"Hard to predict" when we'll be out of lockdown says North Yorkshire Director
It's as the Prime Minister is due to give his roadmap out of lockdown on Monday
Last updated 18th Feb 2021
The Director of Health and Adult Services at North Yorkshire County Council has said it's "hard to predict" when we will start to make our way out of lockdown.
Richard Webb discussed the topic in yesterday's Local Resilience Forum.
It's as Boris Johnson is due to lead a briefing on his roadmap out of lockdown sometime on Monday 22 January 2021.
Richard Webb, said: "You would hope as the vaccination takes hold and the weather gets better that the infection rates will go down. That was the pattern last year and you'd hope the vaccine will improve that situation.
"Probably later in the year we could need booster jabs for people to fight against covid-19 and the flu. So, I would expect some kind of spring and summer kind of easing but we're certainly not out of the woods yet."
It's not known how the Prime Minister's roadmap will look, but it's expected that schools will start a phased reopening on Monday 8 March 2021.
Richard Webb, continued: "We may see schools returning first, maybe some wider retail and shops opening too. We could get longer time out in the fresh air which I know most people will appreciate and potentially hospitality after that but I think that will certainly take time."
As of February 14 2021, North Yorkshire's infection rate is 90 per 100,000 people. The infection rate in Harrogate is 95, Craven is 53, Scarborough 62, Ryedale 90, Selby 100, Hambleton 109 and Richmondshire 119. These are all below the national average of 137.