Covid-19: Basildon's case rate rise a 'grave situation'
The rise in Covid-19 cases in part of Essex was a "really grave situation", a council leader said.
The Basildon district's case rate was the 16th highest in England in the week to 27 November, and had doubled in a month to 293 cases per 100,000 people. Labour leader of Basildon Borough Council, Gavin Callaghan, said local schools should close on 11 December. Essex County Council said testing kits would be offered to families in areas with the highest case rates. The county has entered tier two - high alert following the end of the second national lockdown, the same tier it was in before the November restrictions. Decisions on tiers would be reviewed every 14 days, with the first review on 16 December, the government said. Basildon's Covid-19 case rate has risen in contrast to much of England. Mr Callaghan said: "We are fully aware our next move, whatever decisions are taken now, will have a profound impact on people's lives and livelihoods." "We are in a totally different situation from the rest of the country." Data from Essex County Council suggested up to 40% of cases in Basildon may be related to schools. Mr Callaghan said closing them on 11 December would cut down the chance of transmission and fewer people might be contagious by Christmas. He said another issue was the district's "advanced manufacturing economy", which meant employees could not work from home. Mr Callaghan said if Essex or Basildon entered tier three - very high alert it "would be a catastrophic failure of councils and government". John Spence, Essex County Council's cabinet member for health and adult social care, said the rise in Basildon was "a sobering reminder there is still work to be done." The council said a mobile testing unit would be set up in the district and large employers would receive rapid lateral flow tests "in the coming weeks". What do I need to know about the coronavirus? Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk