North East Lincolnshire Council chief executive Rob Walsh has warned of a “too relaxed approach” to the threat Covid-19 carries.
In a direct address to the business community in Grimsby, Cleethorpes and Immingham - where the coronavirus rate is the fourth highest in England - he has called for help, fearing the “strong possibility” of a Tier Three placing post lockdown - a virtual continuation of the tough measures now imposed towards Christmas.
Mr Walsh told how the area is at a “pivotal moment in the battle with Covid-19”.
He said: “The rate of growth of infection and transmission is alarming. If this rate continues unabated, we will see increasingly significant impacts on our local health and care system - not just our hospital where capacity is now at the limits - our local education system and our local economy.
“We are seeing more outbreaks in care homes, we are seeing more outbreaks in schools, we are beginning to see more cases in workplace settings - public and private sector. Sadly, these outbreaks by their very nature are also bringing more deaths of loved ones, friends and colleagues.
“There is no doubt that businesses and employers have taken great strides in extremely challenging circumstances to put in place covid-secure workplace arrangements. However, it is outside of these settings where the virus is finding a way through - household mixing, social interaction - including trips to and from work- a too relaxed approach to the threat that the virus poses.”
Reflecting on the early outbreak, Mr Walsh, who is closing in on seven years at the helm of the local authority and also leads North East Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “We did not experience a first wave of the virus anywhere near as extensively as many other parts of the country - a specific consequence of which is limited immunity having built up in the meantime. To make matters worse, we are entering the period leading into what was already going to be a challenging winter for our health and care system.
“My key message is that only by acting together can we hope to arrest the transmission, the rate of infection, the increasingly significant pressure on the NHS and the numbers of deaths.
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“If and when this latest national lockdown comes to an end, as it currently stands - and based on what we are seeing now - there is a strong possibility of the borough being placed in Tier Three - in many respects not much different in terms of the extent and impact of restrictions, than the current lockdown. We must do everything we can, together, to at least demonstrate that all practicable steps have been taken and all measures implemented, to mitigate this prospect.
“We need your help. We need you to continue to ensure that your employees, your workforce, your networks are conveying the key messages about the impact this virus is having and will continue to have if we do not adhere to the Government restrictions and observe the fundamentals of hands – space – face.”
The region’s infection rate comes just behind Blackburn with Darwen in Lancashire (669.4) which is the third highest, Hull which has the second (714.5) and Oldham as the England’s highest area with 716.1.
North East Lincolnshire recorded 1,014 positive Covid-19 cases in the week ending November 9, with 18 deaths recorded.