Exeter not set for lockdown

But infection rate has gone from 53 to 252 per 100,000

Exeter is not in the territory for any local lockdown, Devon’s Director of Public Health says, despite the recent rise in cases within the city.

Exeter has been propelled into the top 20 areas of England in terms of infection rates, with its rate jumping from 56.3 per 100,000 people to 262.5 in just seven days.

But with the overwhelming majority of cases linked to the university – and having not spread into the community yet, Dr Virginia Pearson says that the city is not yet facing any wider lockdown measures but has once again urged people to stick to the rules.

University students have been asked to not mix indoors with anyone who is not part of their household – the only exceptions to this are for study, work, organised sport, or in an emergency situation where people are in danger – and extra testing capacity has been organised on campus.

The Pennsylvania and University area of Exeter has leapt into the top ten of areas in England with positive cases of covid-19 with a rise from 127 to 223 cases in the latest figures showing the country’s largest coronavirus clusters, with a further 55 cases in Central Exeter and 30 in St James’s Park & Hoopern.

Dr Pearson said: “Exeter has seen a recent sharp spike in cases, most of which are in the University student population.  The outbreak is currently contained, and so Exeter is not in the territory for broad lockdown within the city at this time. What’s happening in Exeter is not unexpected and has been planned for. Exeter is now experiencing what is being seen elsewhere in universities across the country.

“We are tracking positive cases constantly to be able to respond quickly, through daily meetings with the University of Exeter, Exeter College, Public Health England, Exeter City Council and the police. The University has a comprehensive set of measures in place to reduce transmission among its student and staff population, and their planning has enabled early visibility of the issue and enabled a swift response.

She added: “If you are contacted by NHS Test and Trace because you have been in close contact with a confirmed case, advising you to self-isolate for 14 days, do so for the full duration. Self-isolation properly is vital to reducing the risk of infection spreading. There must not be short cuts.

“These rules require us all to pay attention and to take individual and collective responsibility. The sooner we control the spread of the infection, the sooner we can expect restrictions to loosen.”

Mike Shore-Nye, registrar at the University of Exeter said: “We are keeping our approach to teaching under constant review and, in the continued absence of any evidence to date of onward transmission associated with face-to-face teaching, we are maintaining our blended learning model. To keep everyone safe in our teaching spaces, please do ensure that you follow the hands-face-space protocols and the measures we have in place for your protection.”