Northamptonshire's health chief mulling more local action if PM's Covid-19 plan falls short

Northamptonshire is expected to be on the lowest tier of restrictions when Boris Johnson finally announces his latest plan to combat to the Covid-19 pandemic on Monday.

Government figures released on Saturday and Sunday showed nearly 200 new positive Covid-19 tests in Northamptonshire following on from sharp rises county-wide in the last week.

The Prime Minister is set to launch a three-tier ‘traffic light’ system under which tougher measures could be imposed at a local or national level if the number of coronavirus cases rise sharply.

Level One, the lowest level, is likely to include all the restrictions currently in place such as the rule of six, pubs and restaurants shutting at 10pm, people working from home here possible and a maximum of 15 guests at weddings.

Level Two may mean mean no mixing between households and while the highest level — which is likely to affect large chunks of the north of England immediately — would see pubs and restaurants close.

The ‘amber’ level could also see spectators discouraged from attending sporting events and advice to limit visiting at care homes — two measures which were added to the local guidance for Northamptonshire on Friday.

But the rate of infection here is less than the national average and below the 100 cases per 100,000 of the population which many expect to be the line between Tier One and Tier Two.

It remains to be seen how far the measures will go in the worst affected areas with the possibility of non-essential shops and businesses closing — although schools will remain open.

But the county's Director of Public Health, Lucy Wightman, warned she is ready to step in if she feels the measures do not go far enough.

Mrs Wightman told Friday's local media briefing: "I do worry that new legislation that will be brought in will not be enough for areas that are at threat of significant increase in cases.

"I am awaiting guidance with baited breath to see where Northants will be placed on the different levels of intervention and what restrictions will be applied to each area.

"I wasnt waiting for the that guidance I would have alrady gone harder with our messaging.

"if I and my partners do not believe these measures are enough to stop or stem then flow of cases locally then we will be taking more local action.

"We need to make sure we do not escalate in the same way that have seen elsewhere because we know where that heads and that is a lockdown that is not good for people's mental health, for the economy or for a number of reasons."