Dear all,
Firstly, apologies for my delayed October newsletter. As you will know the last few days have seen developments unfold quickly, and I wanted to wait before sending to you all my thoughts on the latest COVID-19 guidance.
It is with a heavy heart that I last night voted in support of the second lockdown provisions. I had hoped we could manage coronavirus through a system of regional alert levels, while allowing as much of our economy as possible to continue, and friends and family to be able to see each other. However, the virus is now spreading faster than the reasonable worst-case scenario of our scientific advisers. The latest modelling suggests that unless we take further action now, we will see deaths peak above what we saw in April.
This is a national issue. While the virus is more widespread in the North West, it is doubling faster across the South East. The "R" rate (the rate that the virus reproduces at) is above one in every part of the country, meaning exponential growth everywhere. The latest data for the Sevenoaks district shows a rapid increase in the number of new positive COVID-19 cases; for the seven days to 28th October, 111 new cases were diagnosed, which represents a rate of 91.9 per 100,000 population. While these numbers are small in comparison to the national average (225.8 cases per 100,000 for the same date range) the cases in Sevenoaks have increased by 50% in two weeks – which is 17.5% higher than the national average. We must take action now to protect our NHS capacity, both for COVID and for non-COVID patients.
Having spoken regularly to local businesses, I am under no illusions how difficult a second lockdown will be for those who have already had to endure unimaginable hardship. I welcomed the Chancellors decision to offer vital business support throughout November, as well as the accommodations made to help with the mental health burden lockdown inevitably places on individuals and families. However, I do think further exemptions are necessary. I am pushing for the Government to include tennis, golf and children's sports in their list. I also have grave concerns about residents of care homes who have been months without visitors. I want the Government to explore the possibility of testing one visitor for each resident so that no one is without their friends and family for a further sustained period. I have raised this in the Health and Social Care Committee (of which I am a member) and I will continue to do so with ministers.
I thank you, as always, for your patience and cooperation. I remain thoroughly proud of how our community has come together in this national crisis.
I will continue to post the latest Sevenoaks district data on my Facebook page and if you need help, or have any questions, please contact me on [email protected].
Laura Trott
MP for Sevenoaks and Swanley
