Public health bosses are hopeful the Isle of Wight will remain in Tier 1 but have warned again about being complacent when the vaccine does arrive.
With a review of the tier system in England taking place next week, the Island is in a positive position with infection rates falling and the positivity rate of the pandemic decreasing.
5 metrics are used to determine the tiers a local authority area is placed in, and the ones that can be measured – the case detection rate in all ages and specifically over 60s – show the cases have been slowing down.
In data presented at the local outbreak engagement board by the Island’s director of public health, Simon Bryant, between 2nd – 9th December the case detection rate in over 60s fell by 71% down to just 4 cases per 100,000.
Isle of Wight Council leader, Councillor Dave Stewart, said they have been pushing the Island hard to keep infection levels down and the figures showed that if “people do what we ask, everybody stays safe”. He said:
“I will be very surprised if we change from Tier One on December 16 because everything is indicating we have done the right thing.”
With Christmas around the corner and the roll out of the vaccine starting next week, the council’s chief executive, John Metcalfe, warned residents not to take their foot off the accelerator and lose control. He said:
“It is important for us to continue to focus on this as it will be a while for the vaccine to roll and a while for use to see the benefits of that.”
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A post by the Isle of Wight Police over the weekend said the Island’s custody centre was the busiest in Hampshire, with drunken disorder in Newport and Ryde.
Mr Byrant said while it was fantastic news that we have got the vaccination but we needed to be mindful the effects will not be instantaneous. He said:
“I would encourage everybody to take the opportunity to have the vaccine and to protect themselves from the virus.”
An Austrian MP used a lateral flow test on a glass of coke and it came back positive…we are being played…
So true, the world’s second Richest person Elon Musk took 4 tests on the same day.
Different results.
2 were positive and 2 were negative.
W.T.F
Only a moron would apply a biological test with serious implications for an individual’s health to a joke glass of coke, a substance for which the test regime was not designed.
But it’s probably on Farcebook, Twatter or Instacrap, so it must be true.
As someone who thinks the vaccine will change our DNA you, Real Islander, are the last person anyone should listen to. Next you’ll be saying the earth is flat and ran by lizard people.
You would be the person that believed we were 45mins away from an attack by Saddam or hiding under the stairs cupboard with a mattress will save you from a nuclear bomb…I would not believe everything that your Government says.
For the Island to remain and continue in Tier 1 – NON essential travel to the island needs to stop.
In today’s Telegraph it states that the goverment is financially supporting coach companies – mainly National Express etc to keep running. Really the government should be financially supporting coach companies NOT to run because holdays are NOT essential!
Totally agree .
Am fed up with the advertising that iow is a safe place have seen at 1st hand Welsh people Scottish folk and even only yesterday French people over here on holidays !
Let’s support the ferry companies so they can stop the influx from tier 3/4 area’s .
We all know January will be another lock down due to this .
Think long and hard before you mix with 2 many folk and look forward to next year .
The last time I saw a National Express coach on the Island was when I mucked out my rocking horse.
Totally agree, how hotels are still allowed to remain open allowing people from tier 2 & 3 to still travel over and stay is beyond me.
This is non essential travel as far as i am concerned and just open to spread the virus from their greed, close all hotels and b&b’s until after the new year is the only answer to stop the spread over here.
What amazes me.. just 4 cases in 100,000 her on the Isle of Wight… so does that mean they have tested 100,000 people here ?? I do not think so… unless My ‘ bubble ‘ of friends are part of the other 40,000 left !! Someone is just crunching numbers, and guessing…
I hope we are tier 1, but it’s going to be very, very close.
Drink and disorderly problems in Newport and Ryde, I find that very difficult to believe.
Once the pubs, clubs, shops tills are all filled over the Christmas and New Years sales, THEN and only then will the truth be shown over C V numbers here.
As with the Summer hol season, they don’t wish to ‘frighten’ the visitors, or, more precisely the wallets and purses away.
A lot of you people on here think about this covid 19 on such a small scale, like it’s about money etc. This is GLOBAL people. Control is what it’s all about! Keep changing the rules, keep people in fear, then you can set any rules and laws you choose! No? Tests to go and watch football now ( Everton) and soon pubs and shops, if any left. 24th out of 25 killers in the UK. The future is your choice.