Oxford has confirmed the change in lockdown due to the number of new infections continuing to rise, as well as the number of hospitalizations in the city
Oxford will move to a Level 2 lockdown from Saturday morning after an increase in coronavirus cases
Local council confirmed the changes as the number of new infections continues to rise, along with the number of hospitalizations in the city
The Covid-19 infection rate for the city was 1,371 per 100,000 for the week ending October 23
For the same period, the infection rate was 1175 per 100.00 for the rest of Oxfordshire, which will remain under Level 1 restrictions
Oxford City Council tweeted: « Oxford will upgrade to level 2 (high alert) for coronavirus This means you shouldn’t meet people indoors you don’t live with unless they are be in your support bubble
« We are moving to level 2 as the number of cases continues to increase The virus is also spreading from adolescents and in their twenties to older and potentially more vulnerable age groups Hospital admissions started to increase as a result
« We know that the virus is largely transmitted by mixing between households By moving to level 2, which prevents different households from mixing inside, we are taking preventive measures to prevent the situation from getting worse more and to protect our most vulnerable residents
« For more information on what going to level 2 (high alert) means for you and your family, please visit http: // oxfordgovuk / tier2 »
Many places in England are at risk of being moved to a higher level of lockdown
Birmingham announced earlier it would be upgrading to level 3, while Teesside urged the government to place the region at the highest level
Meanwhile, Nicola Sturgeon has launched a separate five-tier warning system in Scotland, now classifying each region of the country in a category
In response to the announcement, Oxford Council Deputy Chief Tom Hayes tweeted: ‘We must do all we can to stop the spread of Covid in Oxford and protect our most vulnerable communities
Bruno Holthof, CEO of the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We have gone from a position of low and stable hospital admission rates over the summer to one of which admission rates are increasing We know there is a lag between the rise in cases and an increase in hospital admissions, so we expect hospitalization rates to rise further in the coming weeks. »
Residents are urged to play their part and abide by the new Oxford rules to help combat these recent trends
Councilor Ian Hudspeth, Head of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “The continued increase in numbers in the county has once again been discussed with central government and Public Health England and it has been agreed that now is the right time for the move from Oxford at level 2
« However, we remain gravely concerned about the increase in the number of cases in the county, and not just in Oxford We are deeply disappointed that despite clear evidence showing that the virus is now spreading to older communities and more vulnerable across the county, our demand for Oxfordshire as a whole to be upgraded to level 2 was not approved
« My five fellow Local Authority leaders and I believe this is a necessary step to stem the spread of the virus, protect our communities and the economy of Oxfordshire Our position has the full support of the CEOs of our NHS partners and the Oxfordshire Local Business Partnership, and we will continue to push for the rest of the county to happen as quickly as possible based on the epidemiological evidence. »
Dr Kiren Collison, general practitioner and clinical director of the Oxfordshire CCG, said: ‘We need everyone at Oxford to make sure they follow these new rules so that we can continue to provide care for those who need it If we do not act now, the increase in the number of coronavirus patients will increase the burden on GP services and the wider NHS, which could have serious consequences for those who need our help »
Councilor Susan Brown, head of Oxford City Council, said: “I know many Oxford residents will be worried about what this means to them At Oxford we are being asked to make some small but important behavioral changes.If everyone plays their part in sticking to the new rules, we hope we can keep life as close as possible to what it has been in recent months and avoid the implementation of more stringent measures
« You can still get together outside (in the rule of six), businesses can still operate, schools are always open These are the cornerstones of our lives – family, work and friends I ask everything the world to make sure they know the rules and stick to them If you need help, please ask for help Family, friends, communities and the board are all here to help you do the right thing
« However, I want to make it clear that this is not the decision that local government leaders and our local NHS have recommended and asked for Our director of public health has advised the government, based on local data, to put the whole county on level 2 This was ignored The decision to place Oxford alone in level 2 is shocking, as the spread and number of cases outside the city is also of great concern and so many people commute in our city Those responsible for failing to protect communities in the rest of Oxfordshire must be held accountable for their actions to block a measure meant to save local lives »
Oxford, Coronavirus
World news – UK – Oxford moves to level 2 lockdown within 48 hours, prohibiting socialization inside
