All areas of Derbyshire heading towards a tier two lockdown

There are now three parts of the county which have case rates of more than 200 per 100,000 people, joining three areas over 200 which are already under tier two restrictions, North East Derbyshire (205) joining the High Peak (222) and Erewash (224).

The most recent dependable statistics show there were 1,830 new cases in Derbyshire in the week October 11 to 17, which is up from 1,448 the previous week and double the number two weeks previous (905).

Under tier two, you cannot meet different households indoors, including in pubs and restaurants.

Bolsover (168) now has a higher rate of new infections than Erewash, Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire had when it was announced they were to enter two tier restrictions last Thursday, October 15.

These were 168, 143 and 167 cases per 100,000 people respectively.

It is followed closely by Derby, South Derbyshire and Amber Valley, all of which already have case rates higher than tier two Chesterfield.

However, it may be the case that Chesterfield was only put into restrictions due to the North East Derbyshire council district, which largely surrounds it, being plunged into local lockdown.

Alongside this, Erewash and the High Peak have a higher rate of cases than a quarter of the areas of Nottinghamshire, which is soon set to be plunged into tier three restrictions.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “The incidence rate is one of a set of considerations around whether to impose or release restrictions.

“Decisions are made in close consultation with local leaders and public health experts, informed by the latest evidence from the Joint Biosecurity Centre, NHS Test and Trace, Public Health England and the Chief Medical Officer for England.”

Derbyshire’s public health director, Dean Wallace, has often said that other factors such as poverty rates, number of care home beds and a concentration of manufacturing and distribution jobs (which can’t be carried out from home) also play a key role.

The announcements last night and this morning that Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire will be plunged into the most severe tier three restrictions from Saturday, October 24, will also hit the county hard.

Under tier three, different households cannot meet up outdoors in hospitality venues or private gardens, as well as indoors.

Guidance for travel is restricted to only essential trips and pubs and bars not serving meals will be closed.

Residents living in areas bordering Greater Manchester, such as tier two Glossopdale in the High Peak, and Sheffield, tier two North East Derbyshire, will continue to be allowed to travel into both tier three areas for work and education but overall it is not advised.

Those living in South Yorkshire and Greater Manchester will also have travelled to North East Derbyshire and the High Peak for work and leisure, which will now be severely curbed, potentially hitting business hard as a result.

It has already been suggested that higher rates of infections in North East Derbyshire and particularly Glossopdale in the High Peak had been linked to their more virulent metropolitan neighbours.

The most dependable way of tracking infections across the county is by analysing case rates, which are several days removed to allow for figures to settle.

The most recent available statistics are for the week October 11 to 17.

They show the number of cases per 100,000 people in each Derbyshire district, followed by the number of cases confirmed in each area during that time:

Amber Valley: 154 cases per 100,000 people, 197 new cases

Bolsover: 168, 135

Chesterfield: 149, 156

Derbyshire Dales: 133, 96

Derby: 158, 407

Erewash: 224, 259

High Peak: 222, 206

North East Derbyshire: 205, 208

South Derbyshire : 155, 166

For comparison, the national average case rate is 102 per 100,000 people.

Meanwhile, in Leicester, which was the first area to be put in local lockdown in June now has a case rate of 222 with 788 new cases between October 11 to 17

Nottingham, which is now on the brink of tier three lockdown, along with the rest of the county, has a case rate of 633 with 2,106 new cases.

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