As We Face the ‘Most Dangerous Time’ There Is the First Sign Infection Rate Might Be Peaking

Published on: 12 Jan, 2021
Updated on: 14 Jan, 2021

By Martin Giles

As warnings are given that we are facing “the worst” period of the pandemic and “most dangerous time” the rates of infection in Guildford and Surrey have shown the first signs of decreasing.

In Surrey, although there was still an increase over the last week the rate has slowed and the graph is no longer showing the near-vertical climb of the last three weeks. Officials will be anxious to see if this is the start of a trend or a temporary lull.

Within the county, Guildford, at 534, has the lowest rate (new infections reported in the past seven days per 100,000 of population) but the county as a whole has still a very high rate of 714.

South East infection rate map. Seven–day rolling rate of new cases. – Source gov.uk

And there was a marked increase in deaths following a positive Covid test. In Guildford borough ten victims died in the last seven days.

Hospital admissions are also still increasing throughout the South East. Louise Stead, CEO of the Royal Surrey County Hospital, in an interview on Friday (January 8) said that 20% of the hospital’s capacity was currently taken up by Covid patients.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said over the weekend: “anybody who is not shocked” by the number of people in hospital “has not understood this at all. This is an appalling situation.”

The official advice remains that everyone should stay at home other than for essential reasons.

Extract from gov.uk website:

You must stay at home. The single most important action we can all take is to stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives.

You should follow this guidance immediately. This is the law.

Leaving home

You must not leave, or be outside of your home except where necessary. You may leave the home to:

- - shop for basic necessities, for you or a vulnerable person
  - go to work, or provide voluntary or charitable services, if you cannot reasonably do so from home
  - exercise with your household (or support bubble) or one other person, this should be limited to once per day, and you should not travel outside your local area.
  - meet your support bubble or childcare bubble where necessary, but only if you are legally permitted to form one
  - seek medical assistance or avoid injury, illness or risk of harm (including domestic abuse)
  - attend education or childcare – for those eligible

If you do leave home for a permitted reason, you should always stay local – unless it is necessary to go further, for example to go to work. Stay local means stay in the village, town, or part of the city where you live.

If you are clinically extremely vulnerable you should only go out for medical appointments, exercise or if it is essential. You should not attend work

Meeting others

You cannot leave your home to meet socially with anyone you do not live with or are not in a support bubble with (if you are legally permitted to form one).

You may exercise on your own, with one other person, or with your household or support bubble. This should be limited to once per day, and you should not travel outside your local area.

You cannot meet other people you do not live with, or have not formed a support bubble with, unless for a permitted reason.

Stay 2 metres apart from anyone not in your household.