'There's light at the ehe end of the tunnel'

Published date27 November 2020
Date27 November 2020
There is now a growing sense that the combination of testing, an adherence to guidelines around social distancing and the imminent roll-out of a vaccine could change the local landscape considerably.

Kirklees Council Leader Shabir Pandor said caution and vigilance would prevent the district slipping into a third wave of COVID.

Clr Pandor said he anticipated that a mass roll-out of vaccinations would happen "very, very quickly" and that the same logistical framework could be used to deliver mass testing on a local level.

He said he hoped that a mass testing decision for Kirklees would be made "very quickly" and indicated that a local test and trace system was to be launched "imminently".

Kirklees will enter Tier 3 restrictions next Wednesday - December 2. The government will review the situation on December 16.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service Clr Pandor said: "Our infection figures have gone down by 20%. That is encouraging.

"If they carry on going down to Liverpool levels then we could come out of Tier 3 pretty quickly.

"Obviously we don't want to have a third wave because that puts us back even further. So we need to be cautious and vigilant. It's all dependent on how we manage infection, hospital admissions and deaths. Those are our indicators.

"But there is light at the end of the tunnel."

In an address to the House of Commons Health Secretary Matt Hancock praised the success of mass testing in Liverpool, which had seen the city's infection rates decrease to the 2RU 0BU 2FJ 4LD 4RL extent that it was placed in Tier 2 rather than Tier 3.

Colne Valley MP Jason McCartney pledged to ask Mr Hancock what criteria will be used when Kirklees' tier is reviewed on December 16.

He said: "Will local MPs and council leaders be consulted, what extra financial support will there be for hospitality and will the government work with Kirklees on delivering a mass testing programme here?"

Dewsbury MP Mark Eastwood said Tier 3 local authorities such as Kirklees would be able to take part in a six-week "testing surge" with tests offered to the general population to pinpoint cases before the virus can spread.

He added: "This boost to testing capacity and the promising news of...

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