It’s difficult not to be confused about what to do and what not to do, what’s safe and what’s not safe and what will happen next. But recognising that it’s important to focus on what we do know and to run our lives accordingly …

What we know is that the weekly incidence in the week of 5-11 Oct 20 in South Cambs was 72 cases/100,000 residents. That’s up 20 on the week before. It’s about a half of the national average and the infection rate is 432/100,000 residents. There have been no deaths. The infection rate is running a little higher in the City (90/100,000) but it appears that there are no serious outbreaks in either university although one residential wing has been quarantined at Homerton.

Down at the Histon & Impington level (which of course includes Orchard Park and King’s Meadow) there were 9 new cases in the week of 8-14 Oct 20. A lot of these would be the cases identified at IVC.

It’s worrying that ‘our’ trend is adverse but levels of infection remain well below those in the Midlands and North.

Given the above it would seem appropriate to re-emphasise two rules.

1 Observe the ‘hands, face and place’ rule. As a community we are doing this very well indeed and now is the time to remind ourselves to continue to observe it. It’s an element of insurance that we stay in tier 1 and do not find ourselves subject to tougher rules (national lockdowns and circuit breakers notwithstanding).

2 Support our local businesses. Our shops and cafes, pubs and restaurants are serving us really well and are exemplary in the way that they have invested in and are implementing the rules which apply to them. Use them with confidence, follow their rules and, above all, remember rule 1!

Meanwhile life goes on and it’s good to see Gin House re-opening in what used to be the NatWest Bank next door to the Salvation Army shop. And work on Estelle’s beauty salon and on the School Hill site redevelopment proceeds apace.

And finally: the HICovid19 response team met again last week. It noted that the street coordinator network was largely in good shape although there are a few gaps to be filled, that business compliance with Covid rules is first class, and that there is, at present, little demand for food bank support. All of this might change rapidly of course so the team is staying alert. It will meet again Thu 29 Oct 20.