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Please remember your local Covid19 restriction and those alone this New Year

AS the year ends we wish you all a safe end to 2020. This year has been a year of living and working at home with family, but for some, it has been a year of loneliness. Please remember to pick up the phone and call those you know who are unable to meet others and show you care. Also please remember that Tier 4 can not go into Tier 3 areas and to follow the Tier rules for your area. Let's start 2021 on the right path, and help stop Covid19 from taking over yet another full year. For the latest advice about the virus please visit:- NHS.UK/Coronavirus.

Bill Esterson MP voted for the legislation that enacted the UK-EU trade deal

THE MP for Sefton Central, Bill Esterson, on the last day of 2020, as we get ready to leave the EU fully on the stroke of Midnight, said:- "This deal is limited, and can be bettered, but first and foremost our priority was to avoid inflicting a terrible no deal on Britain. We must build upon the deal that we voted for. This is not the deal the Government promised. We have not secured frictionless trade. This deal will cost jobs and will stifle economic growth at 1 of the most challenging times ever for our economy. But having no trade deal would have been far worse. From protecting our industries and supply chains, ensuring the highest standards in agriculture and the environment to maintaining our current security measures and fulfilling our obligations under the Good Friday Agreement, there were many areas where a no deal would have fallen far short of what our country needs. The deal we have can be bettered. Professional qualifications in areas such as accountancy, the arts, finance, media, law and architecture should be mutually recognised. That they are not will make it harder for British businesses and individuals to win contracts abroad, and will increase instability and uncertainty in sectors like financial services. The UK will no longer have access to EU databases such as the Schengen Information System which can trace people with warrants issued against them, defendants or witnesses absconding from Court, stolen cars, missing people or those under surveillance. This database was consulted 600 million times by UK Police Forces in 2019. The deal means musicians won't be considered short term business visitors in the EU, which will make it hard for musicians to tour. That means higher costs and less opportunity to platform British talent in Europe. The Government didn't get the agreement they said they would on mutual recognition, which means that British exporters will have to go through 2 regulatory processes, adding lots of red tape. The agreement is a foundation to build on, 1 which a Labour Government will use to make the case for a outward looking future of internationalism and cooperation with our European partners and allies, so we can work together and build better economic opportunities and set higher rights and standards at home and throughout the world. A Labour Government would strengthen it with domestic legislation and with the ambition and commitment that this Government has been lacking. The Brexit debate is over, but the fight for a better future isn't. We must be a country that leads the way globally, working well with others, but forging our own path on climate justice, workers' rights and technological innovation."

Covid19 testing prioritised for 10,000 School staff

COVID19 testing is to be prioritised for Liverpool's 10,000 School staff as the new term gets under way. For 4 days, over Saturday, 2 January to Tuesday, 5 January 2021, 4 symptom free Test Centres in the City will offer priority lateral flow testing for any adult who works in any of Liverpool's Schools from 7am to 11am.

The Centres offering priority School staff testing are:-

► Exhibition Centre Liverpool, King's Dock, L3 4FP.

► Lifestyles Austin Rawlinson, Conleach Road, L24 0TR.

► Liverpool FC, Anfield Road, L4 0TH.

► Wavertree Tennis Centre, Wavertree Sports Park, L15 4LE.

► School staff attending during these hours should bring their School ID with them.

Members of the public who would like a symptom free lateral flow test are asked to avoid these Test Centres during the priority hours. Liverpool's Primary Schools and Special Schools will be open, from Monday, 4 January 2021, for all pupils. From Monday, 4 January 2021, Secondary Schools will only be delivering on site teaching for children of critical workers and vulnerable children. From 11 January 2021, on site teaching will further include children in exam years with all secondary age children returning to School, from 18 January 2021.

Cllr Barbara Murray, cabinet member for education, employment and skills, said:- "Keeping all our young people in School is an absolute priority. Our tTeachers have done incredible work engaging with children through remote learning but there is no doubt that children need to be with their friends in a classroom environment if they are to do the best they can. Many School staff have already regularly been getting tested, but these periods of priority testing mean that it will be even quicker and easier for them to take a lateral flow test and to keep themselves and the people around them safe."

Steve Reddy, Director of Children and Young People's Services, Liverpool City Council, said:- "The decision to offer these priority testing hours for School staff underlines how deeply we value education in Liverpool and all our School staff who drive the City's successes. Taking advantage of this over the next few days is another step towards keeping our children's classrooms open."

Matt Ashton, Liverpool's Director of Public Health, said:- "Rates of Coronavirus locally are now increasing and we also know that the new variant of Coronavirus is highly infectious, so we all need to do everything we can to limit its spread. However, we also need to protect the mental health and wellbeing of our children and young people, and keeping Schools open has a vital role to play. By offering symptom free testing as a priority to School staff we will identify more positive cases, keep more people safe and help everyone to get on with their lives. I would urge all School staff to take advantage of these priority testing hours so that we can get the new School term off to a great start. But please remember testing is just part of our overall approach to limiting the spread of Coronavirus, so please also continue to follow �hands face space' at all times."

Further information on all the City's Test Centres is on Liverpool City Council's website.

Man charged in connection to incident at Liverpool Central

ON 31 December 2020, the British Transport Police announced that a 23 year old, male, has been charged with attempted robbery and possession of an offensive weapon following an incident at Liverpool Central Station, on Sunday, 27 December 2020. James Donnelly, from Liverpool, appeared before magistrates on Tuesday where he was remanded in custody until 25 January 2021, at Liverpool Crown Court.

Total UK cases Covid19 cases in and around Liverpool City Region

Not all data has been added due to Christmas.

THE total number of UK Coronavirus (Covid19) infections that have been laboratory confirmed, within the UK, has risen by:- 55,892 cases and the total number now stand at:- 2,488,780 that includes tests carried out by commercial partners which are not included in the 4 National totals.

The total number of Covid19 associated UK fatalities added to the total, was sadly reported to be:- 964, within 28 days of positive test, according to the Department of Health. The total number of deaths of people who have had a positive test result confirmed by a Public Health or NHS laboratory is:- 73,512, within 28 days of positive test. Deaths with Covid19 on the death certificate:- 82,624.

The number of Covid19 patients currently in UK Hospitals:- 23,813. The current number of Covid19 patients currently in mechanical ventilation beds in UK Hospitals:- 1,847 Daily number of Covid19 patients admitted to UK Hospitals:- 2,433.

In England, there are a total of:- 2,139,956 confirmed cases. North West - total of:- 368,447 confirmed cases.

The number of laboratory confirmed cases within the Liverpool City Region are as follows:-

Area and number of confirmed cases:- Risen by:-

Liverpool City Region

Tier 3

National UK Restrictions

► Liverpool, 27,656 confirmed cases.
356

► Halton, 5,817 confirmed cases.
143

► Knowsley, 8,975 confirmed cases. 172

► Sefton, 12,343 confirmed cases.
214

► St. Helens, 8,919 confirmed cases.
95

► Wirral, 12,476 confirmed cases.

349

Colour Key:- 0 1 to 10 11 to 20 21 to 30 31 to 40 41 to 50 51 to100 101 over

The number of laboratory confirmed cases within Local Authorities around the Liverpool City Region, since start of the Pandemic, are as follows:-

► Blackburn with Darwen, 11,637 confirmed cases.

► Blackpool, 6,259 confirmed cases.

► Bolton, 17,149 confirmed cases.

► Bury, 11,728 confirmed cases.

► Cheshire East, 12,190 confirmed cases.

► Cheshire West and Chester, 12,183 confirmed cases.

► Lancashire, 59,457 confirmed cases.

► Manchester, 35,871 confirmed cases.

► Oldham, 16,782 confirmed cases.

► Preston, 8,575 confirmed cases.

► Rochdale, 14,816 confirmed cases.

► Salford, 15,437 confirmed cases.

► Stockport, 12,633 confirmed cases.

► Tameside, 11,853 confirmed cases.

► Trafford, 10,507 confirmed cases.

► Warrington, 10,278 confirmed cases

► Wigan, 19,222 confirmed cases.

Total UK people who have received vaccination

Pfizer / BioNTech

1st Dose 2nd Dose

944,539 Not yet disclosed

Oxford University / AstraZeneca

Not yet disclosed Not yet disclosed

Daily reported Covid19 deaths are now measured across the UK as deaths that occurred within 28 days of the 1st laboratory confirmed positive Covid19 test. Daily and cumulative numbers of Covid19 patients admitted to Hospital. Data are not updated every day by all 4 nations and the figures are not comparable as Wales include suspected Covid19 patients while the other nations include only confirmed cases.

The latest R number is estimated at:- 1.1 to 1.3 with a daily infection growth rate range of:- +1% to +6%, as of 24 December 2020.