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North Yorkshire emergency services have gone into “full emergency mode” due to an increase in coronavirus cases and nationwide problems with testing capacity.
As part of the move, local COVID-19 Trial facilities have been reoriented to serve the areas most in need, nursing homes are receiving additional support, and the reopening of social care day services has been halted.
The number of cases in the UK overall has more than quadrupled in the last two weeks, and the number of people who tested positive for coronavirus up to 167% in the first week of September.
Comes as secretary of health Matt hancock Announced new blocking measures for Northeast areas, but not North yorkshire.
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The North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum (NYLRF), which includes emergency services, local authorities and the NHS, has said Selby, Harrogate and parts of Scarborough and Craven have a growing number of cases.
The NYLRF added that there is growing evidence of community broadcasting in Whitby, Sherburn-in-Elmet and the Crosshills area.
Richard Flinton, Executive Director of the North Yorkshire County Council, said: “Together, for the past six months, all of us who live and work in North Yorkshire have made great efforts to prevent and reduce the spread of COVID-19 at the local.
“We thank everyone again for their many sacrifices. However, as we have seen nationally and around the world, cases are increasing again and the threat of the virus is a real and present danger.”
Dr Lincoln Sargeant, North Yorkshire Director of Public Health, said: “There are significant limitations with the capacity of laboratories nationwide as the demand for testing increases.
“We know that the government is working to address this situation, but in the meantime, it means there are fewer test appointments available and test results are taking longer to process.
“This issue is national and beyond our control. We have raised our concerns at the national level and are targeting our local testing facilities toward the communities and individuals most in need.”
Mr. Flinton added: “We know how quickly infection rates can change and we are asking the entire county to act with us now in response.
“Please show more restraint and caution and take additional steps beyond those required at the national level to help us try to avoid another lockdown here.”
You can find a full list of actions taken by the NYLRF and the North Yorkshire County Council here.
