Government escalates Northampton onto 'Area of Intervention' list over Covid-19 infection rates

The Government has escalated Northampton from an 'area of concern' to an 'area of intervention' over its Covid-19 infection rates.

The town has been added to a to the Government's watchlist after the borough's infection rate has risen for the fourth week in a row.

It comes after sandwich-packaging factory Greencore UK on Moulton Park last week (August 13) reported an outbreak of nearly 300 cases amongst workers. At the time, borough council leader Jonathan Nunn called the outbreak "a disaster" for Northampton's infection figures.

Greencore to CLOSE today more than a week after Northampton outbreak announcedGovernment advice lists an 'area of intervention' as a place with different measures in place than the rest of England because of the "significance" of the virus' spread, and a 'detailed action plan' is in place.

On Thursday (August 20), the virus rate per 100,000 people was recorded at 748, which was marked as "significantly higher" that the regional average at 523 per 100,000 people.

In a statement issued today, director of public health for Northamptonshire Lucy Wightman said: "Northampton borough has been experiencing a high number of cases over the last 4 weeks and from today will be added to the government’s watchlist as an 'Area of Intervention'."

Advice for residents in Northampton, Kettering, Corby and Wellingborough is currently:

■ Limit contact with others outside of your household or bubble

■ Work from home if you can

■ Keep 2 metres from others at all times, use a face covering where you are less than 2 metres apart

■ Avoid using public transport or car sharing, wear face coverings if you cannot avoid these

■ If you have COVID-19 symptoms, stay at home, self-isolate and get a test

■ Avoid meeting those outside of your household or bubble in an indoor space

■ Wash your hands regularly and thoroughly for 20 seconds each time

■ Do not share items with others outside of your household or bubble

■ If you have COVID-19 symptoms, do not go to work, either work from home or report sick, self-isolate and get a test

■ Even if you only have mild COVID-19 symptoms, get a test

■ If you are contacted by test and trace and asked to self-isolate, stay at home for 14 days

It comes as the Greencore factory has also announced it is "voluntarily" closing down for two weeks and sending all staff home to self-isolate.Lucy Wightman said: "Local testing data shows this spike is significantly influenced by a workplace outbreak at the Greencore Factory. As a result the factory will close voluntarily from today, and most employees and their direct households will be required to isolate at home for two weeks. The government is also introducing regulations to ensure this isolation period is enforceable and anyone leaving isolation without a reasonable excuse prior to the required period ending will be subject to fines.

“This decision has been taken as part of the ongoing efforts to reduce the spread of the virus in the Borough. We will continue to support Greencore so that they are in a position to re-open as soon as is safe to do so.

“I want to thank local people in Northampton for the collective effort to date to help reduce the spread of the virus. We recognise this is tough for everyone but I would urge you all to keep going and to follow the guidance. This situation illustrates how fragile our position is, and that if we don’t keep continuing to work together to reduce the transmission of the virus, there is a very real possibility that further and stricter intervention measures and a possible local lockdown will follow.”

Live: Update on coronavirus in Northampton from public health officials at weekly press conference