Are we entering a second wave of coronavirus locally?

Britain, according to the Prime Minister Boris Johnson, is entering a second wave of coronavirus. Scientists have expressed fears the death toll could be as high as in the first spike without a rapid change in public behaviour.

But here in our district – Folkestone & Hythe, what is the reality?

According to the Office of National Statistics the first covid-19 related deaths, in our district, happened in week 14 –  March 30th  – April 5th 2020.  There have been no deaths from Covid-19 deaths in our district since week 34 – August 17th – August 23, 2020.

There have been 149 deaths in total from covid-19 in our district to date. Our heart goes out to everyone who has lost a love one.

Back in May, we asked if a second wave was inevitable.  In that post we predicted:

• “the real second wave will not begin until very late August, early September which coincides with the rise of the flu season.”

We made clear the number of people testing positive for Covid-19 would rise at the beginning of Sept and that prediction has come true.

But again what is the reality here in our district?

The chart below shows there has NOT been a marked increase in those testing positive for covid-19 in our district; which is good news, but we must not become complacent.

If a local lockdown does become inevitable, due to rising numbers of those testing positive with Covid-19 in our district, does Folkestone & Hythe District Council have the powers to implement a local lockdown?

In short, we believe there is legal framework within Regulation 6 of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (No. 3) Regulations 2020 which confer powers to allow  Folkestone & Hythe District Council to impose its own local lockdown on its own initiative. Whether they would do so though is another matter.

All of the Shepwayvox Team extend their thanks and gratitude to all NHS staff, all carers in care homes and hospices, to family members who looked after loved ones in their homes for helping all the people represented in the charts above. The thanks you are all owed is immeasurable.

The numbers above are not just numbers, they represent a real person who has passed away because of covid-19, or for other health reasons. Each of them have family, loved ones and friends. To each of you, wherever you are in our beautiful district, we extend our deepest condolences to you, as we understand many of you will not have been able to be with them at the end.

The one comfort we can all take from the persons passing is that each of them received the most powerful drug in the world – kindness. It work’s for everyone, it’s hard to get the dose wrong, and it’s free at the point of delivery. Thanks to all those who continue to deliver this throughout this ongoing pandemic.

The Shepway Vox Team

Hands – Face – Space