our hands well.
“They are tiny acts of collective resistance against the virus that will result in it being suppressed.”
He says people must self-isolate if they have symptoms, get tested immediately and stay at home if in contact with someone who tests positive.
“We know that we’re asking people to make sacrifices but there is financial help available if you’re on a low income and told to self-isolate,” Cllr Everitt added.
“I am hopeful that if we all work really hard, together, for the next few weeks, we may be able to avoid unwanted continuing restrictions.”
SHOULD SCHOOLS SHUT?
Since September, a number of schools have had to send children home to self-isolate, but the frequency of new cases has increased in the past month with schools including King Ethelbert, Upton Juniors in Broadstairs, Chilton in Ramsgate, Ramsgate Arts Primary, Dame Janet Primary, Garlinge Primary and Ellington Infants, affected.
Secondary schools including Chatham and Clarendon, Royal Harbour Academy and Hartsdown have also been impacted since schools went back after the summer.
District councillor Aram Rawf has called on the government to rethink its decision to keep schools open.
“We have another national lockdown, but what kind of lockdown is it when schools, colleges and universities have been open since September and are staying open?” he said.
“Most of these students will be using public transport and mingling with each other, and with members of the public. We need to know how dangerous this is.
“As a local councillor in Thanet I am very concerned about the infection rate rising so rapidly in this area.
“In the first lockdown schools were only open for the children of key workers. This could happen again.
“When will government start to think in advance what the consequences of their policies will be?
“They need to rethink whether schools should be open at all.”
But Sam Atkinson, executive head of Dame Janet and Newlands Primary Academies in Ramsgate, says he would be opposed to closing schools again.
“The current rates in Thanet are concerning,” he said.
“People do need to be much more committed to following the government’s advice on how to be safe.
“As a school we unfortunately see far too many people not wearing face masks and observing social distancing and it is these actions that will help everyone over the winter months.
“I would be opposed to closing schools again as I believe that children really do benefit from being at school in terms of their learning and wellbeing.
“Schools are well prepared to be open if everyone plays their part in being safe.”
CARE HOMES CLEAR
While schools are reporting more and more cases, care homes - which saw huge outbreaks earlier this year - are reporting fewer.
Maria Kallis, manager of Eaton Lodge in Westgate-on-Sea, says they are currently Covid-free.
“We test our residents monthly and our staff weekly,” she said.
“We also do random testing of staff.
“I am on a WhatsApp group with other care homes and we’ve all been clear so far. We share information between us and that’s working well.”
She says they are all insisting that anyone admitted from hospital to a care home must have a negative Covid result first.
Andrew Scott-Clark, the director of public health at Kent County Council, says cases are rising among the working age population.
“It’s really important that we protect the most at risk people among our older residents and this is important now, before we reach the end of any national restrictions,” he said.
“KCC is working closely with Thanet District Council and partners to manage and respond to the Covid pandemic and we will ensure the public are kept fully informed as plans for the county, post national lockdown, are established.
“We are also working with partners towards a local Test and Trace system which will be aligned to and support the current NHS national system and we hope to have it in place by the end of November.
“The main thing people can do is to follow the national restrictions and self-isolate if they have symptoms or have been advised to self-isolate.”
MP WORRIED
South Thanet MP Craig Mackinlay was one of just one of just 38 MPs to vote against the second national lockdown.
The Conservative says the worrying rise in rates in his constituency is “inexplicable”.
“Whilst there have been identifiable outbreaks in some local care homes and also localised school infections, seemingly focused on a single school bus route, the shift from having some of the lowest national rates to being above the all-England and Kent average in a matter of weeks is both worrying but similarly inexplicable given our geographical location,” he said.
“I am digging further to find a rational explanation which is not always clear from raw statistical data.
“For instance if a Thanet student undertaking studies, say in Nottingham tests positive in Nottingham, the positive case attaches to Thanet, not the university town.
“What is critical now is that we plan for what will happen after December 2 and I am urging ministers to clarify this as soon as possible.”
Efforts were again made to contact North Thanet MP Sir Roger Gale but he refused to comment.
