Number of schools in the county with positive Covid cases rises again

Public health officials for the county have announced another increase in the number of Lincolnshire schools affected by positive cases of coronavirus.

Andy Fox, consultant in public health, said today (Monday): “As of this morning, Lincolnshire’s Health Protection Team is currently working with 127 schools that have had confirmed cases of coronavirus.

That is an increase from 115 schools reported on Friday morning.

Mr Fox said: “All schools are taking action to limit the potential spread of the virus, with some pupils and staff self-isolating as a precaution where necessary.

“The majority of schools remain fully open, and those affected are working really well to limit both the risk of the virus spreading and the impact on the pupils’ education.”

Among the latest schools affected in the Sleaford area are Potterhanworth Primary School and church lane School in Sleaford. Both remain open.

There have been 351 new coronavirus cases and 12 COVID-related deaths in Greater Lincolnshire on Monday.

The government’s COVID-19 dashboard recorded 243 new cases in Lincolnshire, 63 in North Lincolnshire and 45 in North East Lincolnshire.

It also registered seven deaths in Lincolnshire, three in North East Lincolnshire and two in North Lincolnshire.

These figures include deaths both in and out of hospitals, as well as residents in hospitals outside the county.

NHS England also reported 11 local hospital deaths on Monday. Seven were at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust and four were at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust. This takes the total number of hospital deaths in the county to 468.

On Monday, national cases increased by 15,450 to 1,527,495, while deaths rose by 206 to 55,230.

But there is some good news too: leisure centres, gyms and shops will reopen from December 2, the Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced, as new tiered restrictions will be introduced when lockdown ends.

There will also be a new way to avoid people self-isolating at home for two weeks, even though they have not tested positive. It would entail getting tested every day for a week, with isolation required only after a positive test — using rapid lateral flow tests with results within 30 minutes.