Coventry Covid cases rise ahead of government tier review

Rates of Covid-19 have begun to rise in Coventry ahead of the government’s review of tiered restrictions.

Coventry is currently in Tier 3, and infection rates are one of the criteria that determine whether it will remain in the same Tier or see a reduction on Wednesday 16 December.

The other factors are the number of cases, the number of hospital admissions (in terms of both current and projected pressures on the NHS), cases in the over 60s and cases in all ages.

Covid rates had been falling in recent weeks, but data from the Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire dashboard indicates that rates are now steadily climbing.

In the seven days to 7 December, the data shows an infection rate of 131.35 per 100,000 people from 488 new recorded cases.

This rises to 143.20 from 532 new recorded cases in the seven days to 8 December, and 145.35 from 540 new recorded cases in the seven days to 9 December.

I believe all those five – particularly in Coventry – are pointing in the right direction. And also some of the areas put into Tier 2 last time Coventry is now below those. So I think Coventry should be putting a strong case that it is a definite outcome this time round

– Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands

In that same period, there were eight areas of Coventry which had Covid infection rates above 200, the highest of which – Little Heath – has a rate of 344.3.

The last Tier announcement caused controversy in Warwickshire, as certain areas (including Warwick and Stratford) had posted low infection rates. Local politicians asked Health Secretary Matt Hancock to look at the county “on its own merit”.

Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands, said last week (before the rise) that Coventry has a strong case to move into Tier 2 restrictions when its status is reviewed.

He said: “There are five criteria the Government  made very clear,   – the total rate of infections, over 60s, the direction of travel, positivity rate and local hospitals.”

“I believe all those five – particularly in Coventry – are pointing in the right direction. And also some of the areas put into Tier 2 last time Coventry is now below those. So I think Coventry should be putting a strong case that it is a definite outcome this time round.”