The Covid-19 virus has engulfed the globe since it began in Wuhan last December. There have been 1.01 million total cases and 46,555 total deaths nationally, and hospitals have been overwhelmed by the surge in new infections. Today, our Prime Minister announced a 4 week lockdown and stay-at-home order that will be enforced across the entirety of England. Schools and colleges will remain open nationwide despite the lockdown. But what’s the current situation here in the London borough of Sutton?
As seen in the graph above, the proportion of Sutton's population infected has increased steadily over the past month.
On October 10th, 60 Sutton residents out of every 100,000 were infected. Today, that number has risen to 126 cases per 100,000 residents, as opposed to the national average of 149 cases per 100,000 residents. The recent surge in infections marks a wider, alarming trend across the nation. Restrictions have been put in place to curb the spread of the virus and reduce the strain on the NHS.
Sutton is in the tier two (high alert) category for England in regard to this pandemic. Restrictions imposed as a result (in addition to the countrywide lockdown) include:
- Bans on groups of 6 or more (with exceptions for families)
- Bans on social mixing indoors with people of different households (with exceptions for childcare or support bubbles)
- Pubs, bars, and restaurants being restricted to table service only and closing at 10 PM GMT
- An encouragement to work at home (where this is not possible employers should ensure workplace Covid-19 protocols are followed)
- A limit of 15 people attending weddings and wakes
- A limit of 30 people attending funerals
The restrictions stay in place as we continue our fight against the pandemic nationwide, and are now supplemented by additional lockdown measures.
