Government roadmap out of lockdown is a 'light at the end of the tunnel' for Wakefield, but warnings that Covid rates remain 'stubbornly high' in district

The Prime Minister's roadmap out of lockdown has been welcomed in Wakefield and the Five Towns, but leaders have warned that case rates remain high across the district.
Wakefield Council leader Denise Jeffery said the government's roadmap out of lockdown suggested there was a "light at the end of the tunnel", but warned that people should continue following all rules in Wakefield.Wakefield Council leader Denise Jeffery said the government's roadmap out of lockdown suggested there was a "light at the end of the tunnel", but warned that people should continue following all rules in Wakefield.
Wakefield Council leader Denise Jeffery said the government's roadmap out of lockdown suggested there was a "light at the end of the tunnel", but warned that people should continue following all rules in Wakefield.

Addressing MPs yesterday, the PM unveiled plans to remove all coronavirus restrictions as part of a four step process, which at least five weeks between each step.

The easing of restrictions will begin with the reopening of schools on Monday, March 8, and could see nightclubs reopened and all restrictions on social contact removed by Monday, June 21, providing that cases continue to call.

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Wakefield Council leader Denise Jeffery said the announcement suggested there was a "light at the end of the tunnel", but warned that people should continue following all rules in Wakefield.

Rates of Covid in the district fell from 303 per 100,000 at the start of the year to around 180 per 100,000 in the first few weeks of lockdown, but have remained "stubbornly high" since, and are now above the national average.

Speaking on the BBC's Today programme earlier this week, Anna Hartley, Wakefield's Director of Public Health, said she believed the district's high numbers of cases were linked the the large number of manufacturing jobs in the region, which mean a large number of people are unable to work from home.

Coun Denise Jeffery, Leader of Wakefield Council, said: “We expect that many across the district will welcome the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown as it suggests there is light at the end of the tunnel.

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"However, Wakefield and the rest of West Yorkshire, still continue to have stubbornly high infection rates due to there being more manufacturing and SME businesses with less opportunity for workers to work from home. We will continue to provide guidance and support to businesses to further prevent COVID-19 outbreaks in workplaces.

“We thank our residents and businesses for their ongoing efforts in reducing the spread of the virus but we ask them to keep going by following restrictions and guidelines and not to become complacent.

"It is absolutely essential that we continue to wash our hands regularly, wear a face covering in indoor public spaces and maintain social distancing with anyone outside of our household or support bubble.

“It is vital that we provide the best education we can for children and with schools expected to reopen to all pupils on 8 March, we will continue to work closely with our district’s schools to ensure that they can reopen safely and successfully in the weeks ahead.”

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From March 8, all schools in England will reopen, and after-school sports and activities will be allowed to take place.

Recreational activities in public spaces, such as a park, will also be allowed between two people from different households, meaning they can sit down for a drink or picnic outdoors.

Furthermore, each care home resident in England will be able to have one regular visitor with whom they can hold hands with.

Funerals can be attended by up to 14 people at Pontefract Crematorium, or 16 at Wakefield Crematorium. This is the maximum number that can fit in the chapel and maintain proper social distancing.

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Up to 30 people can attend a burial outdoors, as long as social distancing is maintained. Six people can attend a wake and six people can attend a wedding.

From the 29 March, outdoor gatherings of either six people or two households will be allowed. Outdoor sports facilities such as tennis or basketball courts will reopen and organised adult and children's sport, such as grassroots football, will be able to resume.

Before proceeding to each next step of the roadmap, the Government will examine the data to assess the impact of previous changes. There will be five weeks between each step.

The four conditions that must be met at each phase of lockdown easing are: the Covid-19 vaccine programme continues to go to plan; evidence shows vaccines are sufficiently reducing the number of people dying with the virus or needing hospital treatment; infection rates do not risk a surge in hospital admissions and new variants of the virus do not fundamentally change the risk of lifting restrictions.