'It is likely we will see another wave in January' warns public health boss
Torbay’s public health director has warned Devon is facing a ‘bleak’ January if Covid cases increase.
Last updated 18th Dec 2020
Dr Caroline Dimond said Torbay was in a “fairly good position” but was seeing cases flatten and possibly begin to rise after coming out of lockdown.
The director warned that people needed to keep complying with hygiene and social distancing measures to control the spread of the virus.
Dr Dimond warned that Torbay Hospital was still under pressure and there was still a lot of winter to get through.
The director told members of Torbay’s health and wellbeing board on Thursday: “It is likely we will see another wave in January. January could be bleak. It is far from over. We do need to keep vigilant.”
Torbay along with the rest of Devon has remained in Tier 2 following a review announced by Health Secretary Matt Hancock.
The latest weekly figures show Torbay had a Covid-19 infection rate of 40 cases per 100,000, with Devon on 86 and Plymouth on 69.
The Government has warned people to minimise contact over the Christmas period, despite a relaxation in rules restricting household gatherings.
Tier 2 means people can only meet indoors with others in their support bubble, and groups of no more than six can socialise outside.
From 23 to 27 December people can form a “Christmas bubble” from no more than three households.
While cases in the county had been falling during the second lockdown, numbers have begun to rise in recent days, with the infection rate for Devon now back to 86.1 per 100,000, although it varies significantly across the county with East Devon, Exeter and North Devon over the 100 per 100,000 mark, while the South Hams are at 29.9.