The Island’s public health chief has blamed a lack of enforced social distancing on the spike in COVID-19 cases on the Isle of Wight in December and January.
Asked if we would ever understand how the Island had such an extremely rapid rise in infections, director of public health for the Isle of Wight, Simon Bryant, said it was not about a particular community, but about social distancing and that not being strongly enforced, in line with the national government guidance.
Following the second national lockdown in November, the Isle of Wight fell into the Tier 1 category — 1 of only 3 areas to do so — which gave some of the most relaxed guidelines. With low coronavirus rates, people could eat at restaurants, groups of 6 could meet and weddings could have up to 15 guests.
At the time, public figures including the Island’s MP, council leader and health officials urged people to remain cautious and follow guidelines so cases remained low.
However, from mid-December, the more transmissible COVID-19 variant in Kent spread rapidly through the community, with the Island only now starting to see a tail-off in cases.
At one stage in January, hundreds of new cases were being found each day and more cases were found in that 1 month alone than in the entirety of 2020.
At a meeting of the Isle of Wight Council’s policy and scrutiny committee for health and social care, Councillor Andrew Garratt asked Mr Bryant whether we would be able to understand just how it spread so much more on the Island than in other regions of the country, not just for answers now but for any future pandemic planning.
Mr Bryant said it was down to a number of factors but confirmed the large spread was absolutely connected to the Kent variant and social distancing was not as strong.
One of the challenges the Island faced, Mr Bryant said, was in areas where there were fewer infections, so people were able to catch it as there was less community immunity. He said:
“It is not about a particular community; it was about social distancing and that not being strongly enforced, in line with the national government.
“That enabled spread through our community fairly quickly and it is household spread that does it as we know indoors spread much greater than outdoor.”
Simon bryant needs to get another job, as he is clearly ineffective at this one. Stop blaming people for a virus that is not visible to the naked eye.
It is clearly ok, for footballers not to have to isolate, it is clearly ok for royalty and politicians not to have to isolate when returning from anywhere, so how about you start apportioning blame where it belongs – at the top,with those who think they are above everyone else. Which they are not, I might add
fed up with these self important jobsworths, that think they can sit behind their desks, nannying everyone and then blaming everyone when things go wrong for them
go away bryant.
Footballer, politicians and royalty were not on the Isle of Wight!
It is not rocket science we allowed tier 4 visitors to the Island when we were in tier 1. The council have continually failed to protect Island residents from this virus by allowing non essential travel to the Island by not enforcing the rules at our natural borders but they ease their conscience by blaming us for non compliance to socially distancing
Well mr island public health cheif i blame our council for keeping our island open just to make more mony and put over a hundred thousand lifes in danger.
Sure, some places were & still don’t enforce mask wearing, the ferry companies bringing people over from Tier 3 areas for pub crawls & 2nd homes didn’t help, profit over Islanders health, Tier 1 to Tier 4 in a week, go figure …..
Those in the council with private businesses which gain from tourists have a vested interest in encouraging the wallets of such to spend, regardless of the harm such seems to have done.
I wonder how many have died here, because of this; and if the business owners sleep well at night knowing this ??
Islanders going shopping on the mainland, delivery drivers coming over, people working on the mainland. The recent close down on the Isle of Man was from a ferry employee, it was bound to happen but lack of social distancing over Christmas didn’t help either. People let their guard down so the only difference, when the restrictions are eased off, is the vaccination programme so let’s hope it is effective against the variants. A chain is only as strong as it’s weakest link.
If that really was the case; that would not explain the sudden change in the number of ‘cases’ as soon as Boris spoke.
Blame everyone else, don’t forget all people from the island going to tier 4 Christmas shopping and bringing the virus back into their homes.
Why would people from tier 1 go shopping in tier 4 when no shops were open in that tier?
Exactly right, David. It is merely a snmokescreen to deflect people from the truth.
I have as yet not heard of one islander daft enough to do this !!
Common sense tells you that advertising the lsland as a tier 1 holiday destination didn’t help, along with other factors. Mr Bryant and the council need to admit the mistakes they made that lead to the rise in infections .
But no spread of covid during riots in London ..
They were outside! The science is clear now, the majority of transmission happens INSIDE especially in small areas with poor ventilation.
getting comments halted..
Yep heavy censorship going on
yes – no social distancing at the pull down the statues and at the B LM gatherings.
So the Isle of Wight Tourist Board, and the Isle of Wight Council, now more powerful than Public Health and the UK Government, have made sure that tourism is not to blame – but the Islanders themselves.
We had kept our numbers down until the point when the brakes came off, and we were still being advertised as a great place to visit – despite the risk being broadcast loud and clear everywhere else. This is sickening to the point where we must now recognise that money will ALWAYS be above our safety and the lessons will NOT be learnt on how to contain any outbreak of any kind – so I for one am determined to get off this Island for good.
So it has nothing to do with the island becoming the go to free Covid restriction area for all who wanted to get pee’d up, along with other DFLs and others visiting, for short holidays and family vists from higher tiered area, bring the virus with them. ?
Don’t forget the Islanders bringing it their homes after tier 4 shopping.
Social Distancing, some people never practice it. Should do, we have been asked to do for a year now so what part of keep your distance from others don’t people understand….. Doh!!!!
Yes, government guidance not law! That’s simple isn’t it?
It was because of people visiting each other for Christmas plus those coming over for Christmas from the mainland. Plus those who went to the mainland for Christmas shopping.
I find it ridiculous that people go pointing the blame at any group of people. Stop putting everyone in boxes. It’s kinda like saying cow farts are solely responsible for the damage to our enviroment. We are all breathing. Were all responsible. With most being asymptomatic this is extremely difficult.
Look at you lot pointing the finger and blaming others.
The people to blame are ourselves.
Our selfishness and lack of respect for others is the reason the virus spread so quickly before Christmas.
Having that unneeded meal out or drinks down the pub…. ‘selfish’.
I’m sure if you all filled out a questionnaire about your movements and activities during this whole pandemic, you’d all say the same ” we stayed in and only went out for food shopping”
It did not help with so many people still going out to work and doing non essential work like certain council workers, gas, electric, water, take a way, I know at some point we will reopen but what’s the point of a lock down if only 50 % are doing it, oh forgot garden centers