Covid national lockdown prompts Leeds City Council services review as leader Judith Blake urges vigilance

By Georgina Morris
Published 6th Jan 2021, 06:00 BST
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The full implications of a third national lockdown on council and health services in Leeds were being assessed yesterday as people in the city were urged to be "extra vigilant".

The plea from Leeds City Council leader Judith Blake followed a televised statement from Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday night that confirmed a third national lockdown was to begin.

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He ordered the country to stay indoors other than for limited exceptions and bowed to significant pressure to order primary schools, secondaries and colleges to move to remote teaching for the majority of students from yesterday.

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Signage in Leeds city centre spells out the lockdown restrictions. Picture: Simon HulmeSignage in Leeds city centre spells out the lockdown restrictions. Picture: Simon Hulme
Signage in Leeds city centre spells out the lockdown restrictions. Picture: Simon Hulme

The move came in response to rising Covid-19 infection rates that have seen the country's hospital admissions and daily death toll increasing, while medical teams in some areas are struggling to cope.

Coun Blake said: "Following the recent announcement of another national lockdown, along with the recent rise in rates in Leeds, we must continue to work extremely hard to protect our health service and keep ourselves and each other safe.

"It is vitally important that at this crucial moment we strictly follow the guidance in place if we are to reduce transmission, which includes staying at home as much as possible, social distancing during essential journeys, regularly washing hands and wearing face masks.

"The recent mutation of the virus makes it much easier for it to spread and so we must now be extra vigilant to avoid our hospitals becoming overwhelmed."

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Leeds City Council leader Judith Blake. Picture: Simon HulmeLeeds City Council leader Judith Blake. Picture: Simon Hulme
Leeds City Council leader Judith Blake. Picture: Simon Hulme

Mr Johnson said the new variant of coronavirus, which is up to 70 per cent more transmissible, was spreading in a "frustrating and alarming" manner and warned that the number of Covid-19 patients in English hospitals is 40 per cent higher than the first peak.

A further 21 patients with Covid-19 were admitted to Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust sites on December 27 - the most recent date for which figures are available.

As of December 30, 146 patients remained in hospital including nine people in mechanical ventilation beds. The highest number of Covid patients being treated on any one day at the trust's hospitals was 331 on November 22, with the most patients in mechanical ventilation beds being reported as 45 on April 23.