Why Sheffield is on the verge of Tier 3 lockdown as Covid-19 infection rate drops

Sheffield’s incident rate – the number of infections per 100,000 of the population – dropped from “the mid-450s” last week to 371 on Sunday, 18 October.

However, health experts and local leaders across South Yorkshire are in talks with Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick to impose the toughest restrictions on the region.

On the infection rate fall, Greg Fell said: “We’re definitely seeing some stabilisation.

"It’s important that we see the numbers in the round. A lot of the focus is on the seven-day incidence rate [...] and that’s one of a number of really important metrics.”

Age-specific incidents, particularly the proportion of people over 65 who test positive, is another key metric, Mr Fell said – and it is increasing.

Sheffield’s ‘test positivity’ has also risen significantly to 22 per cent last week, compared to between one and a half per cent and two per cent “two to three months ago”.

"There’s an obvious implication of that one from a ‘how we cope perspective’,” the health boss added.

He continued: “We are beginning to see increases in the number of people who are hospitalised with Covid. That’s a mixture of people who are in hospital for other reasons but then test positive [...] and people who are admitted because of Covid.

"We’re beginning to see increases in the number of people who are on ventilators or on oxygen beds and again, that’s a precursor to far more intensive care. We’re not seeing deaths in any great number yet [...] but all of our expectations is, sadly, that will come. We’re on an epidemic curve and the curve is currently trending upwards.”

On Monday evening, Sheffield City Region mayor Dan Jarvis said the region’s leaders are not prepared to impose Tier 3 restrictions until the Government ‘offers the support we need to protect lives and livelihoods’.

He tweeted: “Our Council leaders and I stand ready to work with Govt, but they have to offer the support we need to protect lives and livelihoods in South #Yorkshire.

“They haven’t done that yet.”