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18 March 2022
'Remain ‘COVID-cautious’ in your daily lives as infections are on the rise once again,' - that’s the message from Northamptonshire’s interim Directors of Public Health as a further 5,300 residents test positive.
As numbers go up by 51% this week, Public Health officials locally are reiterating current Government guidance in a bid to reduce the risk of catching and passing on COVID-19 by encouraging residents to:
- Get vaccinated
- Let fresh air in if meeting indoors, or meeting outside
- Wear a face covering in crowded and enclosed spaces, especially where you come into contact with people you do not usually meet, when rates of transmission are high
- Try to stay at home if you are unwell
- Take a test if you have COVID-19 symptoms, and staying at home and avoiding contact with other people if you test positive
- Wash your hands and following advice to ‘Catch it, Bin it, Kill it.’
Also, while there is no longer a legal requirement for people with coronavirus (COVID-19) infection to self-isolate, if you have any of the main symptoms or a positive test result, the local and national public health advice is to stay at home and avoid contact with other people.
With COVID-19 still in circulation it’s vitally important that we do what we can to protect ourselves and those around us. This week’s rates are clear evidence that the pandemic has not ended. Let's all stay COVID cautious and keep looking out for one another.Sally Burns and John Ashton - Interim Directors of Public Health for West and North Northamptonshire CouncilsWe are encouraging people in our community to get their lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines, including boosters, practise good hand hygiene and to stay at home and avoid contact with other people if you have any of the main symptoms of COVID-19 or have tested positive. All this helps reduce the chance of passing COVID-19 on to others.
The rising case rates over recent weeks and particularly this week at 51%, are an important reminder that, although legal restrictions have ended, COVID-19 has not gone away.
We urge people to remain cautious in their day to day lives and to get vaccinated and have the booster or fourth dose when invited.
Employers can also help by promoting ventilation, facilitating outdoor or well-spaced working areas, encouraging the use of face coverings, and supporting sick staff to stay at home.
To book a booster or fourth dose, those who are eligible should visit the NHS website or call 119.
Alternatively, people can visit a local drop-in clinic
Covid-19 in the county this week
An analysis of the county’s recent coronavirus cases and rates over the period 7 - 13 March 2022, shows:
- 5,300 residents tested positive for COVID-19 this week. Of this number, 586 were reinfection cases. Last week’s number was 3,486 with 369 reinfection cases.
- Northamptonshire’s infection rate per 100,000 population is 607.1 – up from last’ week’s number of 389.2 and significantly higher than the national average of 544.6. West Northamptonshire’s rate per 100,000 population is 626.3.
- The highest rates locally are South Northamptonshire (731.3) and Kettering (653.4)
- 11 people died in Northamptonshire within 28 days of a positive test, an increase from last week.
- More women than men tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 28 days.
- The age group with the most positive cases was 30-39.
- 30–39-year-old women are the group with the most reinfections, followed by 40–49-year-old women.
- A total of 95 COVID-19 patients occupied hospital beds in Northamptonshire on 15 March 2022, which is a 6% increase in the number of COVID-19 patients in the previous week (90 on 8 March 2022).
View the weekly Covid-19 Surveillance Report
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Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue (NFRS) has delivered life-saving training to staff at Billing Aquadrome on rescuing someone in difficulty in the water.
The team from NFRS, in partnership with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), visited ‘The Venue’ at Billing Aquadrome on Friday 11th March to equip their staff with both the knowledge and practical skills needed in an emergency.
The scheme gives staff the skills to be a first responder should an incident occur and offers preventative training to help them stop people going into the water in the first place. The training also covers effective communication with the emergency services and how to rescue someone using a throw line.
Darren Carson, Prevention Team Leader at NFRS, said: “It was great to come to Billing Aquadrome to teach them the key techniques needed to keep people safe in the water. The enthusiasm that the staff had to learn was fantastic and they are already talking about how they can further practice their skills.”
Billing Aquadrome’s Operations Manager Steve Bonifas said that he and the team of ten staff that completed the course found the training valuable.
He said: “It was brilliant to be able to learn the skills needed to help keep people safe around water and we had great support from the Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue team.
“We have large amounts of people on site during peak times and being part of something like this gives great safety awareness to the park.”
Nick Gayton, Station Commander for the Joint Operations Team, was keen to highlight the importance of the partnership between NFRS and Billing Aquadrome after the flooding in 2020.
He said: “Between us, we carry out lots of work and have staff in place to keep residents, visitors and staff safe when they are here and both parties are equipped to give the best safety response possible.”
To express an interest in your bar, restaurant or business receiving Waterside Responder training, please email Darren Carson on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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17 March 2022
Primary Schools in West Northants are being invited to take part in interactive online workshops on the subject of e-safety following funding from West Northamptonshire Council.
The workshops will take place throughout June and July 2022, and will be delivered by local theatre group Cherwell Theatre Company to Year 5 and Year 6 students.
Students will take part in activities and watch ‘Do You Accept’, a film created with and for young people exploring cyberbullying and e-safety through an engaging fantasy story.
The film was produced by Cherwell Theatre Company in partnership with Arts council England, Thames Valley Police, Oxfordshire Community Foundation and Cherwell District Council and has now been seen by over 2,000 children.
The company will deliver webinars and technical support to teachers before the virtual workshops and provide further activities including a quiz and resource pack which can be completed following the sessions.
West Northamptonshire Council Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education, Cllr Fiona Baker, said: “I am delighted that students in West Northants will benefit from these workshops and learn about all aspects of internet safety.
“Being online plays a huge part in many children and young people’s lives, particularly over the last two years through the pandemic, so it is vital they know how to keep themselves and others safe.
“Whether you are a young person, parent, carer, school or organisation, we can all take positive actions to help make the internet a safer place.”
Cherwell Theatre Company Artistic Director, Tristan Jackson-Pate, said: “We’re grateful to West Northants Council for supporting this vital work.
“We estimate over 1,000 local children will benefit from the project, taking part in practical drama workshops led by the film’s actors.
“We aim to help children express their feelings about all aspects of life online and start positive conversations amongst their peers and wider community.”
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17 March 2022
Ladieswear from some of Europe’s leading designers will be showcased during a special event at Northampton Museum and Art Gallery on Monday 21 March at 7pm.
The free fashion show is a unique collaboration between West Northamptonshire Council and Northampton clothing boutiques Voni Blu and Bonsoire and will raise funds for the Northampton Hope Centre through a charity raffle.
Along with displays of the latest day, evening and occasion wear, hairdressers Finn & Co are set to give a styling demonstration, while visitors will receive a complimentary drink and goody bag on arrival.
Councillor Lizzy Bowen, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Town Centre Regeneration and Growth, said: “This is a great opportunity to discover what’s on offer from some of Northampton’s leading independent fashion boutiques and enjoy an evening in the impressive surroundings of the recently refurbished museum and art gallery.
“This event is one of several initiatives being delivered in West Northamptonshire as a result of the Welcome Back Fund, which is aimed at encouraging people to get back into their local town centres and support independent businesses.”
Tickets can be collected from Voni Blu in Castilian Street, Bonsoire on the Market Square, Northampton Museum and Art Gallery in Guildhall Road or online at Eventbrite.
The event is free, but places are limited so booking is essential.
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15 March 2022
A rural bus route linking Daventry with Banbury is set to continue through the summer after West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) reached a deal with its operator.
Stagecoach West announced last month that its 200 bus service would cease on 2 April due to low passenger numbers.
However WNC and Oxfordshire County Council have now jointly made arrangements with Stagecoach West to fund the service on its current timetable until 27 August.
This will give WNC time to carry out a comprehensive review of bus services across West Northamptonshire, in order to determine how best to support public transport across the network in future.
The 200 service runs from about 7am until 6.25pm on weekdays and between 8am and 6:25pm on Saturdays, providing a link between Daventry and Banbury and stopping at a number of villages including Chipping Warden, Byfield, Woodford Halse, Charwelton and Badby.
We understand the financial pressures on bus operators, particularly during the pandemic when passenger numbers were understandably lower.Cllr Phil Larratt, Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport, Highways and WasteHowever bus services such as this offer a lifeline to people in our rural communities, so we are pleased to work alongside Oxfordshire County Council in order to step in and offer this support, allowing this important route to continue running during the summer.
This will give us time to carry out a wide-ranging review of bus services right across West Northamptonshire, in order to find solutions that will offer the best possible outcomes for our communities.