Local lockdowns in Yorkshire; the key lessons – The Yorkshire Post says

This much is clear as Calderdale Council, which covers Halifax and surrounding areas, becomes the second authority to set up its own contact-tracing service in order to harness sufficient intelligence so that sporadic outbreaks can be contained.

Exactly a week after the Government imposed new lockdown rules on large parts of the North, including Calderdale, Kirklees and Bradford, with virtually no warning, it is clear, as the CBI sets out with its six-point action plan, that the country’s approach needs to be refined.

Not only does there need to be clearer communication of the steps required when key decisions are taken, and sufficient notice given to enable families and businesses to make contingency arrangements, but public health experts need street-by-street intelligence on Covid’s prevalence when spikes do occur.

After all, postcode-led data will negate the need for restrictions to continue to be applied, for example, to the whole of Bradford when two-thirds of the council’s jurisdiction is rural and the risk in more remote communities minimal compared to more densely populated areas.

This is just one example. There are countless others. Yet, while the Government had to impose a national lockdown, a more nuanced and localised approach is now needed to control Covid-19 and protect the most vulnerable.

As such, it is even more paramount that local and regional public health officials come to the fore and, at the same time, utilise their local knowledge – insight that will be even more critical when schools are expected to fully reopen next month.

Editor’s note: first and foremost - and rarely have I written down these words with more sincerity - I hope this finds you well.

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Sincerely. Thank you.

James Mitchinson

Editor